McCraken is now 4-for-4 and earned 10 Derby qualifying points in the G2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes at Churchill Downs last fall and another 10 points in Florida last weekend.
I like the fact that McCraken’s trainer Ian Wilkes worked with veteran conditioner Carl Nafzger during Unbridled’s and Street Sense’s Derby-winning campaigns. Mr. Wilkes is going old school with a trio of Derby preps and we already know his promising colt likes Churchill Downs.
Tapwrit was a decent 2nd in the Davis for Pletcher, followed by State of Honor and Wild Shot. Remsen runner-up No Dozing did not show up in a disappointing effort.
Iliad looked good in the G2 San Vicente (96 BSF) at Santa Anita Park last Sunday. Bob Baffert trained him for his juvenile campaign and Doug "Neill is the conditioner now for Kaleem Shah's promising runner. It looks like the San Felipe/SA Derby for this one.
There are a pair of Derby points races this week beginning with the El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate Fields on Feb 18. Santa Anita Park shippers Sheer Flattery and Ann Arbor Eddie take on locals More Power to Him and Colonel Samsen in the nine furlong synthetic test.
On Presidents’ Day (Monday, Feb 20), Smarty Jones Stakes 1-2-3 finishers Uncontested, Petrov, and Rowdy the Warrior meet again.
Jarrod Horak’s “Exceptional Eleven" Kentucky Derby 2017 Contenders (Updated 2-18-17)
#1 - MASTERY
#2 - McCraken
#3 - El Areeb
#4 - Gormley
#5 - Three Rules
#6 - Classic Empire
#7 - Practical Joke
#8 - Royal Mo
#9 - Theory
#10 - Battalion Runner
#11 - Irish War Cry
You can read my entire Kentucky Derby 2017 contenders update blog at The Runaway Horse.
* Churchill Downs photo by Stacy Edwards
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