Derby Top Twelve

EPICHARIS (JPN), c, (Gold Allure {Jpn}--Stapes Mitsuko {Jpn}, by Carnegie {Ire}) O-Carrot Farm Co. B-Masatsugu Kamada (Jpn). T-Kiyoshi Hagiwara. Sales History: ¥26,000,000 Wlg '14 JRAJUL. Lifetime Record: 5-4-1-0, $920,285. Last Start: 2nd, G2 UAE Derby Sponsored by the Saeed & Mohammed Al Naboodah Group Accomplishments: 1st, Hyacinth S., TOK, Feb. 19 Equineline PPs After being treated for lameness in his right front leg earlier in the week, Epicharis was "walking sound" as of Friday morning. His connections feel the G2 UAE Derby runner-up is still on target for the GI...

MEANTIME (c, Shackleford--Livermore Leslie, by Mt. Livermore) O-Silverton Hill LLC. B-Brent & Beth Harris (KY). T-Brian A. Lynch. Sales History: $230,000 Ylg '15 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: GSP, 4-1-2-1, $83,740. Last Start: 2nd, GIII Peter Pan S., BEL, May 13 Equineline PPs This front-running new shooter will be a definite pace factor in the Belmont S., but the obvious questions are how fast and for how long--especially considering the likelihood that the always-keen Irish War Cry figures to loom just off his flank as a menacing presence through the first half...

HOLLYWOOD HANDSOME c, Tapizar--Ladyflickerflacker, by Forestry) O-Nancy & Mark Stanley. B-North Hanover Bloodstock (KY). T-Dallas Stewart. Sales History: $200,000 Ylg '15 FTKOCT. Lifetime Record: 9-2-0-3, $123,430. Last Start: 1st, Allowance, CD, May 14 Equineline PPs Hollywood Handsome will attempt to parlay a first-level allowance win at Churchill Downs into a Belmont S. upset. He required five starts (several as a beaten fave) before breaking his maiden at Fair Grounds back in January, and although he was not badly beaten in subsequent stakes attempts, neither his fourth in the Louisiana Derby...

TWISTED TOM (g, Creative Cause--Tiffany Twisted, by Thunder Gulch) O-Cobra Farm, Inc., R R Partners & Head of Plains Partners LLC. B- Dr. William B. Wilmot & Dr. Joan M. Taylor (NY). T-Chad C. Brown. Sales History: $22,000 RNA Ylg '15 FTNAUG; $22,000 RNA Ylg '15 FTKOCT. Lifetime Record: MSW, 6-4-0-0, $209,040. Last Start: 1st, Federico Tesio S., LRL, Apr. 22. Accomplishments: 1st, Private Terms S., LRL, Mar. 18 Equineline PPs Long-shot New York-bred Twisted Tom rides a three-race winning streak into the Belmont S., with his two most recent...

Horse-by-horse analysis of the 1 1/2-mile $1.5-million GI Belmont S. entrants, ranked in order of estimated win probability: 1. IRISH WAR CRY (c, Curlin--Irish Sovereign, by Polish Numbers) 'TDN Rising Star' O/B-Isabelle de Tomaso (NJ). T-H. G. Motion. Lifetime Record: MGSW, 6-4-0-0, $699,460. Last Start: 10th, GI Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands., CD, May 6 Accomplishments: 1st, GII Wood Memorial S. presented by NYRA Bets, AQU, Apr. 8; 1st, GII Lambholm South Holy Bull S., GP, Feb. 4; 1st, Marylander S., LRL, Jan. 23 Equineline PPs, Caulfield on Irish...

TERM OF ART (c, 3, Tiznow--Miles of Style, by Storm Cat) O-Calumet Farm. B-Whisper Hill Farm, LLC (KY). T-Doug F. O'Neill. Sales History: $220,000 Ylg '15 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: GSW, 9-2-1-2, $170,105. Last Start: 7th, GI Santa Anita Derby, SA, Apr. 8. Accomplishments Include: 1st, GIII Cecil B. DeMille S., DMR, Nov. 27. Thoro-Graph sheet, Equineline PPs Term of Art owns a maiden and a Grade III off-the-turf score from 2016 but has been blanked in four straight Santa Anita graded stakes preps this spring. He did manage a pick-up-the-pieces...

