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Essential Quality Tabbed As 7-2 Morning Line Favorite In Fourth Kentucky Derby Future Wager

Godolphin's 2-year-old champion and winner of the $750,000 Southwest Stakes (Grade 3) Essential Quality was made the 7-2 morning line favorite in the field of 24 betting choices for Pool 4 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager (KDFW), which will open on Friday.

Pool 4 of the KDFW runs concurrently with the lone pool of the Kentucky Oaks Future Wager (KOFW). In addition to Win and Exacta betting, an Oaks/Derby Future Double is part of the wagering menu. The wagers will open Friday at noon (all times Eastern) and the KDFW will close Sunday at 6 p.m. while the KOFW will close 30 minutes later at 6:30 p.m. Betting on the KDFW and KOFW is available at simulcast centers around the country and ADW's such as www.TwinSpires.com.

Undefeated champion Essential Quality returned Saturday in the Southwest and splashed home to a 4 ¼-length win over Oaklawn's sloppy surface. Trained by Brad Cox, Essential Quality is likely to have one additional prep race prior to the Kentucky Derby. The Tapit colt is a perfect 4-for-4 with prior victories in the $500,000 Breeders' Futurity (G1) and $2 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1).

Cox has three horses in Pool 4 of the KDFW. The others are Shortleaf Stable's $150,000 Smarty Jones winner Caddo River and Juddmonte Farms' $400,000 Risen Star (G2) winner Mandaloun.

Among the other horses likely to take wagering interest is WinStar Farm and CHC INC's $100,000 Sham Stakes (G3) winner Life Is Good. Trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, Life Is Good is scheduled to run on Saturday in the $300,000 San Felipe Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita. In the first three pools of the KDFW, Life Is Good closed as the individual betting favorite at odds of 5-1, 7-1 and 7-1, respectively. He was made the 4-1 second choice on veteran oddsmaker Mike Battaglia's morning line in Pool 4.

Life Is Good is one of five horses in Pool 4 trained by Baffert. The others are Gary and Mary West's undefeated Concert Tour; SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Golconda Stables, Siena Farm LLC and Robert Masterson's $200,000 San Vicente (G2) runner-up Freedom Fighter and Southwest runner-up Spielberg; and Zedan Racing Stables' $100,000 Robert B. Lewis (G3) winner and likely fellow San Felipe competitor Medina Spirit.

Another horse likely to take interest in Pool 4 of the KDFW is Courtlandt Farms' $300,000 Fountain of Youth (G2) victor Greatest Honour. Conditioned by Derby-winning trainer Shug McGaughey III, Greatest Honour closed from nearly eight lengths off the early speed in the Fountain of Youth for a 1 ½-length score. He is likely to take the same path to the first Saturday in May as McGaughey's 2013 Kentucky Derby winner Orb, who ran in the Florida Derby (G1) as his final prep.

There are five new wagering interests from Pool 3: Three Chimneys Farm and e Five Racing Thoroughbreds' recent 12 ½-length maiden winner Collaborate; Joseph P. Morey Revocable Trust's $100,000 John Battaglia Memorial winner Hush of a Storm; Godolphin's Risen Star runner-up Proxy; John and Diane Fradkin's $100,000 El Camino Real Derby hero Rombauer; and Spielberg, who closed at 47-1 in Pool 2 of the KDFW.

The complete field for Pool 2 of the KDFW (with trainer and morning line odds): #1 Caddo River (Cox, 15-1); #2 Candy Man Rocket (Bill Mott, 30-1); #3 Collaborate (Saffie Joseph Jr., 30-1); #4 Concert Tour (Baffert, 20-1); #5 Dream Shake (Peter Eurton, 30-1); #6 Essential Quality (Cox, 7-2); #7 Freedom Fighter (Baffert, 30-1); #8 Greatest Honour (McGaughey, 6-1); #9 Highly Motivated (Chad Brown, 20-1); #10 Hot Rod Charlie (Doug O'Neill, 30-1); #11 Hush of a Storm (Bill Morey, 50-1); #12 Keepmeinmind (Robertino Diodoro, 30-1); #13 Life Is Good (Baffert, 4-1); #14 Mandaloun (Cox, 15-1); #15 Medina Spirit (Baffert, 30-1); #16 Midnight Bourbon (Steve Asmussen, 30-1); #17 Prevalence (Brendan Walsh, 20-1); #18 Proxy (Mike Stidham, 20-1); #19 Risk Taking (Brown, 30-1); #20 Roman Centurian (Simon Callaghan, 50-1); #21 Rombauer (Michael McCarthy, 50-1); #22 Spielberg (Baffert, 20-1); #23 The Great One (O'Neill, 50-1); and #24 “All Other 3-Year-Olds” (10-1) .

