Now that all the points have been awarded for this year's Road to the Kentucky Derby series, it's time to take a closer look at which 3-year-olds have made it into the starting gate on the first Saturday in May.
Only the top 20 points-earners are eligible for that coveted slot, with those just below them on the list hoping for a late defection in order to make the field.
The full points leaderboard is available here: Road to the Kentucky Derby Leaderboard
In order of points earned, the top 20 headed for the Run for the Roses are:
1 – Epicenter (164)
Trainer: Steve Asmussen
Owner: Winchell Thoroughbreds
Sire: Not This Time
Major Preps: won both the G2 Louisiana Derby and G2 Risen Star
2 – Zandon (114)
Trainer: Chad Brown
Owner: Jeff Drown
Sire: Upstart
Major Preps: won the G1 Blue Grass
3 – White Abarrio (112)
Trainer: Saffie Joseph, Jr.
Owner: C2 Racing and La Milagrosa
Sire: Race Day
Major Preps: won the G1 Florida Derby and G3 Holy Bull
4 – Mo Donegal (112)
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Owner: Donegal Racing
Sire: Uncle Mo
Major Preps: won the G2 Wood Memorial and G2 Remsen
5 – Tiz the Bomb (110)
Trainer: Ken McPeek
Owner: Magdalena Racing (lessee)
Sire: Hit It A Bomb
Major Preps: won the G3 Jeff Ruby Steaks
6 – Cyberknife (100)
Trainer: Brad Cox
Owner: Al Gold
Sire: Gun Runner
Major Preps: won the G1 Arkansas Derby
7 – Crown Pride (100)
Trainer: Koichi Shintani
Owner: Teruya Yoshida
Sire: Japan-bred son of Reach the Crown (Sunday Silence grandson)
Major Preps: won the G2 UAE Derby
8 – Taiba (100)
Trainer: Tim Yakteen
Owner: Amr Zedan
Sire: Gun Runner
Major Preps: won the G1 Santa Anita Derby in just his second career start
9 – Simplification (74)
Trainer: Antonio Sano
Owner: Tami Bobo
Sire: Not This Time
Major Preps: won the G2 Fountain of Youth
10 – Smile Happy (70)
Trainer: Ken McPeek
Owner: Lucky Seven Stable
Sire: Runhappy
Major Preps: won the G2 Kentucky Jockey Club
11 – Tawny Port (60)
Trainer: Brad Cox
Owner: Peachtree Stable
Sire: Pioneerof the Nile
Major Preps: won the G3 Lexington
12 – Barber Road (58)
Trainer: John Ortiz
Owner: WSS Racing
Sire: Race Day
Major Preps: ran second in the G1 Arkansas Derby and third in G2 Rebel
13 – Un Ojo (54)
Trainer: Ricky Courville
Owner: Cypress Creek Equine and Whispering Oaks,
Sire: Laoban
Major Preps: won the G2 Rebel
14 – Early Voting (50)
Trainer: Chad Brown
Owner: Klaravich Stables
Sire: Gun Runner
Major Preps: won the G3 Withers and ran second in G2 Wood Memorial
15 – Morello (50)
Trainer: Steve Asmussen
Owner: Diamond T, Blue Lion, and Craig Taylor,
Sire: Classic Empire
Major Preps: won the G3 Gotham
16 – Messier (40)
Trainer: Tim Yakteen
Owner: SF Racing et. al.
Sire: Empire Maker
Major Preps: won the G3 Bob Lewis and ran second in G1 Santa Anita Derby
17 – Zozos (40)
Trainer: Brad Cox
Owner: Barry and Joni Butzow
Sire: Munnings
Major Preps: ran second in the G2 Louisiana Derby
18 – Summer Is Tomorrow (40)
Trainer: Bhupat Seemar
Owner: Michael Hilary Burke and Negar Burke
Sire: Summer Front
Major Preps: ran second in G2 UAE Derby
19 – Charge It (40)
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Owner: Mandy Pope
Sire: Tapit
Major Preps: ran second in the G1 Florida Derby
20 – Happy Jack (30)
Trainer: Doug O'Neill
Owner: Calumet Farm
Sire: Oxbow
Major Preps: ran third in G1 Santa Anita Derby
On the Bubble
The next few horses in terms of points earned are:
- Pioneer of Medina (25) – Trained by Todd Pletcher for Sumaya U. S. Stables, son of Pioneerof the Nile ran third in G2 Louisiana Derby
- In Due Time (24) – Trained by Kelly Breen for Edge Racing, Medallion, and Parkland, son of Not This Time ran third in G3 Lexington and second in G2 FOY
- Ethereal Road (22) – Trained by D. Wayne Lukas for Julie Gilbert and Aaron Sonos, Quality Road colt ran second in G2 Rebel
- Rich Strike (21) – Trained by Eric Reed for RED TR-Racing, son of Keen Ice ran third in G3 Jeff Ruby Steaks
The post Kentucky Derby Picture: Who’s In, Who’s On The Bubble? appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
