Rock Your World had to go out and prove himself against Medina Spirit, who in four previous starts had lost to only Life Is Good. Rock Your World more than proved himself. He was much the best. He’s an exciting prospect.
In 2014, Candy Boy finished third behind California Chrome in the Santa Anita Derby. A month later, Candy Boy had a troubled trip to finish 13th behind that colt in the Kentucky Derby. California Chrome raced in a stalking position in those wins. Rock Your World may have the same kind of prominent trip in the Kentucky Derby at 1 1/4 miles.
Try and knock Essential Quality all you want – and his paddling action with his left front is certainly ripe for analyzing – but the bottom line is he has won every time, at every track he’s been on, no matter the pace, no matter the track condition, with solid figs. He’s thoroughly admirable, and is a deserved main player in this year’s Derby.
Essential Quality, the reigning divisional champion who remained unbeaten in five career starts with a neck victory Saturday over Highly Motivated in the 97th Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland, exited the Grade 2 race in fine shape and will ship Monday to Churchill Downs, trainer Brad Cox said Sunday morning.
Less than two weeks ago, it wasn’t inconceivable to think the Kentucky Derby would be run without the presence of trainer Todd Pletcher. In a span of eight days, Pletcher now has four potential starters for the Kentucky Derby on May 1. On Saturday, Bourbonic and Dynamic One improbably finished 1-2 in the Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial to earn their trips to Louisville.
It took the length of the Keeneland stretch, but heavily favored Essential Quality was able to push past Highly Motivated in the final yards Saturday to win the Grade 2, $800,000 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland.
Roman Centurian, second in the Grade 3 Robert Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita on Jan. 30, was scheduled to be withdrawn from Saturday’s Grade 1 Runhappy Santa Anita Derby after trainer Simon Callaghan said he was unhappy with the colt’s training on Friday.
Risk Taking is the proven one, a two-time winner at 1 1/8 miles over Aqueduct's main track, including a graded stakes victory. Prevalence is the flashy one, a visually-impressive winner of his two starts, both this past winter in one-turn races at Gulfstream Park. The two provide each other with a good test in Saturday's Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct.
Essential Quality will be carrying more than just his 123-pound assignment Saturday in the 97th Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland. He also will shoulder the fervent hopes of his owner, Godolphin, in taking a final step toward favoritism in the Kentucky Derby, a race the worldwide powerhouse stable has yet to win. He'll also be trying to restore lost pride in the Blue Grass itself, a race that has seen its stature diminish over the last 30 years.
The absence of Life Is Good, who had been the favorite for the Kentucky Derby, caused a wholesale adjustment to the field for the Grade 1 Runhappy Santa Anita Derby, with 10 now set to go 1 1/8 miles on Saturday compared to likely half that if Life Is Good were not sidelined.