In the Oaks Future Wager, Stonestreet Stables' $300,000 Rachel Alexandra (G2) winner Clariere was tabbed as the 5-1 morning line favorite in the field of 24 betting interests. Trained by Asmussen, Clairiere was able to get by a determined Travel Column in the Rachel Alexandra. The two-time winner has only one defeat on her résumé when Travel Column bested her in the $200,000 Golden Rod (GII) as a 2-year-old.

OXO Equine's Travel Column was made the 6-1 co-second choice on the morning line in the KOFW along with Shadwell Stable's undefeated filly Malathaat. Travel Column, trained by Cox, was the even-money favorite in the Rachel Alexandra for her 3-year-old debut. Malathaat, under the care of trainer Todd Pletcher, won the $150,000 Demoiselle (G2) as a 2-year-old at Aqueduct. She is currently preparing for her seasonal bow in South Florida.

The complete field for the Kentucky Oaks Future Wager (with trainer and morning line odds): #1 Bow Bow Girl (Dale Romans, 50-1); #2 Clairiere (Asmussen, 5-1); #3 Coach (Cox, 30-1); #4 Crazy Beautiful (Kenny McPeek, 20-1); #5 Dayoutoftheoffice (Tim Hamm, 12-1); #6 Kalypso (Baffert, 15-1); #7 Lady Mystify (Eurton, 50-1); #8 Li'l Tootsie (Tom Amoss, 30-1); #9 Malathaat (Pletcher, 6-1); #10 Moraz (Michael McCarthy, 50-1); #11 Obligatory (Bill Mott, 30-1); #12 Pass the Champagne (George Weaver, 50-1); #13 Pauline's Pearl (Asmussen, 30-1); #14 Search Results (Brown, 30-1); #15 Simply Ravishing (Kenny McPeek, 12-1); #16 Souper Sensational (Mark Casse, 50-1); #17 Sun Path (Cox, 30-1); #18 Travel Column (Cox, 6-1); #19 Vequist (Butch Reid Jr., 15-1); #20 Wholebodemeister (Juan Avila, 12-1); #21 Will's Secret (Dallas Stewart, 15-1); #22 Willful Woman (Asmussen, 50-1); #23 Zaajel (Pletcher, 15-1); and #24 All Other 3-Year-Old Fillies (8-1).

The Kentucky Derby and Oaks Future Wagers, which include $2 Win and Exacta wagering, provide fans of Thoroughbred racing with opportunities to place bets on possible entrants in the $3 million Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (Grade 1) and $1.25 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) at odds that could be far greater than those available on the day of the race. The 147th running of Kentucky Derby, America's greatest race and the first leg of the Triple Crown, is set for Saturday, May 1 at Churchill Downs and the 147th edition of the Kentucky Oaks will run one day prior on Friday, April 30. There will also be a special $1 Oaks/Derby Future Double offered concurrently with both pools.

There are no refunds in the Kentucky Derby Future Wager or Kentucky Oaks Future Wager. Should Churchill Downs officials determine during the duration of this week's three-day pool that one of the wagering interests has experienced an injury, illness or other circumstance that would prevent the horse from participating in the Kentucky Derby or Kentucky Oaks, betting on the individual horse will be suspended immediately.

More information and real-time odds are available online at www.KentuckyDerby.com/FutureWager.

Pool 5 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager, the lone remaining pool, will span March 26-28.

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Essential Quality’s ‘Big Performance’ Confirms His Lead In NTRA Top 3-Year-Old Poll

The transition from age 2 to 3 proved no issue for Godolphin's homebred champion Essential Quality as the son of Tapit captured his seasonal bow this past weekend in handy fashion. In the wake of the colt's 4 ¼-length victory in the Grade 3 Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park on Feb. 27, Essential Quality has strengthened his position as the divisional leader, earning 37 first-place votes and 405 points to remain out front in this week's National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) Top Three-Year-Old Thoroughbred Poll.

In his first since capturing the Breeders' Cup Juvenile last November, Essential Quality ran his record to four wins in as many starts when he dismissed his six challengers in the Southwest Stakes. The reigning 2-year-old male champion will likely target either the $800,000, Grade 2 Blue Grass Stakes April 3 at Keeneland or the $1 million, Grade 1 Arkansas Derby April 10 at Oaklawn for his final Kentucky Derby prep race.

“Big performance off the layoff,” Essential Quality's trainer Brad Cox told the Oaklawn Park notes team. “Hopefully, we can take another jump or two forward, I think, in order to win the Derby. Hopefully, he has it in him. It was a very nice race (in the Southwest).”

