Kentucky Derby: Who's hot, who's not for July 29, 2020

WHO’S HOT

Thousand Words, the co-third choice at 8-1 on the inaugural 2020 Derby Watch top 20 list on Feb. 14, has returned to the list, this time as a 50-1 shot for the Kentucky Derby on Sept. 5 on the current line of Marty McGee of Daily Racing Form. Thousand Words was dropped from the list after disappointing performances in the San Felipe and Oaklawn Stakes, but gets another chance owing to a recent runner-up finish behind stablemate Uncle Chuck in the Los Alamitos Derby, and attrition of Derby contenders that leaves few others as realistic possibilities. He is scheduled to run Saturday in the Shared Belief at Del Mar against Honor A. P., currently the second choice for the Derby on McGee’s line at 4-1.

:: KENTUCKY DERBY 2020: Derby Watch, point standings, prep schedule, news, and more

WHO’S NOT

Ete Indien, the Fountain of Youth winner back in February, has not had a published work since June 28 and trainer Patrick Biancone told Daily Racing Form earlier this week that the colt was, in his words, “50-50” to make the Derby, so he has been removed from the top 20. Biancone’s other top Derby contender, Sole Volante, has not worked since the Belmont Stakes on June 20 and will bypass next week’s Ellis Park Derby. Biancone said he will be trained straight into the Derby. Dean Reeves, a co-owner of Sole Volante, on Tuesday told Daily Racing Form’s Mike Welsch that Sole Volante had a two-minute lick at Palm Meadows on Tuesday and was scheduled to work on Friday.

ON THE BUBBLE

The list of candidates continues to shrink with this postponed Derby. One possibility is Anneau d’Or, who is entered in the Shared Belief but is expected to scratch in favor of the Ellis Park Derby on Aug. 9.