There was a time not so long ago that the undercard for the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs was similar to a bad warm-up act at a major rock concert. Something to sit through while waiting for the main attraction.
It's not that way any more.
Saturday's 10-hour, 14-race extravaganza, which gets under way at 10:30 a.m. ET and runs until 8:30 p.m., has a little something for everyone. There are eight graded stakes, half of them Grade 1, featuring some of the best turf and dirt runners around going short and long. Similarly, Friday's G1 Kentucky Oaks card is a 13-race marathon with six graded stakes. It's not just the horses that have to display stamina.
Post time for the Oaks on Friday is 5:51 p.m., with Saturday's Derby scheduled for 6:57 p.m. Both races will be televised on NBC and streamed live on Peacock.
The main event, the Kentucky Derby, has taken a number of twists and turns in the lead-up to the race, including on Friday morning with the announcement that Skinner, the third-place finisher in the G1 Santa Anita Derby, will be scratched because of an elevated temperature. That followed Thursday's news that saw three defections: Santa Anita Derby winner Practical Move (elevated temperature), Japanese runner Continuar (trainer's decision), and G2 Wood Memorial winner Lord Miles (by order of the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission).
Those four scratches permitted the three also-eligibles (Cyclone Mischief, Mandarin Hero, and King Russell) into the Derby field, but it also will leave one of the stalls empty in the 20-horse starting gate.
Friday
12:43 p.m. – Grade 2 Alysheba Stakes at Churchill Downs
Rich Strike, the 80-1 upset winner of the 2022 Kentucky Derby (G1), headlines a deep field of seven for the $600,000 Alysheba (G2) for 4-year-olds and up going 1 1/16 miles on the main track. Trained by Eric Reed, Rich Strike will be making his first start of 2023 after closing his 2022 campaign with an off-the-board finish in the Clark (G1). Sonny Leon retains the mount and will break from post three.
While Rich Strike may be the sentimental favorite, the betting public figures to key in on a trio of established older runners – Art Collector, West Will Power, and Last Samurai.
Trained by Bill Mott, Art Collector was a 4 ½-length winner of the Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) prior to running second in the New Orleans Classic (G2). The earner of more than $4 million, Art Collector will be ridden by Junior Alvarado and break from post one.
Second in the Clark last fall and recent winner of the New Orleans Classic, West Will Power has earned more than $1 million in compiling a 15-6-7-0 record. Trained by Brad Cox and will be ridden by Flavien Prat and break from post four.
Last Samurai, an earner of more than $2 million and a three-time graded stakes winner, comes into the Alysheba off a narrow defeat in the Oaklawn Handicap (G2) on April 22. Trained by D. Wayne Lukas, Last Samurai will break from post two and be ridden by Luis Saez.
4:04 p.m. – Grade 1 La Troienne Stakes at Churchill Downs
Secret Oath, winner of last year's Kentucky Oaks (G1), returns to the scene of her biggest triumph as she headlines a field of 10 for the $750,000 La Troienne (G1) for fillies and mares going 1 1/16 miles on the main track.
Trained by D. Wayne Lukas, Secret Oath has earned more than $2.1 million in her career with more than $400,000 of it coming this year with a victory in the Azeri (G2) and a runner-up finish on April 15 to Clairiere in the Apple Blossom (G1) at Oaklawn Park. Tyler Gaffalione, who was aboard for the two starts in 2023, has the call Friday and will break from post position four.
Four other Grade 1 winners are in the field headed by defending La Troienne champion Pauline's Pearl. The others are A Mo Reay, Society, and Search Results.
Trained by Steve Asmussen, Pauline's Pearl returns to the races following an off-the-board finish in the Beholder Mile (G1) at Santa Anita on March 11. Joel Rosario has the mount and will break from post position nine.
Trained by Brad Cox, A Mo Reay comes into the La Troienne off a victory in the Beholder Mile (G1) at Santa Anita in March. Florent Geroux has the mount and will break from post position 10.
Society, who won the Cotillion (G1) in September for Asmussen, returned to the races April 8 with a third-place finish in the Madison (G1) going seven furlongs at Keeneland. Jose Ortiz has the mount and will break from post position seven.
