Good Magic and Bolt d’Oro were locked in the closest battle of last month’s Eclipse Awards, with a mere 18 votes separating them. Three months since they met for the only time at age 2, their rivalry, and their parallel preparation this spring, makes them among the most compelling of this year’s prospects for the Kentucky Derby on May 5. Good Magic got the best of the previously unbeaten Bolt d’Oro in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Del Mar, which secured the Eclipse Award as champion male 2-year-old for Good Magic. Since that race, though, both had delays in returning to serious training, and both are scheduled for two preps prior to the Derby, beginning next month. It is Bolt d’Oro, though, who occupies the favorite’s role on the real-money future line set by Las Vegas oddsmaker John Avello, and that is the primary reason he got the slight nod over Good Magic on the future line by Mike Watchmaker, Daily Racing Form’s national handicapper, that accompanies the inaugural Derby Watch top 20. Bolt d’Oro is 6-1 on Watchmaker’s line, with Good Magic and the unbeaten McKinzie the co-second choices at 8-1. :: DERBY WATCH: Top 20 list | Who's Hot, Who's Not Instilled Regard, the Lecomte winner who will return to Fair Grounds and make his next start in the Risen Star on Feb. 17, and Solomini, disqualified from victory in the Los Alamitos CashCall Futurity, are next on Watchmaker’s line at 12-1, along with Holy Bull winner Audible. All 20 runners on the Derby Watch list are placed in the order of Watchmaker’s prices. Bolt d’Oro was originally scheduled to return to action this Saturday in the San Vicente Stakes at Santa Anita, but he was not training well last month and was diagnosed with muscle soreness in his hind end. He has since gotten back to a regular workout schedule and is on target now for the San Felipe at Santa Anita on March 10, with the Santa Anita Derby on April 7 to follow. Good Magic “got a little bit of a late start,” said his trainer, Chad Brown, “but we gave him a rest by design. “We tried to maximize how much rest we could give him without jeopardizing his schedule, and hopefully that’ll reward us with the extensive campaign we hope to have with him.” The Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream on March 3 is the scheduled 3-year-old debut for Good Magic. Good Magic last year compiled 24 points on the system used by Churchill Downs to determine the starting field for the Derby. The point values for races increase exponentially as the Derby nears, so both Good Magic and Bolt d’Oro – who has 14 points – have two chances to get the requisite points, and they already have a head start on most of their rivals. Only Good Magic, Firenze Fire (24 points), and McKinzie (20 points) have more points than Bolt d’Oro. The Derby field is capped at 20 runners, with as many as four also-eligibles. This year, two of those 20 spots have the potential to be reserved by overseas runners, as Churchill Downs has both a Japan Road to the Derby and a European Road to the Derby, each offering a spot in the Derby to a representative from each region. The Japan Road to the Derby series, expanded for this, its second year, did not produce a runner in last year’s Derby. This is the first year for the European series. :: The Road to the Kentucky Derby Player's Package The lone points-scoring stakes race this week is the Sam Davis on Saturday at Tampa Bay Downs. It features a colt who, like Good Magic and Bolt d’Oro, showed great promise at 2 – Catholic Boy, the Remsen winner, who is set for his 3-year-old debut. “He’s a beautiful horse, real reliable,” said Jonathan Thomas, who trains Catholic Boy. “I’m just hoping he continues to progress.” The only other Derby Watch member in action this weekend is Ax Man, who goes in the San Vicente at Santa Anita on Saturday. It is not a points-scoring race, but affords Ax Man an intermediate step before he goes two turns next time, according to trainer Bob Baffert. Baffert, a four-time Derby winner, has four runners on the Derby Watch list, tops among trainers. He said that Mourinho, the Smarty Jones winner, is scheduled to return to Oaklawn Park on Feb. 19 for the Southwest Stakes, and said McKinzie and Solomini are being considered for the San Felipe on March 10 or the Rebel at Oaklawn on March 17. Kiaran McLaughlin also is looking to split up his Derby prospects. Last Saturday, McLaughlin won the Withers at Aqueduct with Avery Island, and he sent out Enticed to a fourth-place finish in the Holy Bull at Gulfstream. McLaughlin on Wednesday said plans for both colts were yet to be determined. He said Avery Island could run twice more before the Derby, or simply await the final round of preps. He mentioned the Wood Memorial and Blue Grass, both April 7, as possible spots for Avery Island. Enticed also is under consideration for several races. McLaughlin said plans won’t be finalized for them until at least next week. “They’re both nominated everywhere,” he said. Avery Island has returned to the Palm Meadows training center in Florida, where McLaughlin is based in the winter. Dale Romans also is juggling multiple Derby contenders. He said Free Drop Billy, the Holy Bull runner-up, would return in the Fountain of Youth, but that Tiz Mischief, who finished third in the Holy Bull, would be pointed toward the Tampa Bay Derby on March 10 or the Rebel. “I want to pick a spot more favorable to closers,” said Romans, who sends out Hollywood Star against Catholic Boy in the Sam Davis. Audible, who beat Free Drop Billy, Enticed, and Tiz Mischief, “most likely will train up to the Florida Derby,” which is March 31 at Gulfstream, trainer Todd Pletcher said. “He came out of the race well,” said Pletcher, who said everyone in Audible’s ownership group “is on the same page.” “He had a monster race,” said Pletcher, who won both the Florida Derby and Kentucky Derby last year with Always Dreaming. “This gives up nice spacing to the Florida Derby, and then it’s five weeks to the Kentucky Derby.” Pletcher has two other Derby Watch runners. He said Noble Indy would run in either the Risen Star or the Fountain of Youth, and he’s shopping for an allowance race for debut maiden winner Magnum Moon, as Pletcher, like so many others, tries to find the best route to wear the roses.