Archive

20) HAPPY JACK (c, Oxbow--Tapitstry, by Tapit) O/B-Calumet Farm (KY). T-Doug F. O'Neill. Sales History: $0 RNA wlg '19 KEENOV. Lifetime Record: GISP, 4-1-0-2, $182,200. Last Start: 3rd GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby. KY Derby Points: 30. Post 2, 30-1. Blinkers were removed then added over the past several races, and will now come off again for Happy Jack, a Calumet Farm homebred who got buried down in post two after qualifying for the Derby with points earned by running a distant third in the Santa Anita Derby. He broke...

19) SUMMER IS TOMORROW (c, Summer Front--Always Tomorrow, by Badge of Silver) O-Michael Hilary & Negar Burke. B-Brereton C. Jones (KY). T-Bhupat Seemar. Sales History: $25,000 wlg '19 KEENOV; $14,000 RNA '20 KEESEP; £120,000 2yo '21 ARQMAY. Lifetime Record: GSP-UAE, 7-2-3-0, $267,606. Last Start: 2nd G2 UAE Derby. KY Derby Points: 40. Post 4, 30-1. With a six-sprint foundation at Meydan and Jebel Ali and a Derby gate draw of post four, there should be no doubt that the strategy for this late Triple Crown supplement and three-time auction entrant...

18) ETHEREAL ROAD (c, Quality Road--Sustained, by War Front) O-Julie Gilbert & Aaron Sones. B-Paul Pompa Jr. (KY). T-D. Wayne Lukas. Sales History: $90,000 ylg '20 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: GSP, 7-1-1-1, $294,545. Last Start: 4th GIII Stonestreet Lexington S. KY Derby Points: 22. Post 20, 30-1. Ethereal Road will be making his third start in four weeks on Saturday because he spent the month of April scrambling for qualifying points. But you have to go back to January and February to find his most competitive races. This D. Wayne Lukas-trained...

17) ZOZOS (c, Munnings--Papa's Forest, by Forestry) 'TDN Rising Star' O/B-Barry & Joni Butzow (KY). T-Brad H. Cox. Lifetime Record: GSP, 3-2-1-0, $291,200. Last Start: 2nd GII TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby. KY Derby Points: 40. Post 19, 20-1. This 'TDN Rising Star' and homebred for Barry and Joni Butzow was on his left lead through the stretch of his MSW win, uncorked a powerful turn of foot at the quarter pole of his allowance victory, then led for as long as he could through the long Fair Grounds stretch in the...

16) CYBERKNIFE (c, Gun Runner--Awesome Flower, by Flower Alley) O-Gold Square LLC. B-Kenneth L. & Sarah K. Ramsey (KY). T-Brad H. Cox. Sales History: $400,000 ylg '20 FTKSEL. Lifetime Record: GISW, 6-3-2-0, $860,000. Last Start: 1st GI Arkansas Derby. KY Derby Points: 100. Post 16, 20-1. The GI Arkansas Derby winner has been described kindly as a "high-energy horse." But earlier in the season trainer Brad Cox minced no words in saying he's a "tough horse to deal with." Getting DQ'd from a win, tossing his jock in the post...

15) TAWNY PORT (c, Pioneerof the Nile--Livi Makenzie, by Macho Uno) O-Peachtree Stable. B-WinStar Farm LLC (KY). T-Brad H. Cox. Sales History: $430,000 ylg '20 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: GSW, 5-3-1-0, $427,000. Last Start: 1st GIII Stonestreet Lexington S. KY Derby Points: 60. Post 18, 30-1. Tawny Port ($430,000 KEESEP) started his career with two Tapeta wins, then was not disgraced when fifth, beaten 7 3/4 lengths against Epicenter, Smile Happy and Zandon in New Orleans. This Pioneerof the Nile son then chased Tiz the Bomb home when second in the...

