Gosden holds two high cards for English Derby prep

The stakes winners Roaring Lion and Crossed Baton give trainer John Gosden the two leading choices in early betting for Thursday’s Group 2 Dante Stakes at York Racecourse in England, a key prep for the English Derby at Epsom Downs on June 2.

Crossed Baton was the 9-2 second choice in early betting for the Dante on Thursday, but is coming off an important win in the minor Blue Riband Trial at 1 1/4 miles on turf at Epsom on April 25. The English Derby is run at 1 1/2 miles. The Dante Stakes is run at 1 5/16 miles and drew a field of nine.

Roaring Lion, who will be ridden by Oisin Murphy, was fifth in the Group 1 English 2000 Guineas on May 6 behind Saxon Warrior, the future-book favorite for the English Derby. Roaring Lion was beaten 2 1/2 lengths in that one-mile race and closed from the back of a field of 14.

As of Tuesday, Roaring Lion was the 2-1 favorite for the Dante.

Last fall, Roaring Lion won the Group 2 Royal Lodge Stakes at a mile for colts and geldings at Newmarket Racecourse. The Dante Stakes will be his seventh start for owner Qatar Racing and first beyond a mile.

By Kitten’s Joy, Roaring Lion was bred in Kentucky and was purchased for $160,000 at the 2016 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

Crossed Baton, owned by Juddmonte Farms, has won 3 of 4 starts, including a race at 1 1/4 miles on the all-weather synthetic surface at Kempton Park on March 31 in his 2018 debut.

The Dante Stakes, with its $222,750 purse, will be a class test for the promising colt Mildenberger, who won the minor Feilden Stakes at 1 1/8 miles at Newmarket on April 17 in his first start of 2018. Trained by Mark Johnston, Mildenberger has won 4 of 6 starts, including a minor stakes at a mile at Salisbury Racecourse last August.

Trainer Aidan O’Brien has two runners – the outsiders James Cook and Zabriskie, who were fourth and sixth behind Crossed Baton at Epsom in their first starts this year.