T O Password won the Fukuryu Stakes at Nakayama. (Katsumi Saito)
• Fukuryu Stakes Winner Accepts Invitation To Compete In Kentucky Derby
• Louisiana Derby Winner Catching Freedom, Ranked First on Derby Leaderboad, settles in at Churchill Downs
Kentucky Derby Update Edited
LOUIVILLE, Ky.—Tomoya Ozasa has accepted the invitation for his colt, T O Password (JPN), to compete in the 150th running of the $5 million Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (Grade I), according to Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby representative Kate Hunter.
T O Password, a gutsy winner of the Fukuryu Stakes at Nakayama, earned 40 points on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby and secured his invitation to the Kentucky Derby.
The son of Copano Rickey, T O Password is a perfect 2-for-2 in his young career. Trained by Daisuke Takayanagi, T O Password debuted Jan. 6, defeating 15 rivals by two lengths at Kyoto Racecourse. In the Fukuryu Stakes, T O Password was a 14-1 longshot but was able to get the early lead and took the field gate-to-wire.
More information will be available in the coming days when T O Password plans to ship to Churchill Downs.
Albaugh Family Stable’s TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby (Grade II) winner Catching Freedom arrived at Churchill Downs early Monday morning and will begin his preparations for the 150th running of the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (GI) in the coming days.
“He seemed to come out of the race very well,” trainer Brad Cox said as he stood outside Catching Freedom’s stall in Barn 22. “We’re excited how he handled everything in the Louisiana Derby and looking forward to improving even more from that in the Kentucky Derby.”
Catching Freedom, who was in last during the early stages of the Louisiana Derby, held fellow closer Honor Marie at bay by one-length. The bay son of Constitution could have three of four works prior to the Kentucky Derby, according to Cox.
Trained by Whit Beckman, Honor Marie arrived from Fair Grounds to Churchill Downs on Wednesday and is stabled in Barn 37. The improving son of Honor Code is targeting the Kentucky Derby which would be his third start of his 3-year-old campaign.
Catching Freedom New Leader On Road To Kentucky Derby
Following Saturday’s TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby (GII), Albaugh Family Stable’s Catching Freedom is the new leader on the Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard with 125 points.
Just seven races remain on the traditional Road to the Kentucky Derby to decide the field for the first Saturday in May.
Here are the Top 20 horses on the Road to the Kentucky Derby Leaderboard:
| Position | Horse | Trainer | Resume | Possible Next Start | Points |
| 1 | Catching Freedom | Brad Cox | 1st – Louisiana Derby1st – Smarty Jones3rd – Risen Star | May 4 Kentucky Derby | 125 |
| 2 | Endlessly | Michael McCarthy | 1st – Jeff Ruby Steaks | May 4 American Turf | 100 |
| 3 | Track Phantom | Steve Asmussen | 1st – Lecomte1st – Gun Runner3rd – Risen Star4th – Louisiana Derby | May 4 Kentucky Derby | 70 |
| 4 | West Saratoga | Larry Demeritte | 1st – Iroquois2nd – Jeff Ruby Steaks3rd – Sam F. Davis5th – Breeders’ Futurity | May 4 Kentucky Derby | 67 |
| 5 | Timberlake | Brad Cox | 1st – Rebel1st – Champagne4th – Breeders’ Cup Juvenile | March 30 Arkansas Derby | 66 |
| 6 | Honor Marie | Whit Beckman | 1st – Street Sense2nd – Louisiana Derby5th – Risen Star | May 4 Kentucky Derby | 65 |
| 7 | Dornoch | Danny Gargan | 1st – Fountain of Youth1st – Remsen | April 6 Blue Grass | 60 |
| 8 | Domestic Product | Chad Brown | 1st – Tampa Bay Derby2nd – Holy Bull | April 6 Blue Grass, Wood Memorial or May 4 Kentucky Derby | 60 |
| 9 | Sierra Leone | Chad Brown | 1st – Risen Star2nd – Remsen | April 6 Blue Grass | 55 |
