Making the Derby Field Week 2818

The absence of any Graded races for 3yo colts last weekend resulted in very little movement in position for the top 25 ranking 3yo Bluegrass hopefuls.  Only WONDERBOY EAMON(IRE) and ERMINGTON PEGASUS made it to the track, the latter securing a spot in the Bluegrass field with a convincing win in the 1 3/16 N Florida Stakes on Saturday.  This colt has been brought to the Bluegrass beautifully and is likely to be one of the top choices in the Bluegrass field.

News was made this week when kingab announced that MAGICAL MERLIN will skip the Bluegrass and point his multi-graded stakes winning son of Smarty Jones in a different direction.  Also taking an early exit from the Derby Trail is attlaq’s KOORAWATHA.  The 3yo son of Fusaichi Pegasus has been unable to find that 2yo form that’s earned him the distinction of a top 15 three year old.  While WONDERBOY EAMON(IRE) hasn’t officially announced his departure from the Derby Trail, his win on Saturday in the Seven furlong Llama Enforcer Stakes has distinguished him as a world class sprinter, and is an unlikely candidate to race in Kentucky on that first Saturday in May.

This could be the most critical week of the year for 3yo’s on the Derby Trail, with four Graded races carded across the country.  With the Bluegrass just four weeks away many of the top 3yo’s will use this weeks races to secure their place in the Derby draw while still leaving enough recovery time to put forward their best effort in the Bluegrass.

With the entry deadline only a little more than 24 hours away, the Grade-2 Wooden Indian in New York is already featuring the likes of RHIBUS and PEACENICK. Both will be using the New York classic as a prep to the Run for the Roses. 

The Grade-1 California Derby is shaping up to be the most exciting race of the weekend  with HEAVEN’S DOOR, CRAFTY CYCLONE, and BEARLY WANTED all needing a top three finish to give them any chance of making the Bluegrass field.  They will have to get passed the 2yo Eclipse Champion HALF A WORLD AWAY, who with a strong showing, could convince his connections that he is every bit the Derby horse they had hoped for.  Don’t be surprised to see this son of Belong to Me re-establish himself as a top Derby contender with a win in California this weekend. 

Look for SAN PELLEGRINO to make amends for his disappointing performance in the RIDGE GOPRDON Stakes, while CLAN OF THE CAT almost certainly needs a top two finish in the Grade -1 Green Monkey Derby in France to continue his Derby hopes.  

KISARAN and DARK PRINCES will have to bring their A Game with them to Northern Florida this week in the Grade-2 Easy Goer Memorial.  Both are on the outside looking in and might need a win here on Saturday to qualify for the Derby field.

Some of the notable names missing from this week’s entries to date are TOXICSUPERFREAKOUT, K’S RUMOR HAS IT, LOVELY SHEEP, and LOCKITINEDDIE.  All are likely starters this week, but perhaps the four speedsters are playing cat and mouse with one another waiting for the last possible moment to enter.  Who could blame them for not wanting to lock horns in a speed duel four weeks from the Bluegrass?

With two Graded races next week, The Heat Less Stakes and the Renewal Rates, and two the following week, the Federico Stakes and Texas Derby, you can expect any horse on the bubble taking their last shot at making the Derby field or perhaps pointing toward the Middle Jewel.

One thing is for certain, after this week’s results the Derby picture will be a lot clearer.  Let the hype begin.