The Shug McGaughey-trained Greatest Honour (1 first-place vote, 336 points) moves up to second on the poll in the wake of his victory in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park this past weekend. The Courtland Farms homebred has now reeled off three straight wins including his triumph in the Grade 3 Holy Bull Stakes on Jan. 30.

Life Is Good, winner of the Grade 3 Sham Stakes on Jan. 2, drops one spot to third with 2 first-place votes and 302 points followed by Grade 2 Risen Star Stakes winner Mandaloun in fourth with 1 first-place vote and 258 points.

Medina Spirit (206 points) holds in fifth followed by Caddo River (174), Concert Tour (121), and Keepmeinmind (91). Grade 3 Withers Stakes winner Risk Taking (74 points) is ninth with Proxy (39) completing the top 10.

Grade 1 winner Charlatan, who finished second in the $20 million Saudi Cup, continues to lead the way in the NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll with 22 first-place votes and 382 points. Moving up in the ranks, however, is two-time Eclipse Award winner Monomoy Girl, who advanced to second this week with 14 first-place votes and 349 points in the wake of her triumph in the Grade 3 Bayakoa Stakes.

Knicks Go, winner of the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational, is third with 300 points followed by Godolphin's unbeaten Maxfield (4 first-place votes, 289 points) and champion filly Swiss Skydiver (159 points).

It was a strong weekend for the Godolphin team as their colt Mystic Guide won the Grade 3 Razorback Handicap in his seasonal bow and debuted in the top 10 of the Thoroughbred Poll, earning 1 first-place vote and 158 points to land in the sixth position.

Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Stakes winner Colonel Liam (152 points) is seventh followed by champion female sprinter Gamine (92), Jesus' Team (77), and champion turf male Channel Maker (70).

The NTRA Top Thoroughbred polls are the sport's most comprehensive surveys of experts. Every week eligible journalists and broadcasters cast votes for their top 10 horses, with points awarded on a 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis. All horses that have raced in the U.S., are in training in the U.S., or are known to be pointing to a major event in the U.S. are eligible for the NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll. Voting in the Top Three-Year-Old Thoroughbred Poll concludes following the Belmont Stakes on June 5 and the Top Thoroughbred Poll is scheduled to be conducted through November 6.

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Champion Essential Quality Draws The Rail For 2021 Debut In Southwest Stakes

Oaklawn's four-race Kentucky Derby points series, specifically the Rebel and Arkansas Derby, is littered with starters who were Eclipse Award winners at 2. A third race has finally drawn a champion, too.

Godolphin LLC's Essential Quality, the country's champion 2-year-old male, will make his 2021 debut in Saturday's $750,000 Southwest Stakes (G3) at 1 1/16 miles. The Southwest anchors an 11-race program that begins at 12:15 p.m. (Central). Probable post time for the Southwest, which goes as race 10, is 4:58 p.m.

The Southwest will offer 17 points to the top four finishers (10-4-2-1, respectively) toward starting eligibility for the Kentucky Derby.

Trainer Brad Cox won the first race in this year's series, the $150,000 Smarty Jones Jan. 22, with Caddo River, who, in his stakes debut, recorded the most lopsided victory in race history (10 ¼ lengths). Essential Quality is much more accomplished. The gray son of super sire Tapit is unbeaten in three career starts, including the $400,000 Breeders' Futurity (G1) Oct. 3 at Keeneland and the $2 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) Nov. 6 at Keeneland to close his 2020 campaign.

Essential Quality has been based this winter at Fair Grounds, recording eight workouts in 2021, the last two (Feb. 14 and Feb. 20) coming after severe winter weather led Oaklawn to twice postpone the Southwest. It was originally scheduled to be run Feb. 15. Essential Quality, the 3-2 program favorite, arrived Wednesday night in Hot Springs for what Cox said he hopes is the first of two preps for the May 1 Kentucky Derby.

Cox, in large part, said he chose to start Essential Quality's 2021 campaign in the Southwest, rather than the $400,000 Risen Star Stakes (G2) Feb. 13 Fair Grounds, because of distance.

“The mile and an eighth, off a layoff, I just didn't think it made the most sense for him,” said Cox, who still won the nine-furlong Risen Star with Mandaloun. “We're going to get through the first one before we decide where the second one will be. Off the layoff, the mile and a sixteenth just made more sense than a mile and an eighth.”

Essential Quality came from well off a hot pace in the Breeders' Juvenile to post a three-quarter length victory under Luis Saez. Among seven Southwest entrants is the speedy Jackie's Warrior, who suffered his first career loss in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile when he was beaten 3 ¼ lengths in his two-turn debut. Jackie's Warrior, on paper, is the speed of the speed in the Southwest.