Search Results, winner of the 2021 Acorn (G1) and runner-up in that year's Kentucky Oaks, returns to the races off a six-month layoff for trainer Chad Brown. Search Results will break from post two under Flavien Prat.
5:51 p.m. – Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs
Wet Paint has been installed as the 5-2 morning line favorite for Friday's 149th running of the $1.25 million Kentucky Oaks (G1) for 3-year-old fillies that drew a field of 14 plus three also-eligibles.
Trained by two-time Kentucky Oaks winner Brad Cox, Wet Point swept the Oaklawn Park series of races for 3-year-old fillies by taking the Martha Washington (Listed), Honeybee (G3) and Fantasy (G3). Flavien Prat, who was aboard for all three of those victories, has the call Friday and will break from post position seven.
Cox also will send out Botanical (4-1) and The Alys Look (15-1).
Botanical has won her past four starts over the all-weather surface at Turfway Park. Chris Landeros, who was aboard for all of those victories, has the mount Friday and will break from post position six.
The Alys Look was third in the Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) in her most recent start. Javier Castellano, who won the 2016 Oaks on Cathryn Sophia, has the call Friday on The Alys Look and break from post position two.
Third choice on the morning line at 8-1 is Southlawn. Trained by Norm Casse, Southlawn has won her past two starts with the latter coming in the Fair Grounds Oaks. Rey Gutierrez, who has been aboard for both of those victories, has the call Friday and will break from post position four.
Co-fourth choices at 10-1 are Affirmative Lady and Pretty Mischievous.
Affirmative Lady is trained by Graham Motion. Winner of her past two starts since adding blinkers, Affirmative Lady comes into the race off a triumph in the Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2). John Velazquez, who won the 2021 Oaks on Malathaat, has the call Friday and will break from post 13.
Brendan Walsh trains Pretty Mischievous. Winner of the Rachel Alexandra (G3) and runner-up in the Fair Grounds Oaks, Pretty Mischievous will be ridden by Tyler Gaffalione and break from post position 14.
In addition to Cox, Todd Pletcher will be seeking to add to his Oaks victory total when he sends out Gambling Girl (15-1) in a bid for a record-tying fifth Oaks triumph. Second in the Gazelle (G3) at the Oaks distance of 1 1/8 miles, Gambling Girl will be ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. and break from post position three.
Pletcher also has Stonestreet Stables' Julia Shining (15-1) on the also-eligible list. A full sister to 2021 Oaks winner Malathaat, Julia Shining was third in the Ashland (G1) in her most recent start.
Saturday
12:04 p.m. – Grade 1 Derby City Distaff at Churchill Downs
Champion Goodnight Olive puts her seven-race win streak on the line Saturday when she takes on five rivals in the $750,000 Derby City Distaff (G1) for fillies and mares going seven furlongs on the main track.
Trained by Chad Brown, Goodnight Olive closed her 2022 campaign with a victory in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1), a victory that clinched the Eclipse Award as champion female sprinter.
Goodnight Olive made her 2023 debut a winning one in the Madison (G1) on April 8 at Keeneland, also at seven furlongs. Irad Ortiz Jr. has the mount and will break from post two.
4:31 p.m. – Grade 1 Churchill Downs Stakes
Cody's Wish, winner of last fall's Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (GI), makes his 2023 debut Saturday when he tops a field of 11 entered for the Churchill Downs (G1) going seven furlongs on the main track. Trained by Bill Mott, Cody's Wish won his final four starts of 2022 with one of those victories coming in the Forego (G1). Junior Alvarado has the mount and will break from post seven.
Trainer Peter Miller has two entrants in the race: C Z Rocket and Get Her Number.
A two-time runner-up in the Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1), C Z Rocket returns to Churchill Downs for the first time since the summer of 2020. Eighth in the Dubai Golden Shaheen (G1) in March in his most recent start, C Z Rocket will break from post two and be ridden by Flavien Prat.
Get Her Number was third at Keeneland in last month's Commonwealth (G3). Joel Rosario has the mount and will break from post five.
