Coming in a strong second on my year-end list is BC Juvenile hero Good Magic. The Chad Brown trainee looks like a strong candidate for the 2018 Classics and is spending the winter in Florida.
Bob Baffert trains my 3rd and 4th ranked Derby contenders, Solomini and McKinzie. Look for them on the SoCal road to the Derby, and don’t be surprised if one of them ends up at Oaklawn Park.
Rounding out my top five is Principe Guilherme. He is spending the winter in New Orleans and is expected to make his next start in the Lecomte Stakes at Fair Grounds on Jan. 13.
In other Derby trail news, Vino Rosso improved his record to 2-for-2 with a sharp win at Tampa Bay on Dec. 22 for trainer Todd Pletcher. He is ready for the stakes ranks.
Strike Power looked great breaking his maiden at Gulfstream Park on Dec. 23 for Mark Hennig. His aforementioned romping win was at five and one-half furlongs and I am sure his connections will give him a chance to stretch out in the near future.
Peace, trained by Richard Mandella, flattered my ninth ranked Derby contender Shivermetimbers with a game two turn maiden win at Santa Anita Park on Dec. 30. The Grade 3 Robert Lewis Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on Feb. 3 is a possible target.
My eighth ranked Derby contender, Firenze Fire, was supposed to make his 3-year-old bow in the Jerome at Aqeuduct on Jan. 1, but freezing temperatures forced that Derby prep to be rescheduled.
Bolt d’Oro capture above and speed figures below courtesy of Today's Racing Digest.
Jarrod Horak’s “Exceptional Eleven" Kentucky Derby 2018 Contenders
(1) BOLT D’ORO (Medaglia d’Oro - Globe Trot, by A.P. Indy)
Trainer (Mick Ruis) - Owner (Ruis Racing)
Top Today’s Racing Digest Final Rating: 140 (FrontRunner Stakes, SA, 9-30-17)
Comments: He improved his Today’s Racing Digest numbers in his first three starts (all wins) including back-to-back grade one wins in the Del Mar Futurity and FrontRunner. He experienced a very wide trip from an outer post in the the BC Juvenile and ended up a good 3rd considering the lost ground. He deserves the Eclipse Award for top juvenile in the land, and he has always been my number one ranked Derby contender. He has been training daily (should return to work tab soon), and might return in the Grade 2 San Vicente Stakes at Santa Anita Park on Feb 10.
Derby Points (14)
(2) GOOD MAGIC (Curlin - Glinda the Good, by Hard Spun)
Trainer (Chad Brown) - Owner (e Five Racing Thoroughbreds and Stonestreet Stables)
Top Today’s Racing Digest Final Rating: 153 (BC Juvenile, 11-4-17)
Comments: I thought he ran the best race in his place finish in the G1 Champagne, and his Today’s Racing Digest numbers went through the roof in a visually impressive score in the BC Juvenile. He has been part of my Derby list all along, and following a training stint at Stonestreet Farm in Ocala, he was expected to head to Palm Meadows to join the rest of Brown’s Florida string the week of Dec 18.
Derby Points (24)
(3) SOLOMINI (Curlin - Surf Song, by Storm Cat)
Trainer (Bob Baffert) - Owner (Zayat Stables)
Top Today’s Racing Digest Final Rating: 140 (BC Juvenile, 11-4-17)
Latest Workout: 4f in :49 (19/36) at Santa Anita Park on Dec 28.
Comments: The G1 FrontRunner and G1 BC Juvenile runner-up crossed the line first in the G1 Los Alamitos CashCall Futurity (137 Final Rating) but was disqualified and placed 3rd. Let there be no doubt that he was best at Los Al and it was nice to see him relax and finish strong. His next start is undecided.
Derby Points (14)
(4) MCKINZIE (Street Sense - Runway Model, by Petionville)
Trainer (Bob Baffert) - Owner (Mike Pegram, Karl Watson, Paul Weitman)
Top Today’s Racing Digest Final Rating: 134 (Los Al Futurity, LRC, 12-9-17)
Latest Workout: 5f in :59.20 (4/74) at Santa Anita Park on Dec 27.
Comments: In his seven furlong debut at Santa Anita on Oct 28, he stalked outside, took the lead in the stretch, and pulled away to win by 5+ lengths in 1:22.70 (131 Final Rating). He was the strong favorite in the CashCall Futurity and was fortunate to be placed first via disqualification (stablemate Solomini placed 3rd). He is lightly raced and might look much improved next time in his second start around two turns.
Derby Points (10)
(5) PRINCIPE GUILHERME (Tapit - Aubby K, by Street Sense)
Trainer (Steve Asmussen) - Owner (Three Chimneys Farm)
Top Today’s Racing Digest Final Rating: 143 (Optional Claiming, FG, 12-16-17)
Latest Workout: 5f in 1:00.60 (4/75) at Fair Grounds on Dec 31.
