Category Archives: 2015 Kentucky Derby News

The Bob Baffert trained American Pharoah has spent most of the winter and early spring as the betting favorite for the Kentucky Derby (G1) and will seek to solidify that role when he makes his final prep on Saturday in the $1 million Arkansas Derby (G1) at Oaklawn Park.

The colt is the current wagering favorite for the Run for the Roses at 9-2, with his closest pursuer his undefeated stablemate Dortmund, who is at betting odds for the Derby at 5-1.

American Pharoah will take on seven foes in the Arkansas Derby and was installed as the 1-2 prohibitive favorite in the marquee race at the Oaklawn Park meeting. The race is the final Road to the Derby points race with 100-40-20-10 points up for grabs for the top four finishers.

The Baffert trainee is already safely in the Kentucky Derby field, currently ninth in the points standings with 60.

The colt ran fifth in his debut, then won the Del Mar Futurity (G1) on polytrack as a maiden, and followed that up with an impressive victory in the Frontrunner (G1) in his first start on dirt.

He was the early betting favorite for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1), but a foot issue knocked him out of the race just days before.

It took 5 ½ months for Baffert to get the talented colt back to the racetrack in the afternoon, and he did not disappoint, winning the Rebel Stakes (G2) at Oaklawn Park in gate to wire fashion drawing away to win by 6 ¼ lengths. After that win his future price for the Kentucky Derby dropped from 8-1 to 9-2.

A strong outing on Saturday in the Arkansas Derby will send him to Louisville as the betting favorite, while Dortmund could overtake the favorite role if he does not fire his best.

On paper, it looks like a one horse race, as his seven foes look overmatched. The colt with the best shot of pulling off the upset is Far Right, who is 9-2 on the morning line and is 40-1 for the Kentucky Derby.

The Ronald Moquett trainee won the first two Derby prep races at the Hot Springs racetrack. He won the Smarty Jones Stakes on Jan. 19 and followed that up with a victory in the Southwest (G3).

The colt has 23 Derby points, which is good for 23rd place in the standings. A top three finish will earn him a ticket to Louisville on the first Saturday of May.

Mr. Z, who is 60-1 in early Kentucky Derby betting, is looking to rebound off a dull ninth place finish in the Louisiana Derby (G2). The colt has landed in the money in seven stakes races but is still looking for his first win other than his maiden score.

Trainer Todd Pletcher, who already will have a strong presence in Louisville, is hoping Madefromlucky can join the ranks. The colt was third in the Rebel in his last outing. The colt is 45-1 for the Kentucky Derby.

Completing the field is The Truth Or Else, Bridget’s Big Luvy, Bold Conquest and Win the Space.

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.

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.

The Peter Miller trained Calculator went into last Saturday’s $100,000 Sham Stakes (G3) winless in four career starts, but that did not stop horseplayers from making the colt the betting favorite and the colt did not disappoint.

Despite racing wide throughout, the colt drew clear in the stretch to win by 4 ¼ lengths, returning his backers at the betting windows $3.20 for a $2 wager and more importantly earning his connections 10 Derby points toward entry into the Run for the Roses and making him a major contender among the elite Kentucky Derby horses.

The colt lost his first two career starts in the maiden ranks, checking in third and fourth. Miller thought enough of those efforts to try him in the Del Mar Futurity (G1) where he ran second to American Pharoah. He then ran second again to that foe in the Frontrunner (G1) on Sept. 27 before picking up his first win in the Sham.

American Pharoah would have been the betting favorite for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, but a foot bruise knocked him out of the race. Horseplayers still have plenty of confidence in the colt, as he is currently the early betting co-favorite among the Kentucky Derby horses at 10-1.

The promising colt Dortmund is also sitting at 10-1 in Kentucky Derby betting odds. The Todd Pletcher trainee is perfect in three career starts and is the son of 2008 Kentucky Derby winner Big Brown.

The colt broke his maiden in his debut at Santa Anita on Nov. 2, the day after the Breeders’ Cup concluded. He then jumped on the Derby radar with a flashy win at Churchill Downs on Nov. 29 against first level optional claiming company.

