Monthly Archives: March 2015

As if trainer Todd Pletcher did not have a busy enough day planned on Kentucky Derby Day, he now has two additional Derby contenders after Saturday’s prep action.

Materiality won the $1 million Florida Derby (G1) on Saturday in his first start in a graded stake and in just his third career start. The $400,000 purchase is a son of Afleet Alex, winner of the 2005 Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes.

The colt did not make his debut until Jan. 11, breaking his maiden in impressive fashion at Gulfstream Park in the slop. He then won the ungraded Islamorada Handicap going nine furlongs on March 6.

In the Florida Derby he was sent off as 9-5 second choice and won by 1 ½ lengths over Upstart, who had won the Holy Bull (G2) and crossed the wire first in the Fountain of Youth (G2) only to get disqualified for interference in the stretch.

The 100 Derby points Materiality earned gets him into the Run for the Roses, where he will attempt to become the first horse to win the Derby without running as a juvenile since Apollo in 1882. Despite that fact, he is taking action in early Kentucky Derby wagering, down to odds as low as 12-1.

Shortly before the Florida Derby was run, a field of nine lined up in the $750,000 Louisiana Derby (G1) and Pletcher sent out Stanford, who had run second to his stablemate Materiality in the Islamorada Handicap.

The colt nearly took the field gate to wire, getting run down by International Star in the final strides, settling for the runner up spot. The 40 Derby points likely will be enough to make it into the Kentucky Derby field. The colt is currently listed at betting odds of 40-1.

International Star swept the three Derby preps at Fair Grounds, also taking down the LeComte (G3) and Risen Star (G2), and he now looks like a legitimate threat for trainer Mike Maker. His odds for the Kentucky Derby have dropped to 18-1.

There are three Kentucky Derby points races coming up on Saturday, April 4. The Wood Memorial, Santa Anita Derby and Blue Grass are on tap.

The final two Derby prep races will be contested on April 11 – the Arkansas Derby and the Lexington Stakes. The Lexington is worth only 10-4-2-1 Derby points.

With just seven major Kentucky Derby preps to be decided, the next three Saturdays are very important for connections of promising three-year-olds that want to make it to the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on the first Saturday of May.

The $1 million Florida Derby (G1) and the $750,000 Louisiana Derby (G2) will be contested on Saturday, with 100-40-20-10 points up for grabs to the top four finishers of each race as part of the Road to the Derby series of races. A win or runner up finish virtually assures a ticket to Louisville, and a subpar performance will leave some Derby hopefuls on the sidelines.

Nine will do battle in the Florida Derby including the top two finishers of the Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) on Feb. 21. In that race, Upstart crossed the wire in front but was disqualified for interfering with Itsaknockout and was placed second.

Upstart put in one of the most impressive efforts this spring among Kentucky Derby horses in his victory in the Holy Bull Stakes on Jan. 24. The colt has been as low as 12-1 in early Kentucky Derby betting odds, and currently is listed at 20-1.

Itsaknockout remained undefeated in three starts thanks to the disqualification of Upstart. The Todd Pletcher trainee was making his stakes debut in the Fountain of Youth. The colt was listed at 40-1 before the Fountain of Youth and currently stands at 20-1.

Pletcher sends out Materiality, who earned a huge speed figure winning the ungraded Islmaorada Handicap at Gulfstream Park on March 6. With no Derby points, the colt must come up with a good finish to make it into the Kentucky Derby field.

The Louisiana Derby drew a field of nine including the top four finishers of the local prep, the Risen Star Stakes (G2) which was won by International Star, who also won the Lecomte (G3) over the Fair Grounds main track.

Trained by Michael Maker, the colt is 20-1 in early Kentucky Derby wagering and likely will be sent off as the betting favorite on Saturday.

The runner up in the Risen Star was War Story, who was off a beat slow in the outing, beaten just a length for the top spot. The gelding ran second in the Lecomte as well and is in need of Derby points. His price for the Kentucky Derby is at 40-1.

Pletcher sends out Stanford, who was second in the Islamora Handicap, and Mr. Z may take some betting action off his seven in the money finishes in stakes company. The D. Wayne Lukas trainee is 50-1 among Kentucky Derby contenders.