Comments: Followed up a romping extended sprint victory at Churchill Downs on Nov 10 with an even more impressive two turn allowance score at Fair Grounds on Dec 16. The sky is the limit for this one and look for him to show up in a Kentucky Derby prep race in the near future. The Grade 3 Lecomte at Fair Grounds on Jan 13 would be a realistic spot for his stakes debut.
(6) HOLLYWOOD STAR (Malibu Moon - Hollywood Story, by Wild Rush)
Top Today’s Racing Digest Final Rating: 134 (Iroquois Stakes, CD, 9-16-17)
Trainer (Dale Romans) - Owner (Albaugh Family Racing)
Comments: Followed up a debut maiden win at CD June 28 with back-to-back place finishes in the G2 Saratoga Special and G3 Iorquois. His CPR, FIRE, and Pace Ratings improved in each of his first three starts, and the Romans trainee broke from post 12 and rallied from last to split the field in the BC Juvenile. Romans says that he has yet to put everything together in the morning and afternoon, and he has every right to improve as a 3-year-old. He has recently returned to training in South Florida, and should be back on the work tab in the near future.
Derby Points (4)
(7) FREE DROP BILLY (Union Rags - Trensa, by Giant’s Causeway)
Trainer (Dale Romans) - Owner (Albaugh Family Stables)
Top Today’s Racing Digest Final Rating: 140 (Breeders’ Futurity, KEE, 10-7-17)
Comments: He stalked from midpack from an outer post handled two turns with ease in the G1 Breeders’ Futurity (1st by 4 lengths) on Oct 7. He made a bit of a middle move in the BC Juvenile but was basically done after six furlongs in a very disappointing performance (9th of 12). He enjoyed a productive juvenile campaign and is currently jogging at Gulfstream Park.
Derby Points (10)
(8) FIRENZE FIRE (Poseidon’s Warrior - My Every Wish, by Langfuhr)
Trainer (Jason Servis) - Owner (Mr Amore Stables)
Top Today’s Racing Digest Final Rating: 140 (Champagne Stakes, BEL, 10-7-17)
Latest Workout: 4f in :49.66 (7/24) at Belmont Park (dirt training) on Dec 27.
Comments: Grade 3 Sanford (132 Final) and Grade 1 Champagne (140 Final) winner made a bit of a middle move before flattening out to finish 7th in the BC Juvenile. Heading into the Juvenile, I stated that he had a sprint oriented pedigree and I was concerned about two turns. After that race, I am still not sure how far he wants to go and I have a feeling that he will ultimately be best as a sprinter. He was entered in the Jerome at Aqueduct on Jan 1 but live racing was canceled due to frigid temperatures. No word on when that race will rescheduled.
Derby Points (10)
(9) SHIVERMETIMBERS (Shanghai Bobby - Sealaunch, by Unbridled’s Song)
Trainer (Jerry Hollendorfer) - Owner (Mark DeDomenico, West Point Thoroughbreds)
Top Today’s Racing Digest Final Rating: 125 (MSW, DMR, 11-23-17)
Latest Workout: 6f in 1:13.60 (5/14) at Santa Anita on Dec 26.
Comments: Finished 3rd in his first two outings (McKinzie beat him Oct 28), and he dueled from start to finish and nipped outside stalker Peace (next out dirt route winner at SA Dec 30) by a head in a flat mile maiden race at Del Mar on Nov 23. The top two finishers were 8+ lengths in front of troubled show finisher He’s Stylish. He is expected to make his stakes debut in the Grade 3 Sham Stakes at Santa Anita on Jan 6.
(10) NOBLE INDY (Take Charge Indy - Noble Maz, by Storm Boot)
Trainer (Todd Pletcher) - Owner (WinStar Farm)
Top Today’s Racing Digest Final Rating: 135 (MSW, GP, 12-3-17)
Latest Workout: 5f in 1:01.49 (1/4) at Palm Beach Downs on Dec 28.
Comments: He made his career debut at Gulfstream Park on Dec 3, and in that seven panel affair, he went straight to the front and cruised home by 8+ lengths. He has been nominated to the Mucho Macho Man Stakes at Gulfstream Park on Jan 6, but Pletcher is hoping to find an allowance race.
(11) GREYVITOS (Malibu Moon - Snow Top Mountain, by Najran)
Trainer (Adam Kitchingman) - Owner (Triple B Farms)
Top Today’s Racing Digest Final Rating: 146 (Remington Springboard Mile, RP, 12-17-17)
Comments: Lost his first two starts but did improve in a dirt sprint at Santa Anita Oct 21. He added blinkers and went all the way in a 19-1 upset in the G3 Bob Hope Stakes at Del Mar Nov 11, and followed that up with a smart stalk/pounce win from post 12 in the Remington Springboard Mile. He will get a short break before returning to the work tab in mid-January. His next start in undecided, according to trainer Adam Kitchingman.
Derby Points (10)
THE NEXT NINE: (12) Catholic Boy, (13) Nero, (14) Tiz Mischief, (15) Analyze It, (16) Enticed, (17) Vision, (18) Instilled Regard, (19) Peace, (20) Vino Rosso
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