14) PIONEER OF MEDINA (c, Pioneerof the Nile--Lights of Medina, by Eskendereya) O-Sumaya U.S. Stable. B-International Equities Holding, Inc. (KY). T-Todd A. Pletcher. Sales History: $485,000 RNA ylg '20 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: GSP, 6-2-1-2, $181,350. Last Start: 3rd GII TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby. KY Derby Points: 25. Post 11, 30-1. Pioneer of Medina, a $485,000 RNA at KEESEP, will be looking to avenge the second-place finish by his sire, Pioneerof the Nile, in the 2009 Derby. This colt was third and fourth on the Louisiana prep route to Louisville--not badly beaten,...

13) CROWN PRIDE (JPN) (c, Reach the Crown {Jpn}--Emmy's Pride {Jpn}, by King Kamehameha {Jpn}) O-Teruya Yoshida. B-Shadai Farm (Jpn). T-Koichi Shintani. Lifetime Record: GSW-UAE, SW-Jpn, 4-3-0-0, $734,569. Last Start: 1st G2 UAE Derby. KY Derby Points: 100. Post 7, 20-1. Crown Pride (Jpn), who celebrated his third birthday May 4, has gotten rave reviews since arriving at Churchill for his poise, posture and footwork during morning training, which has been a unique mixture of dressage-style warming-up and more frequent workouts. And no doubt Japan-based horses have been on a...

10) TAIBA (c, Gun Runner--Needmore Flattery, by Flatter) 'TDN Rising Star' O-Zedan Racing Stables Inc. B-Bruce C Ryan (KY). T-Tim Yakteen. Sales History: $140,000 Ylg '20 FTKOCT; $1,700,000 2yo '21 FTFMAR. Lifetime Record: GISW, 2-2-0-0, $490,200. Last Start: 1st GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby. KY Derby Points: 100. Post 12, 12-1. Generational super-freak or over-hyped horse being asked for too much too soon? 'TDN Rising Star' Taiba ($140,000 FTKOCT; $1.7 million FTFMAR) is the compelling conundrum of this year's Derby based on two scorching triple-digit Beyer wins that have suggested...

7) TIZ THE BOMB (c, Hit It a Bomb--Tiz the Key, by Tiznow) O-Magdalena Racing, Lessee. B-Spendthrift Farm LLC (KY). T-Kenneth McPeek. Sales History: $330,000 Ylg '20 FTKSEL. Lifetime Record: MGSW & GISP, 8-5-1-0, $1,044,401. Last Start: 1st GIII Jeff Ruby Steaks. KY Derby Points: 110. Post 9, 30-1. There's plenty of upside to this $330,000 FTKSEL colt by Hit It a Bomb if you're willing to avoid getting hung up on the overblown "he won't handle dirt" argument. A deep (by modern standards) foundation of eight races, plenty of...

8) BARBER ROAD (c, Race Day--Encounter, by Southern Image) O-WSS Racing, LLC. B-Susan Forrester & Judy Curry (KY). T-John Alexander Ortiz. Sales History: $15,000 wlg '19 KEENOV. Lifetime Record: GISP, 8-2-3-1, $650,720. Last Start: 2nd GI Arkansas Derby. KY Derby Points: 58. Post 14, 30-1. In case the skies open up, know that among the Derby's 22 entrants, Barber Road owns the best performance on an outright sloppy track. Several other contenders have won and hit the board on "good" dirt surfaces that were retaining some moisture, but this Race...

9) CHARGE IT (c, Tapit--I'll Take Charge, by Indian Charlie) 'TDN Rising Star' O/B-Whisper Hill Farm (KY). T-Todd A. Pletcher. Lifetime Record: GISP, 3-1-1-0, $230,400. Last Start: 2nd GI Curlin Florida Derby. KY Derby Points: 40. Post 8, 20-1. Among the three Derby entrants this year who will go into the gate with three or fewer lifetime starts, 'TDN Rising Star' Charge It is the most likely to make an impact. Since 1937, only Justify in 2018 and Big Brown in 2008 have won the Derby off only three prior...