His stakes debut came in the Los Alamitos Futurity (G1) where he was sent off as the heavy betting favorite and won a three-way photo for the victory. He is tied for sixth in the Derby points standings with 10.

He is in the Bob Baffert barn, a Hall of Famer who won the Kentucky Derby back-to-back in 1997 and 1998 with Silver Charm and Real Quiet and again in 2002 with War Emblem.

Calculator is now among the top contenders at betting odds of 16-1 and is sitting second in the Road to the Derby points standings with 14 points along with Carpe Diem.

The points leader is El Kabeir, who won the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G3) and most recently the Jerome Stakes (G3) and has earned 21 points. The colt is currently listed at Kentucky Derby betting odds of 16-1.

Carpe Diem earned his 14 points by winning the Breeders’ Futurity (G1) at Keeneland on Oct. 4 and then running second to Texas Red in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1). The Todd Pletcher trainee is 16-1 in Kentucky Derby future odds.

Texas Red is fourth in the Derby points standings, the upset winner of the Juvenile, returning $29.80 for a $2 wager. He is currently at 12-1 in Kentucky Derby odds.

There are two Derby points races coming up this week–the $200,000 Lecomte Stakes (G3) at Fair Grounds on Jan. 17 and the $150,000 Smarty Jones Stakes (G3) at Oaklawn Park on Jan. 19.

The next stop on the Road to the Kentucky Derby is Saturday, Dec. 20, with juveniles squaring off in the $500,000 Los Alamitos Futurity (G1) at 1 1/16 miles.

The race is worth 10 points to the winner in the Road to the Derby series of races, with four points to the runner up, two points to the third place finisher, and one point awarded to the fourth place finisher.

The race may end up producing the early betting favorite for next spring’s Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs.

The race will be run for the first time at Los Alamitos after being run as the Hollywood Futurity (1981-2006) and CashCall Futurity (2007-2013) at the now closed Hollywood Park.

Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas will send out Mr. Z, who was beaten by just a nose in the Delta Jackpot (G3) at Delta Downs on Nov. 22. The colt ran fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) in his previous start on Nov. 1.

The colt has only won once in seven career starts, but has three other runner up finishes in graded stakes company— the Sanford Stakes (G3) and Saratoga Special (G2) at Saratoga this summer, and a second behind Carpe Diem in the Breeders’ Futurity (G1) at Keeneland.

Carpe Diem went on to run second in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and is 20-1 in early Kentucky Derby betting.

Mr. Z will certainly see his odds drop in Kentucky Derby betting with a big performance but he is going to run into a very promising colt from the Bob Baffert barn in Dortmund.

The colt was an impressive maiden winner in his debut at Santa Anita on Nov. 2, drawing away to win by 4 ¾ lengths and was bet down to 6-5 odds.

His first start against winners came at Churchill Downs against first level allowance company and the colt took command in the stretch and drew away to win by 7 ¾ lengths.

The colt is by 2008 Kentucky Derby winner Big Brown out of the stakes winning mare Our Josephine, who earned $190,584 in her career.

Even without a stakes start to date, among the Kentucky Derby horses this colt is starting to create a buzz and could see his odds drop low enough with a win in the Futurity to become the early betting favorite for next spring’s Run for the Roses.

Another promising runner pointing toward the Futurity is No Problem, who won the Bob Hope Stakes (G3) at Del Mar going seven furlongs on polytrack.

He upset the even money betting favorite Alright Alright, returning $36.20 for a $2 wager.

Trained by former Todd Pletcher assistant Michael McCarthy, the ridgling was eighth in his debut and broke his maiden in his second career start when entered in a $75,000 maiden claiming race at Santa Anita on Oct. 26.

Others pointing toward the race include Bench Warrant, Firing Line, Calculator, Tizcano and Serbian Syclone.