VIDEO PPS SENIOR INVESTMENT (c, 3, Discreetly Mine--Plaid, by Deputy Commander)O-Fern Circle Stables. B-Dixiana Farms LLC (KY). T-Kenneth G. McPeek. Sales History: $95,000 Ylg '15 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: GSW & GISP, 9-3-0-1, $372,080.Last Start: 3rd, GI Preakness S., PIM, May 20Accomplishments: 1st, GIII Lexington S., KEE, Apr. 15.Equineline PPsSenior Investment managed a respectable third in Baltimore simply by picking up the pieces of the Preakness pace meltdown. In his prior race, the Lexington S. at Keeneland, this deep closer dropped far off the action and had only one horse beaten...

MULTIPLIER (c, 3, The Factor--Trippi Street, by Trippi) O-American Equistock. B-Mark Stansell (KY). T-Brendan P. Walsh. Sales History: $62,000 Wlg '14 KEENOV; $220,000 RNA Ylg '15 KEESEP; $120,000 RNA 2yo '16 OBSAPR. Lifetime Record: GSW, 5-2-1-1, $187,310. Last Start: 6th, GI Preakness S., PIM, May 20 Accomplishments: 1st, GIII Illinois Derby, HAW, Apr. 22 Equineline PPs I actually thought Multiplier's sneaky-good win in the Illinois Derby two starts back might be sharp enough for him to nail a piece of the Preakness S. at 19-1 odds, but he was relatively...

CLOUD COMPUTING (c, Maclean's Music--Quick Temper, by A.P. Indy) O-Klaravich Stables, Inc. & William H. Lawrence. B-Hill 'n' Dale Equine Holdings, Inc. & Stretch Run Ventures, LLC (KY). T-Chad C. Brown. Sales History: $200,000 Ylg '15 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: MGSP, 3-1-1-1, $171,000. Last Start: 3rd, GII Wood Memorial S., AQU, Apr. 8 Thoro-Graph sheet, Equineline PPs Cloud Computing falls under the "fresh face" category for this year's Preakness, and he's an intriguing candidate to spring an upset. Yet even though this angle gets played up every year, "fresh" horses that...

As Wednesday's draw approaches, here's a look at the likely GI Preakness S. entrants, ranked in order of estimated win probability: 1. ALWAYS DREAMING (c, Bodemeister--Above Perfection, by In Excess {Ire}) O-Brooklyn Boyz Stables, Teresa Viola Racing Stables et al. B-Santa Rosa Partners (KY). T-Todd A. Pletcher. Sales History: $350,000 Ylg '15 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: MGISW, 6-4-1-1, $2,248,700. Last Start: 1st, GI Kentucky Derby, CD, May 6 Accomplishments Include: 1st, GI Xpressbet Florida Derby, GP, Apr. 1 Thoro-Graph sheet, Equineline PPs There are some years when the Derby winner "backs...

by T.D. Thornton This week's TDN Top 20 examines the GI Kentucky Derby runners according to finish position. For a number of top contenders, it's on to Baltimore for the GI Preakness S. The remainder are in regroup mode, and it's a noteworthy relief that at roughly the 48-hour mark of Derby aftermath, none of the Derby runners appear to have exited the race worsened by injury or illness. 1. (Final Derby 20 Rank: 1) ALWAYS DREAMING (c, Bodemeister--Above Perfection, by In Excess {Ire}) O-Brooklyn Boyz Stables, Teresa Viola Racing...

SONNETEER (c, Midnight Lute--Ours, by Half Ours) O/B-Calumet Farm (KY). T-Keith J. Desormeaux. Lifetime Record: GSP, 10-0-4-2, $284,445. Last Start: 4th, GI Arkansas Derby, OP, Apr. 15 Thoro-Graph sheet, Equineline PPs KY Derby Points: 30 Sonneteer is still a maiden after 10 lifetime tries, but only once has he finished worse than fourth. His style indicates that jockey Kent Desormeaux will drop far off the pace and attempt a closing move from well off the tailgate. That strategy was good enough to earn Sonneteer a second and a fourth in...