Everything has gone wrong for Classic Empire since he won the BC Juvenile last fall. In the ensuing five months, he ran once and finished a flat 3rd in the Holy Bull at Gulfstream Park and came out of that race with a foot abscess, which forced him to miss the Fountain of Youth Stakes.
He refused to work twice last month and trainer Mark Casse took him to the farm to get him in the right frame of mind. He has been working without incident recently and needs a big effort on Saturday. In the last 5+ months, he only has one race and nine workouts.
Rebel Stakes winner Malagacy drew post 12 and will likely stalk the pace. Todd Pletcher’s undefeated sophomore still has stamina questions to answer.
One Liner was supposed to represent the Pletcher barn in the Arkansas Derby but his final work was unsatisfactory and he is off the Derby trail.
If the two Arkansas Derby favorites fail to fire, there are many quality horses ready to jump up and shine including Conquest Mo Money, Lookin at Lee, Petrov, Rockin Rudy, Silver Dust, and Untrapped.
Jarrod Horak’s “Exceptional Eleven" Kentucky Derby 2017 Contenders (Updated 4-15-17)
#1 - ALWAYS DREAMING
#2 - Gunnevera
#3 - McCraken
#4 - Irish War Cry
#5 - Battalion Runner
#6 - Girvin
#7 - Practical Joke
#8 - Gormley
#9 - Classic Empire
#10 - Irap
#11 - Patch
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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