Early Arrivals in the Bluegrass Stakes Seek Ticket to the Big Dance
As the Bluegrass Derby field begins to take shape a field of fourteen three year olds has come to Kentucky early for a last crack at making that race. The Grade One Corckscrew Stakes is one of two Derby Lock Preps this weekend so the winner will be guaranteed an automatic berth in the big race three weeks hence. Run for a purse of $750,000 at a mile and one eighth in Eastern Kentucky could send more than one contender on to the big race as several of today’s runners may make the field with a place or show here. Of course much depends on what the fillies do in three weeks with Street Etiquette and possibly Final Exit pointing towards the Derby over the Oaks. There is one filly in today’s field, Lucas Ranch, and she has tangled with the boys before. Let’s take a look at the field.
#1 Gengis Khani was born to big expectations. A son of millionaire Carol of the Bells and half-brother to another millionaire, Taylor’s Story, the son of Dalakhani had big shoes to fill. He showed promise winning his only start as a two year old by over two lengths. So far this season he has two third place stakes finishes, including the Grade Three Dubai 2000 Guineas and an off the board run. In his most recent start he won the Jimmy Two Times Special at a mile and one eighth with a 102sp.
#2 Zen Kitty was a grade two winner last season. He was given two months off over the winter to mature and returned in one of the most impressive preps of the season, the Grade Three Good Cow. In that race Zen Kitty ran a neck behind Lyrical Gangster with the top two posting identical 107sps. Neither has run back to that form in recent starts. Zen Kitty was well beaten in two grade ones since that start.
#3 Brother Ben took down a big purse when he won the Grade Three Sam’s Town Delta Jackpot, a million dollar race, in his last start at two. He’s only had two starts so far this season. The son of Elusive Quality was well beaten in the Grade Three Giant Slayer Classic but rebounded to finish a solid second in the Grade Two Moises Alou Cap. He ran a career best 98sp in that start at a mile and one sixteenth.
#4 Highway Daydream has also had just two starts this season. A stakes placed juvenile, he was rested over the winter and returned to the races in February. The son of Encosta De Lago closed from well back in the Your Palaces Dirt Special field to run second by a nose in the mile and one sixteenth stakes. Last out he tried running a mile and three sixteenths in the Grade One Winter is Coming where again he closed stoutly but could only finish third in the competitive field. He did run a career best 99sp.
#5 Arturo Fuente is the son of a five time stakes winning dam and while he has not scored at the stakes level yet it seems only a matter of time before his luck turns. He’s lost his last two starts in close photos. In February he was third by ½ length in the Grade Three Risen Star Stakes behind Lookin At Hotrod and then he returned in March to finish second by a head in the Grade Two Felipe Alou Stakes. He ran a career best 101sp that day and avenged his loss to Lookin At Hotrod who finished third.
#6 Dynamic Storm is a son of Dynaformer out of a stakes winner and a half-brother to another stakes winner. He is another colt who, with a little luck will also get a stakes win soon. He was beaten ¾ lengths in his final start of last season. This year he was fifth in the Grade Three Scam at a mile and one eighth and second in the Grade Three Gary Asher Memorial at a mile and one sixteenth. He earned a career best 102sp that day.
#7 Haunted Inn enters this race on a three race win streak. The cleverly named son of Ghostzapper was a stakes placed juvenile. He ended his year with an allowance victory and was given two months off before returning in February in another allowance. He earned his first stakes victory in his most recent start, the Captain Jim Dirt Special in which he ran a career best 100sp. All of his recent victories have come at one mile and he has never been farther than that distance.
#8 Steelshanks has never been off the board in six starts. He concluded his two year old season with three straight victories, including a listed stakes. This year he has two starts and both were solid runs. He began the year by finishing second in the Grade Three Giant Slayer Classic at a mile and one sixteenth behind Ras El Hanout. He would run into that rival again in his next start, the Grade Two Land’s End at a mile and one eighth. This time he would finish third behind Ras El Hanout and Stevieboy. He ran a career best speed number of 100 but as a son of Forestry the question of how far he really wants to run looms large three weeks before the Bluegrass Derby.
#9 Stevieboy is another wonderfully consistent runner. He’s been first or second in seven of nine races including five stakes races. The son of Stephen Got Even was a grade three winner last season. After a winter freshening he returned to the races this year in the mile and three sixteenths Lass Appeal Dirt Route where he finished second. He was fourth in the Grade One Immense Derby Challenge but it was a solid fourth and his speed improved to a 97, a career best. Most recently he topped that number, running a 100 when second in the Grade Two Land’s End. The one concern here is that this will be his third start in six weeks, a tall order for a three year old so early in the season.
#10 Umphrey’s Mcgee has blossomed as a three year old. After an average two year old campaign on the turf, the son of Henrythenavigator was given almost three months rest before returning to the races on dirt on March 3rd. He easily won an allowance by three lengths. Three weeks later he ran second in the Grade Three UFO Stakes at a mile and one sixteenth with a career best 100sp. The winner of that race, Lute’s Wish, came back last weekend and ran a strong third in the Grade One California Derby.
#11 Gogossos is another colt who came alive when switched to the dirt. The son of Monsun has won three of five starts on the dirt, with one second. This year he has three starts all at a mile and three sixteenths. He won the first two, an allowance and the His Dreams Scare Me Special by open lengths. In his most recent start he finished a dull seventh in the Grade One Winter IS Coming. He’ll have to bounce back from that poor effort to factor here.
#12 Lucas Ranch is the only filly in the field. The daughter of Flame Thrower hit the board twice in graded races versus males last season. She has not won a stakes of her own but she has placings in four, all graded. She began this year with an allowance score going one mile. She was a strong fourth in the Grade Three Davola Dane South where she ran a career best 97sp. Last out she was a well beaten eleventh in the Grade One California Oaks.
#13 Mystic Fusion is also looking for his first stakes victory. The son of Giant’s Causeway was second by ¼ length in the Grade Three Risen Star Stakes in February. He ran a career best 98sp that day, finishing ahead of fellow entrant Arturuo Fuente but more importantly beating two year old champion Bolton Valley. Stretching out an extra furlong to a mile and three sixteenths in the Grade One Winter Is Coming he finished a well beaten eleventh. If he can run back to his Risen Star form he has a shot here.
#14 Candy Shop has only started five times but he’s made his presence felt. The son of Candy Ride won his debut last October and was second in his only other start at two. This season he has three starts already. He won the first two of those races, both at a mile and one sixteenth. The first was an allowance which he won with an 87sp and the second was the Magical Merlin Dirt Challenge in which he ran an astonishing 104sp. It was not surprising to see him bounce off that huge performance in his most recent start – he was twelfth in the Grade One Florida Derby.
Good luck to all.