“We're not going to sacrifice our horse to do anything out of the norm,” Cox said. “We're just going to let him run his race. Luis has obviously ridden him the last two times really well.”

The projected field from the rail out: Essential Quality, Luis Saez to ride, 119 pounds, 3-2 on the morning line; Saffa's Day, Ricardo Santana Jr., 117, 10-1; Last Samurai, Jon Court, 117, 12-1; Jackie's Warrior, Joel Rosario, 119, 8-5; Santa Cruiser, Richard Eramia, 117, 12-1; Woodhouse, David Cabrera, 117, 8-1; and Spielberg, Martin Garcia, 119, 9-2.

Jackie's Warrior was a multiple Grade 1 winner last year for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen. Like Essential Quality, Jackie's Warrior (4 for 5) has been based this winter at Fair Grounds and will be making his 3-year-old debut in the Southwest, a race Asmussen has won three times.

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert will send out Spielberg in search of a record-tying fifth Southwest victory. Named for Steven Spielberg, a two-time Academy Award winner for best director, Spielberg will be making his first start since a disappointing fourth-place finish in his 3-year-old debut, the $100,000 Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G3) at 1 1/16 miles Jan. 30 at Santa Anita.

Spielberg had a productive 2-year-old campaign, finishing second and third, as a maiden, in the $250,000 Del Mar Futurity (G1) at Del Mar and $300,000 American Pharoah Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita, respectively, and winning the $200,000 Los Alamitos Futurity (G2) at 1 1/16 miles Dec. 19 at Los Alamitos. The son of Union Rags, a $1 million purchase at the 2019 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, wasn't originally nominated to the Southwest, but Baffert opted to hit the road after the race was postponed twice and Oaklawn reopened the nomination period.

“My horses are usually forwardly placed, but there's a lot of speed in there,” Baffert said. “He's not the kind of horse that would be on the lead. It looks like a pretty tough race.”

Oaklawn's Kentucky Derby points series continues with the $1 million Rebel (G2) March 13 and the $1 million Arkansas Derby (G1) April 10.

The Southwest will be Essential Quality's first 2021 Kentucky Derby audition.

“Once the Breeders' Cup was over and we let the dust settle, thought that we would start him back mid-February,” Cox said. “It would be nice to get two races in him, and hopefully he shows us enough to march forward to the first Saturday in May.”

Essential Quality (30), Spielberg (13) and Jackie's Warrior (12) rank 2-8-9, respectively, on the Kentucky Derby points leaderboard, according to Churchill Downs. Saffa's Day and Woodhouse are removing Lasix for the Southwest. Under new guidelines, points are only awarded to horses who compete without the anti-bleeder medication in Kentucky Derby points races.

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Southwest Showdown Well Worth the Wait

Following a two-week delay as Mother Nature packed a powerful winter punch, a pair of 3-year-old heavyweights are set for round two in Saturday's GIII Southwest S. at Oaklawn Park.

Recently crowned champion and 'TDN Rising Star' Essential Quality (Tapit) capped a perfect, three-for-three season closing smartly into a hot pace after covering plenty of ground to capture the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Keeneland last out Nov. 6. The Godolphin homebred previously stalked and pounced with authority in Keeneland's GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity Oct. 3. Regular rider Luis Saez will be aboard the 3-2 morning-line favorite, who has been assigned the rail in the field of seven.

“I don't think [the rescheduling] is a negative at all, as far as moving forward, with any of my horses,” said trainer Brad Cox, who will also saddle champion Monomoy Girl (Tapizar) in Sunday's postponed GIII Bayakoa S. in Hot Springs.

Two-time Grade I winner Jackie's Warrior (Maclean's Music), favored at 4-5 while carrying a four-for-four record into the Juvenile, paid the price for racing prominently through ambitious fractions of :22.58 and :45.31 that day, and all things considered, ran well in defeat to stay on fourth in his route debut after leading at the stretch call. The bay's resume is highlighted by front-running tallies in the GI Runhappy Hopeful S. at Saratoga Sept. 7 and GI Champagne S. at Belmont Oct. 10, respectively. He will be the one to catch in this second attempt around two turns.

Spielberg (Union Rags), the narrowest of winners two starts back in the GII Los Alamitos Futurity Dec. 19, invades from Bob Baffert's Santa Anita base following a no-show fourth in the GIII Robert B. Lewis S. Jan. 30. Los Al Futurity runner-up The Great One (Nyquist), meanwhile, returned with a flashy, 14-length maiden victory and 92 Beyer Speed Figure for Doug O'Neill in Arcadia Jan. 23.

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