The first Road to the Derby race in 2015 is the $200,000 Jerome (G2), and it is coming up on Jan. 3 at Aqueduct. Last year’s winner was Noble Moon, who took some early Kentucky Derby betting but did not make the Triple Crown races after a sixth place finish in the Wood Memorial (G1).

The Todd Pletcher trained Carpe Diem is the early favorite in 2015 Kentucky Derby betting despite coming up short as the 9/5 betting choice in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) at Santa Anita on November 1.

The Juvenile was won by longshot Texas Red, who went from last to first, drawing away to win by 6½ lengths, returning his backers $29.80 and topping a $2 exacta with Carpe Diem that paid $100.60.

Carpe Diem is currently at Kentucky Derby betting odds of 15/1, while Texas Red is the co-second choice with American Pharoah at 16/1.

The only horse that has won both the Juvenile and the Run for the Roses was Street Sense in 2007.

Carpe Diem was a $1.6 million purchase owned by WinStar Farm and Stonestreet Farm. The colt broke his maiden in his debut at Saratoga on September 15 and then won the Breeders’ Futurity (G1) at Keeneland on October 4 before tasting defeat for the first time in the Breeders’ Cup.

Pletcher went 0 for 24 with his Kentucky Derby horses before finally scoring with Super Saver in 2010. He has several other early contenders for the Derby including Champagne (G1) winner Daredevil, who was a disappointing 11th in the Juvenile, and Blofeld, who is undefeated in three career starts, his last win coming in the Nashua (G2) at Aqueduct on November 2.

Daredevil is currently at Derby betting odds of 20/1 while Blofeld is 40/1.

Texas Red came in to the Juvenile off a third-place finish in the Frontrunner Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita on September 27, which was his first start against winners after breaking his maiden in his third career start.

The Steve Asmussen trainee did not get much pace to run at that day, but certainly did in the Juvenile where he rallied strongly from the back of the pack to pull off the upset.

American Pharoah, who wired the field in the Frontrunner, would have been the betting favorite for the Juvenile, but trainer Bob Baffert elected to scratch the colt on Tuesday of Breeders’ Cup week as the colt was suffering from a deep bruise in his hoof. The colt will get some time off and will be back for the early Derby preps next spring.

The fifth choice in early Derby betting is El Kabeir, who skipped the Juvenile. The John Terranova trainee has won one of his four starts. The colt was fourth in the Champagne and then ran second in the Nashua in his most recent outing.

Cozmic One is listed at 35/1 despite not having raced yet. The colt is the first foal to race out of the great mare Zenyatta.

Last year’s Derby winner California Chrome already had five starts under his belt on November 1 of his juvenile campaign. On that day he ran sixth in the Golden State Juvenile Stakes at Santa Anita, giving us little hint of what was to come the following spring.

We are still over 220 days away from the 2015 Run for the Roses, but the Road to the Kentucky Derby officially got underway on Sept. 6 with Lucky Player earning 10 points toward a starting spot in the Churchill Downs gate with his upset victory in the $100,000 Iroquois.

Trained by Steve Asmussen, the son of 2010 Preakness winner Lookin At Lucky tracked the early pace and got his neck in front at the wire to pull off the upset, returning $25.00 for a $2 wager. The colt opened at 60-1 in Kentucky Derby futures.

The next Derby points race is the Frontrunner Stakes at Santa Anita on Sept. 27, which also serves as a “Win and You’re In” race for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile on Nov. 1. There are a pair of Derby points races coming up on Oct. 4, the Champagne at Belmont Park and the Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland.

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, who has won the Kentucky Derby three times, has a promising two-year-old that could be a major player next spring in American Pharaoh. The colt showed speed and faded to finish fifth in his debut, and then came back to win the Del Mar Futurity on Sept. 3 in gate to wire fashion in a strong outing, winning by 4 ¾ lengths. The colt is currently at odds of 40-1 in future Kentucky Derby betting.

