Big field in the making for the American Derby

The Arlington racing office on Sunday listed 13 names as possible runners for Saturday’s Grade 3, $150,000 American Derby, the local prep for the Grade 1 Secretariat next month. The American Derby is one of four turf stakes on the Million Preview Day card and appears to be coming up with the deepest, most interesting field on the program.

Among the possible runners is Flying Scotsman, who hasn’t started since he won the Grade 3 Cecil B. Demille Stakes on Nov. 24 at Del Mar by more than four lengths. Flying Scotsman in his previous start had won a maiden race by a nose over Omaha Beach, who was the Kentucky Derby favorite after winning the Arkansas Derby before being forced to miss the Triple Crown with an entrapped epiglottis.

Flying Scotsman’s owner, Brad Kelley’s Calumet Farm, tried to get the English Channel colt into the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf but Flying Scotsman failed to make the field with, at the time, only a maiden win to his credit.

Flying Scotsman has posted his last two works at Keeneland, where he breezed on turf.

Simply Breathless, Elysea’s World, and Vexatious top the list of possible runners in the Grade 3 Modesty.