Blended Citizen, the winner of the Grade 3 Jeff Ruby Steaks at Turfway Park on March 17, is under consideration for the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 5 if enough defections occur that would allow the colt to gain a berth in the field, trainer Doug O’Neill said on Monday. As of Monday, Blended Citizen would likely need at least two horses to defect from the Kentucky Derby to gain a spot. :: ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY: Prep races, point standings, replays Combatant has 32 qualifying points, followed by Instilled Regard (29), and Catholic Boy (24), who are not considered Kentucky Derby candidates. Snapper Sinclair and Blended Citizen are next in the standings with 22 points. Snapper Sinclair holds the tiebreaker with $321,810 in graded stakes earnings, compared to Blended Citizen’s $159,644. Jeff Bloom, who owns Snapper Sinclair through his Bloom Racing Stable, said Monday that his colt is more likely to run at Churchill Downs in the Grade 2 American Turf Stakes or Grade 3 Pat Day Mile on May 5, even if a Kentucky Derby berth becomes available. “We’re focused on looking at most likely the American Turf,” Bloom said. “The Pat Day Mile is still a consideration.” That would leave Blended Citizen as the second alternate. “If he can get in, we’re running,” O’Neill said. “He has earned points and he’s earned the right to be considered. If a couple fall by the wayside, he’d be in the top 20 points and we’d certainly consider it.” Blended Citizen, who finished fifth in the Grade 1 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland on April 7, races for Greg Hall and Steve Young’s Sayjay Racing. O’Neill said the $300,000 American Turf at 1 1/16 miles on grass is a back-up race for Blended Citizen. Over the weekend, O’Neill was gearing Blended Citizen toward the American Turf, but a closer look at the rankings has led to a change of heart. “I thought we’d dropped way down, he said. “We’re still in the mix. If he doesn’t get in, we’ll run in the undercard turf race.” Kyle Frey will have the mount on Blended Citizen on May 5, O’Neill said.