Six-time Eclipse Award winning trainer Todd Pletcher will have a barn full of Derby contenders that are unveiled over the coming months. So far the most impressive of the lot is Competitive Edge, who broke his maiden on July 26 by better than 10 lengths, and then made his stakes debut a winning one, taking the Hopeful on Sept. 1 in impressive fashion. The colt is 60-1 in early Kentucky Derby odds.

The undefeated Souper Colossal has run his perfect record to three wins with a victory in the Sapling going a mile at Monmouth Park on Aug. 31. Trained by Ed Plesa, the colt broke his maiden in his debut and then won the Tyro Stakes on Aug.3. His current future price for the Derby is 100-1.

Jess’s Dream is currently at 60-1 despite not having made his debut yet. The colt is currently in training with two published works in July. Why would an unraced juvenile be so well regarded for the Derby? Just check out his pedigree. He was sired by Curlin, winner of the 2007 Preakness and Breeders’ Cup as well as the 2008 Dubai World Cup. He retired with an all-time record of $10.5 million and was a two-time Horse of the Year.

The mare is Rachel Alexandra, the 2009 Preakness winner and Horse of the Year. She earned $3.5 million winning 13 of her 19 career starts.

Jess’s Dream is currently in training at Saratoga with trainer Kiaran McLaughlin and is definitely a colt to watch over the next few months.

The Road to the Roses can be a bumpy one, but now is the time for horseplayers to start looking for promising Kentucky Derby horses that could make it to Louisville next spring on the first Saturday of May.

We are still over 220 days away from the 2015 Run for the Roses, but the Road to the Kentucky Derby officially got underway on Sept. 6 with Lucky Player earning 10 points toward a starting spot in the Churchill Downs gate with his upset victory in the $100,000 Iroquois.

Trained by Steve Asmussen, the son of 2010 Preakness winner Lookin At Lucky tracked the early pace and got his neck in front at the wire to pull off the upset, returning $25.00 for a $2 wager. The colt opened at 60-1 in Kentucky Derby futures.

The next Derby points race is the Frontrunner Stakes at Santa Anita on Sept. 27, which also serves as a “Win and You’re In” race for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile on Nov. 1. There are a pair of Derby points races coming up on Oct. 4, the Champagne at Belmont Park and the Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland.

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, who has won the Kentucky Derby three times, has a promising two-year-old that could be a major player next spring in American Pharaoh. The colt showed speed and faded to finish fifth in his debut, and then came back to win the Del Mar Futurity on Sept. 3 in gate to wire fashion in a strong outing, winning by 4 ¾ lengths. The colt is currently at odds of 40-1 in future Kentucky Derby betting.

Six-time Eclipse Award winning trainer Todd Pletcher will have a barn full of Derby contenders that are unveiled over the coming months. So far the most impressive of the lot is Competitive Edge, who broke his maiden on July 26 by better than 10 lengths, and then made his stakes debut a winning one, taking the Hopeful on Sept. 1 in impressive fashion. The colt is 60-1 in early Kentucky Derby odds.

The undefeated Souper Colossal has run his perfect record to three wins with a victory in the Sapling going a mile at Monmouth Park on Aug. 31. Trained by Ed Plesa, the colt broke his maiden in his debut and then won the Tyro Stakes on Aug.3. His current future price for the Derby is 100-1.

Jess’s Dream is currently at 60-1 despite not having made his debut yet. The colt is currently in training with two published works in July. Why would an unraced juvenile be so well regarded for the Derby? Just check out his pedigree. He was sired by Curlin, winner of the 2007 Preakness and Breeders’ Cup as well as the 2008 Dubai World Cup. He retired with an all-time record of $10.5 million and was a two-time Horse of the Year.

The mare is Rachel Alexandra, the 2009 Preakness winner and Horse of the Year. She earned $3.5 million winning 13 of her 19 career starts.

Jess’s Dream is currently in training at Saratoga with trainer Kiaran McLaughlin and is definitely a colt to watch over the next few months.

The Road to the Roses can be a bumpy one, but now is the time for horseplayers to start looking for promising Kentucky Derby horses that could make it to Louisville next spring on the first Saturday of May.