Midnight Bourbon, trying to punch his ticket to the Kentucky Derby when he starts Saturday in the $1 million Louisiana Derby, breezed an easy half-mile Monday in 49.20 seconds. The colt looked good when he won the Lecomte Stakes in January and looks even better now.
Dream Shake will have a California-based campaign in advance of a potential start in the Kentucky Derby on May 1 at Churchill Downs.
Prevalence earned an 86 Beyer Speed Figure when easily passing a second preliminary test Thursday at Gulfstream Park en route to joining the Kentucky Derby trail.
Prevalence, the exciting Godolphin homebred on the fast track to the 147th Kentucky Derby, passed another preliminary test en route to joining the Derby trail by easily winning a first-level allowance Thursday at Gulfstream Park. Ridden by Tyler Gaffalione, Prevalence never had a straw in his path in winning the one-mile race by three lengths in 1:35.82 over a fast track. He returned $2.20 as the prohibitive favorite in a field of six 3-year-olds.
After trainer Brad Cox breezes two of his other top Kentucky Derby candidates at the Fair Grounds, he will hop in his car and drive seven hours north to Oaklawn Park, where Caddo River will try to enhance his credentials for the May 1 Derby when he faces the unbeaten Concert Tour and the returning Keepmeinmind in a compelling edition of the Grade 2, $1 million Rebel.
Kentucky Derby: Who's hot, who's not for March 10, 2021
John Ed Anthony, the Arkansas forest-products businessman, once was a regular competitor in racing's most prestigious races, and now, after a time out of the sport, is back racing again at the highest level. On Saturday he runs Caddo River in the Grade 2, $1 million Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park.
Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: Caddo River
The unbeaten Concert Tour will break from post 7 in a field of eight when he makes his two-turn debut Saturday in the Grade 2, $1 million Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park.
Helium was making his first start on dirt, first start around two turns, and first start in 4 1/2 months, so full credit to him for winning off the layoff to remain unbeaten, and to trainer Mark Casse for having him ready. But the low fig is an indictment of the entire field, which looked a cut below the division’s best going in. This race did nothing to cause one to pivot off that opinion.