| 10 | Deterministic | Christophe Clement | 1st – Gotham | April 6 Wood Memorial | 50 |
| 11 | No More Time | Jose D’Angelo | 1st – Tampa Bay Derby1st – Sam F. Favis | May 4 Kentucky Derby | 45 |
| 12 | Common Defense | Kenny McPeek | 2nd – Rebel5th – Southwest5th – Louisiana Derby | TBA | 37 |
| 13 | Fierceness | Todd Pletcher | 1st – Breeders’ Cup Juvenile3rd – Holy Bull | March 30 Florida Derby | 36 |
| 14 | El Grande O | Linda Rice | 2nd – Withers2nd – Jerome3rd – Gotham | April 6 Wood Memorial | 30 |
| 15 | Seize the Grey | Wayne Lukas | 3rd – Jeff Ruby Steaks4th – Iroquois | April 13 Lexington | 27 |
| 16 | Stronghold | Phil D’Amato | 1st – Sunland Derby2nd – Los Alamitos Derby | April 6 Santa Anita Derby | 25 |
| 17 | Le Dom Bro | Eniel Cordero | 2nd – Fountain of Youth | March 30 Florida Derby | 25 |
| 18 | Tuscan Gold | Chad Brown | 3rd – Louisiana Derby | TBA | 25 |
| 19 | Just a Touch | Brad Cox | 2nd – Gotham | April 6 Blue Grass | 25 |
| 20 | T O Password (JPN) | Daisuke Takayanagi | 1st – Fukuryu | May 4 Kentucky Derby | JPN |
Down The Stretch ………………………
The Road to the Kentucky Oaks will continue Saturday at Gulfstream with the Gulfstream Park Oaks (GII) and at Oaklawn with the Fantasy Stakes (GII). Both races will award the top five finishers qualifying points for the $1.5 million Longines Kentucky Oaks on a 100-50-25-15-10 scale. …
The barn area at Churchill Downs is back open with training hours set from 5:30-10 a.m. Besides Catching Freedom (Barn 22), Honor Marie (Barn 37) and Track Phantom (Barn 38), no other Kentucky Derby contenders are scheduled to arrive until after Saturday’s Arkansas Derby and Florida Derby. …
Trainer Wayne Lukas reported he could try Seize the Grey in one more Road to the Kentucky Derby Championship Series race to try and qualify for the Kentucky Derby. Seize the Grey, who has accrued 27 points, could run in either the Blue Grass (GI) or Lexington (GII) at Keeneland. …
Late Triple Crown nominations are due Monday, April 1. Those wishing to nominate a 3-year-old to the series that haven’t done so already must pay a $6,000 late fee at www.thetriplecrown.com. …
The 10th season of “Inside Churchill Downs” with Darren Rogers, Kevin Kerstein and other special guest handicappers from the Churchill Downs team will begin Friday, April 5 on ESPN 680/105.7 in Louisville.
And then there were four …
April 6 – $750,000 Wood Memorial (GII), 1 1/8 miles, Aqueduct (Top 5 points: 100-50-25-15-10)
Known possible starters (with trainer): Be You (Todd Pletcher); Deposition (Uriah St. Lewis); Deterministic (Christophe Clement); El Grande O (Linda Rice); and Uncle Heavy (Butch Reid).April 6 – $1 million Blue Grass (GI), 1 1/8 miles, Keeneland (Top 5 points: 100-50-25-15-10)
Known possible starters (with trainer): Dornoch (Danny Gargan); Encino (Brad Cox); Epic Ride (John Ennis); Just a Touch (Brad Cox); Lat Long (Kenny McPeek); Seize the Grey (Wane Lukas); Sierra Leone (Chad Brown); and Tuscan Sky (Todd Pletcher).April 6 – $750,000 Santa Anita Derby (GI), 1 1/8 miles, Santa Anita (Top 5 points: 100-50-25-15-10)
Known possible starters (with trainer): Coach Prime (Bob Baffert); Imagination (Bob Baffert); Maymun (Bob Baffert); Mc Vay (John Shirreffs); Stronghold (Phil D’Amato); Tessuto (George Papaprodromou); and Wine Me Up (Bob Baffert).April 13 – $400,000 Lexington (GIII), 1 1/16 miles, Keeneland (Top 5 points: 20-10-6-4-2)
Known possible starters (with trainer): Seize the Grey (Wayne Lukas)Note: The possible fields for upcoming Kentucky Derby Championship Series races are fluid as owners and trainers vie for points. Known possible horses mentioned to be under consideration for each race are based on published news reports and other sources. Horses listed in italics are possible for multiple races.
