Welcome to the ever-changing field for the 151st Kentucky Derby (G1) at Churchill Downs in five weeks.
Sandman ($9.40), a deep closer seeking a first stakes win, came through at the right time by taking advantage of an early speed duel and posting a 2 1/2-length victory in the $1.5 million Arkansas Derby (G1) at Oaklawn Park on Saturday.
Earlier in the day, Tappan Street ($6.80) delivered a solid 1 ¼-length win over favorite Sovereignty in the $1 million Florida Derby (G1) at Gulfstream Park in his third career start and first in eight weeks.
Each 3-year-old earned 100 2025 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to move to the top of the class on the leaderboard, which determines the Kentucky Derby field, which is limited to 20 starters.
With just four more Kentucky Derby prep races, Sandman is No. 1 on the leaderboard at 129, with Tappan Street third at 110. Coal Battle, third in the Arkansas Derby after winning three Derby preps, picked up 25 points to move up to No. 6 on the leaderboard with 95 points.
The runners-up in both races, Sovereignty and Publisher in the Arkansas Derby, earned 50 qualifying points to secure their spots in the 2025 Kentucky Derby field. Sovereignty, winner of the Fountain of Youth (G2), is fourth on the leaderboard with 110 points, and Publisher – now a seven-race maiden- moves up to No. 10 with 60 points.
In the two Kentucky Oaks (G1) preps, favorite Five G ($4.60) won the Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) for trainer George Weaver, and favorite Quietside ($3.80) captured the Fantasy (G2) for trainer John Ortiz. Each filly picked up 100 Oaks points and now sit first and third on the Oaks leaderboard with 168 and 125 points, respectively.
Fantasy runner-up Simply Joking picked up 50 points to move to No. 4 with 70 points, while third-place finisher Runnin N Gunnin earned 25 for third to rise to 10th with 45 points.
The speed duel developed from the start with maiden winner Cornucopian under John Velazquez and Speed King under Rafael Bejarano covering the first half mile in a sizzling 45.21 seconds. That left the door open for closers, and the gray Sandman with Jose Ortiz aboard cruised home for the win.
“The farther they went [in battle], the more confident I was," said Sandman trainer Mark Casse of the speed duel. “The faster they went, the more I smiled.”
As for Tappan Street, the colt ridden by Manny Franco was well placed in fourth down the backstretch, then moved around the far turn, seized control in mid-stretch, and won easily over a closing Sovereignty.
“Hopefully, he comes out of it in good order, and we can march forward. I think he’s going to get a tremendous amount out of this,’’ Tappan Street’s trainer Brad Cox said after the colt’s third start.
Also, on Saturday, Luxor Cafe (3-10) won the Fukuryu Stakes by five lengths, earning an automatic berth to the Run for the Roses as the top-point earner on the Japan road to the Derby.
There is no official word yet on whether the son of 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah will compete in the Kentucky Derby. A year ago, Japan’s Forever Young finished third, just two necks in a three-horse photo finish.
The final set of 200 total-point Derby qualifiers is Saturday, April 5 – the Santa Anita Derby (G1), the Blue Grass Stakes (G1), and the Wood Memorial (G2). Each race offers 100-50-25-15-10 points to the top five finishers.
In addition, the UAE Derby (G2) in Dubai is a points qualifier on the Euro-Mideast road to the 2025 Kentucky Derby.
Among the Derby prospects likely needing strong efforts on Saturday to move on to Churchill Downs are Barnes in the Santa Anita Derby, Rodriguez and Captain Cook in the Wood Memorial, and Chancer McPatrick, River Thames, East Avenue, Burnham Square, Caldera, and Render Judgment in the Blue Grass.
The writing team at US Racing is comprised of both full-time and part-time contributors with expertise in various aspects of the Sport of Kings.
