The New York-bred Kentucky Derby runner, Tiz the Law, owned by Sackatoga Stable and trained by Barclay Tagg are the prohibitive favorite Derby regardless of that shows up in Louisville. Blue Grass (G2) and Ellis Park Derby winner Art Collector is a probably second alternative. Following that, a trio of California-based colts — five-time Derby winner Bob Baffert’s Authentic (Haskell winner) and also Thousand Words (Shared Belief winner), along with also the John Shirreffs-trained Honor A.P. (Santa Anita Derby winner), ought to be following when the morning is declared during Derby week.
Tiz The Law – Courtesy of Churchill Downs/Coady Photography.
The Derby points standings were finished on Saturday, when favorite Pneumatic won the Pegasus Stakes at Monmouth Park. The Pegasus was one of more than a half-dozen races Churchill Downs added into the list of qualifiers because the reshuffling of occasions because of COVID-19 postponed the Derby four weeks.
Tiz the Law, ridden by Manny Franco, is atop the leaderboard with 372 points, and is 4-for-4 this year — that the Holy Bull (G3), Florida Derby (G1), Belmont Stakes (G1) and Travers (G1). A formidable record, with overpowering successes in his newest races, has him in the head of this course.
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Art Collector, handled by little-known-outside-the-Midwest coach Tommy Drury, may be the surprise actress: Just Like Tiz the Law, this colt is 4-0 in 2020; using a pair of allowance-optional promising wins, a victory in the Blue Grass (G2) followed with a win at the Ellis Park Derby.
In question is whether the 1 1/4-mile Derby space is too far for Authentic — he barely hung on to win the 1 1/8-mile Haskell using a nose over Ny Traffic; and was next to Honor A.P. in the 1 1/8-mile Santa Anita Derby, beaten 2 3/4 lengths.
Kentucky Derby Favorites: Tiz the Law
Thousand Words stepped up by beating Honor A.P. at the 1 1/16-mile Shared Belief, but includes a shaky restart which includes three wins to begin his career (Los Alamitos Futurity, Robert B. Lewis among them), but followed with a fourth at the San Felipe (G2), 11th at the Oaklawn Stakes, and moment in the Los Alamitos Derby (G3).
Just a few months before, Baffert was loaded for the Derby. His Arkansas Derby branch winners, unbeatens Charlatan and Nadal, are both sidelined with ailments. (Charlatan was disqualified from his triumph in the Arkansas Derby to get a favorable of an overage of the medication lidocaine.)
But, Baffert also has one of the best fillies for its Sept. 4 Kentucky Oaks (G1) in Gamine, which will take on Alabama (G1) winner Swiss Skydiver in what might be the beginning of a gorgeous rivalry.
Because of health and security concerns, attendance will probably be less than 23,000, according to Churchill Downs (less than 14 percent of the record crowd of 170,513 at 2015). Strict protocols will be followed by viewers in addition to participants — trainers, owners, jockeys, grooms, and backstretch employees.
With recent rules set by Churchill Downs for jockeys to take part, several leading riders chosen from the Derby. One of those who won’t be in the Derby are top riders Irad Ortiz, Jr., brother Jose Ortiz, Joel Rosario and Luis Saez, who finished first in the 2019 Derby aboard Maximum Security (the horse was DQ’d to 17th for hindrance ).
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With that, here’s the rest of the Derby horses which earned enough points to conduct — if they do or not will be known over the next few weeks:
Despite his runner-up finish from the Shared Belief, this colt is going to be among those gambling favorites off his pedigree along with a record of two wins and three seconds in five career races.
Kentucky Derby Odds
King Guillermo, last seen running alongside Nadal in a branch of the Arkansas Derby on May 2, disclosed he is in good shape with a 5-furlong project in 59.40 minutes in Churchill on Saturday.
“He really likes it in Kentucky,” King Guillermo’s exercise rider Edgar Medina said following the job.
Dr Post, trained by two-time Derby winner Todd Pletcher, created his Derby trip employing a runner-up effort in the Belmont and a third in the Haskell. He’s No. 8 on leaderboard with 80 points.
“We’ll check in with all the owners and come up with a game plan,” Pletcher said. “The Derby is in play for sure. We are pleased with the way he is going, so we’ll see how the upcoming few weeks “
Max Player, next in the Travers, will soon be saddled by Steve Asmussen as routine trainer Linda Rice will probably remain in New York (Saratoga); Caracaro, next from the Travers, is Derby jump and Hall of Famer Javier Castellano is predicted to be aboard.
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Miriam Lee has always been a horse racing fan thanks to trips to the tracks in her home state of Maryland with her father as kid. She owns an OTTB and is an advocate for promoting the sport among her peers. Miriam studies communication arts at Hood College and will receive her master’s degree in 2021, which she plans to use for a career in screenwriting. Her all-time favorite racehorse is Man O War.