Kentucky Derby prep races lined up coast to coast Saturday. Who is ready to make a move?
When Saturday dawns, we’ll be a mere nine weeks away from the 2023 Kentucky Derby.
So, as February flips to March and winter to spring, everyone gets more serious.
The top contenders make their seasonal debuts, the qualifying points grow larger, and Bob Baffert’s horses are transferred to different trainers.
Saturday’s horse racing includes four Kentucky Derby preps from coast to coast — the Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct, the Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream, the John Battaglia Memorial at Turfway and the San Felipe at Santa Anita.
If April is for final Kentucky Derby tuneups, then March is for gathering intelligence and separating pretenders from contenders.
With that in mind, here is a look at Saturday’s four qualifying races.
Gotham Stakes
When: 4:56 p.m. (CNBC, FanDuel TV)
Where: Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, N.Y.
Points distribution: 50-20-15-10-5
Morning-line favorite: Eyeing Clover (4-1)
An overflow field of 15 is entered for this $300,000, Grade 3 race over 1 mile.
Eyeing Clover, one of numerous 2023 Derby contenders trained by Brad Cox, is unbeaten in two career starts but is having his first go at a stakes race. Cox will also saddle Slip Mahoney (5-1) who comes in off a maiden-breaking victory in January.
Other top contenders figure to be Michael McCarthy’s Lugan Knight (6-1) and Tim Yakteen’s Carmel Road (6-1), one of the aforementioned transfers from Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, who is serving the second year of a two-year suspension from Churchill Downs.
Howgreatisnate (10-1), trained by Andrew Simoff, and Recruiter (12-1), trained by Cathal Lynch, are each unbeaten in four starts — two of the five contenders in this youthful field never to lose a race.
San Felipe Stakes
When: 5:30 p.m. (CNBC, FanDuel TV)
Where: Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif.
Points distribution: 50-20-15-10-5
Morning-line favorite: National Treasure (3-1)
This $400,000, Grade 2 race at 1 1/16 miles includes four former Baffert horses now under the care of Yakteen — Hejazi, National Treasure, Fort Bragg and Mr Fisk — along with one of Yakteen’s own in Los Alamitos Futurity winner Practical Move.
Hejazi (7-2) was third behind Cave Rock and National Treasure in the Grade 1 American Pharoah Stakes last October, then won a maiden special weight event at Santa Anita in January.
National Treasure is well-seasoned for a 3-year-old if not a big-time winner. In addition to his runner-up finish in the American Pharoah, he ran third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, then third again in the Grade 3 Sham Stakes at Santa Anita on Jan. 8.
Fountain of Youth Stakes
When: 5:43 p.m. (CNBC, FanDuel TV)
Where: Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla.
Points distribution: 50-20-15-10-5
Morning-line favorite: Forte (7-5)
A deep and talented field of 10 goes to post in this $400,000, Grade 2 event at 1 1/16 miles.
Todd Pletcher’s Forte is making his 3-year-old debut having not raced since winning the 2022 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Keeneland by a length and a half, a victory that supplied a comforting 40 Kentucky Derby qualifying points.
“He seems to be thriving right now,” Pletcher said. “I hope he can continue on that trajectory. We’re super-pleased with the way he’s coming into the race. ... I’m very comfortable with two races leading up, hopefully, to the Derby. We’ve approached it from various angles and felt like this was the right path for him.”
Chad Brown’s Blazing Sevens, who was fourth in the Juvenile, also returns to racing for the first time since and is the 7-2 second choice on the morning line. Blazing Sevens won last year’s Grade 1 Champagne Stakes at Belmont and was third in the Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes at Saratoga.
Shug McGaughey’s General Jim (6-1) comes in off a victory in the Grade 3 Swale Stakes at Gulfstream on Feb. 4, and Bill Mott’s Rocket Can (8-1) won the Grade 3 Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream the same day.
John Battaglia Memorial Stakes
When: 9:25 p.m. (FanDuel TV)
Where: Turfway Park in Florence, Ky.
Points distribution: 20-8-6-4-2
Morning-line favorite: Gilmore (3-1)
An overflow field of 14 is entered for this $150,000 stakes at 1 1/16 miles over a synthetic surface.
Gilmore, trained by Brendan Walsh, earned four points toward the Run for the Roses by running second in the El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate in his most recent outing on Feb. 11.
Second choice Bromley (5-1) was most recently fifth in the Lecomte Stakes at Fair Grounds on Jan. 21. Brad Cox’s American Speed and Ben Colebrook’s Scoobie Quando are both 6-1 on the morning line. Cox also has 8-1 pick Aristocracy, a winner in both of his career starts.
This story was originally published March 3, 2023 at 6:00 AM.