Monthly Archives: February 2015

With a victory in the $400,000 Risen Star (G2) at Fair Grounds International Star guaranteed himself a starting spot in the gate for the Kentucky Derby and currently leads the Road to the Derby points standings with 71.

Trained by Mike Maker and ridden by Miguel Mena, the son of Fusaichi Pegasus saved ground most of the trip, came up the rail in the stretch and edged clear late to win by a length over War Story. The winner returned $9.60 for the victory and the $2 exacta returned $42.20.

The Risen Star offered 50 points to the winner as part of the Road to the Kentucky Derby series. He earned 10 points for winning his previous start, the Lecomte (G3) at Fair Grounds, 10 for a victory in the Grey Stakes (G3) at Woodbine last October, and one point for a fourth in the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) at Churchill Downs last November.

In early Kentucky Derby betting the colt dropped to 16-1 after his Risen Star victory after being listed at 33-1 last week. His next start likely will come in the $750,000 Louisiana Derby (G2) on March 28.

The favorite in the Risen Star was Imperia, who finished a disappointing fifth. Trained by Kiaran McLaughlin, the colt was making his first start since coming up a head short to El Kabeir in the Kentucky Jockey Club.

His price in Kentucky Derby odds jumped from 20-1 last week to generous odds of 40-1 after his poor outing.

The Risen Star and Fountain of Youth (G2) at Gulfstream Park were the first two Road to the Derby races to offer 50-20-10-5 points to the top four finishers. The previous Derby prep races including Sunday’s rescheduled Southwest (G2) at Oaklawn Park offered 10-4-2-1 points.

Itsaknockout was the winner of the Fountain of Youth thanks to a disqualification of Upstart, earning 50 points for the win and is now second in the Derby points standings with 50.

Trained by Todd Pletcher, the colt won his first two career starts and was making his stakes debut in the Fountain of Youth. He finished 2¾ lengths behind Upstart, but the two exchanged a few bumps in the stretch and had to check when his rival drifted out on him, enough that the stewards decided to disqualify the winner.

Itsaknockout dropped to 16-1 in early Kentucky Derby wagering after being at odds of 40-1 last week. Among the Kentucky Derby horses, the colt took the most action since his win.

Upstart picked up 20 points and is now third in the points standings with 36. In his previous start the colt was an impressive winner of the Holy Bull (G2) by 5½ lengths. He is the co-second choice in early Derby betting at 12-1 along with Texas Red and Dortmund.

There are no Derby points races this weekend, but things heat up next week in a big way with three preps on tap.

On March 7 the winners of the $400,000 San Felipe (G2), $350,000 Tampa Bay Derby (G2) and the $400,000 Gotham (G3) will stamp their ticket to the Run for the Roses.

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert is no stranger to the Kentucky Derby, a three-time winner of the Run for the Roses. Baffert won the Kentucky Derby back-to-back in 1997 and 1998 with Silver Charm and Real Quiet and again in 2002 with War Emblem.

He is looking to end his drought of no Derby winner in over a decade and has two Kentucky Derby contenders this year, and the duo are currently the early betting favorites.

American Pharoah is currently the favorite at Kentucky Derby betting odds of 10-1 despite his three-year-old debut not coming until next month.

The colt won two of three starts last year, taking the Del Mar Futurity and the Frontrunner, both Grade 1 wins, and he would have been the betting favorite for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile except for a foot issue that came up just days before the race.

The colt put in a three-furlong work on Feb. 9 and is likely to be seen next in the $750,000 Rebel Stakes (G2) at Oaklawn Park on March 14. The $400,000 San Felipe (G2) at Santa Anita is also an option for the colt.

Baffert also has the undefeated Dortmund in his shed row. The son of 2008 Kentucky Derby winner Big Brown is perfect in four career starts including winning the Robert B. Lewis (G3) last Saturday at Santa Anita by a head over Firing Line.

The colt made his stakes debut in the Los Alamitos Futurity (G1) on Dec. 20 and defeated Firing Line by a head in that victory as well. He is currently the co-second choice in early Kentucky Derby betting at 12-1, but certainly looks like a better option than Texas Red, who he shares second choice honors with.

Texas Red has come down with a foot abscess and will miss a couple of weeks of training. The colt was being pointed toward the $400,000 Risen Star (G3) at Fair Grounds on Feb. 21. Now his connections will likely target either the April 4 Santa Anita Derby (G1) or the April 11 Arkansas Derby (G1) for a final prep race.

Dortmund moved up to third in the Derby points standings with 20 points, and likely will make just one more start before heading to Louisville. Baffert said the Santa Anita Derby would likely be his final prep for the Run for the Roses.

The next Derby points race comes up on Saturday with a field of 10 lining up for the $200,000 El Camino Real Derby (G3) at Golden Gate Fields.

Conquest Typhoon, who is currently at 35-1 in early Kentucky Derby wagering, is the likely betting favorite. The colt won the Cecil B. Demille (G3) on grass at Del Mar in his last outing on Nov. 30.

California Cup Derby winner Mischief Clem and recent first level optional claimer winner Indianaughty figure to take some betting action.

Mr. Z will be in action on Monday in the $300,000 Southwest (G3) at Oaklawn Park with 10 Derby points up for grabs for the winner. Trained by D. Wayne Lukas, the colt has won just one of nine starts but has landed in the money in five stakes races including most recently a third in the Smarty Jones Stakes. He is at Kentucky Derby betting odds of 45-1.