The two horses that finished in front of Get Her Number in the Commonwealth, Hear Mi Song and Hoist the Gold, also return in the Churchill Downs.
5:27 p.m. – Grade 1 Turf Classic at Churchill Downs
Santin will face nine rivals as he goes for a repeat victory in the $1 million Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic (G1). Trained by Brendan Walsh, Santin is unbeaten in two starts over the Matt Winn Turf Course with the other victory coming in the Arlington Million (G1) in August. Tyler Gaffalione has the mount Saturday and will break from post eight.
Among the chief rivals to Santin are Spooky Channel and Up to the Mark.
Trained by Jason Barkley, Spooky Channel won the Muniz Memorial Classic (G2) at Fair Grounds in his most recent start. Joel Rosario has the mount and will break from post nine.
Up to the Mark, who finished a neck behind two-time Breeders' Cup winner Modern Games (IRE) in a third-place finish in the Maker's Mark Mile (G1) at Keeneland last month in his stakes debut for trainer Todd Pletcher, will break from post five and be ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr.
6:57 p.m. – Grade 1 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs
Four-time Grade 1 winner Forte is the 3-1 morning line favorite for Saturday's 149th running of the $3 million Kentucky Derby (G1). Trained by two-time Kentucky Derby winner Todd Pletcher, Forte has won six of seven starts and has posted Grade 1 victories in the Hopeful, Breeders' Futurity, Breeders' Cup Juvenile and most recently in the Florida Derby. Irad Ortiz Jr., who is seeking his first Kentucky Derby victory, has the mount on Forte and will break from post position 15.
Pletcher will saddle two other starters Saturday: Tapit Trice and Kingsbarns.
Tapit Trice, the second choice on the morning line at 5-1, has won his past four starts with the most recent coming in the Blue Grass Stakes (G1) on April 8. Luis Saez has the mount and will break from post position five.
The undefeated Kingsbarns (12-1) comes into the Run for the Roses off a front-running victory in the Louisiana Derby (G2). Jose Ortiz has the mount and will break from post position six.
Third choice on the morning line at 8-1 is Angel of Empire for trainer Brad Cox. Angel of Empire comes into the Kentucky Derby off a 4 ¼-length victory in the Arkansas Derby. Prior to that, he won the Risen Star (G2). Flavien Prat, who won the 2019 Derby on Country House, has the mount and will exit post position 14.
Angel of Empire will be one of four starters for trainer Brad Cox, who has a Kentucky Derby victory by Mandaloun in 2021 on his resume. That win came via the disqualification of Medina's Spirit for a medication violation detected in a post-race test.
Cox's other entrants are Hit Show (30-1), Verifying (15-1), and Jace's Road (50-1).
Fourth choice on the line at 10-1 is Derma Sotogake (JPN).
Derma Sotogake comes to Kentucky off a 5 ½-length victory in the UAE Derby (G2). A winner of four of eight starts and earner of $1.1 million, Derma Sotogake will be ridden by Christophe Lemaire for trainer Hidetaka Otonashi from post 17.
Another trainer seeking to add to his Kentucky Derby win total is Bill Mott.
Mott, who won the Derby in 2019 with Country House via the disqualification of Maximum Security for interference, will send out Rocket Can (30-1). Fourth in the Arkansas Derby in his most recent start, Rocket Can will be ridden by Junior Alvarado from post position 18.
One other rider will be seeking another Derby victory: Joel Rosario. Rosario, who won the 2013 Derby on Orb, will ride Disarm (30-1). Trained by Steve Asmussen, Disarm was third in the Lexington (G3) in his most recent start. Disarm will start from post position 11.
Three horses have drawn into the field from the also-eligible list: Dale Romans trainee Cyclone Mischief (30-1); Japan's Mandarin Hero (20-1), the latter an impressive runner-up in the Santa Anita Derby; and Arkansas Derby runner-up King Russell (50-1), bred and owned in part by former Kentucky Gov. Brereton C. Jones.
The post Weekend Lineup Presented By Del Mar Ship & Win: Long And Winding Road To The Kentucky Derby appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
