Good Magic emerged from his Saturday victory in the Grade 2 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland in excellent shape and will remain stabled here for the foreseeable future before moving down the road to Churchill Downs as one of the top contenders for the May 5 Kentucky Derby.
For many, the inclination seems to be to stress that he got away with an easy, uncontested early lead over a small field short on real competition, and that circumstances will be dramatically different on many levels in the Kentucky Derby than they were in Saturday’s Santa Anita Derby. And the unmistakable inference here is he will be exposed at Churchill Downs.
Justify turned back Bolt d’Oro on Saturday in the Grade 1, $1 million Santa Anita Derby, a performance that will send both to Churchill Downs on May 5 as major players for the Kentucky Derby.
Vino Rosso finally showed everybody in the afternoon the ability he had been showing his connections in the morning. And while he is far from a finished product, Vino Rosso earned his spot in the Kentucky Derby with a three-length victory over Enticed in Saturday’s Grade 2, $1 million Wood Memorial.
Good Magic returned to the form that made him a champion when edging away Saturday to a 1 1/2-length victory as the favorite in the 94th running of the Grade 2, $1 million Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland.
This Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby is a race for the fans, if perhaps not a race that will excite most bettors.
Friday was a busy morning for trainer Todd Pletcher at his winter home at the Palm Beach Downs training center, starting just before dawn with the first of three full sets of workers that included one of his three Kentucky Derby hopefuls, Louisiana Derby winner Noble Indy.
The Pace Projector is predicting a fast pace, yet it also indicates that this field contains just one notable front-runner.
Though Enticed already has enough points to make it into the field for the Kentucky Derby, trainer Kiaran McLaughlin isn't viewing the colt's participation in Saturday's Grade 2 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct as a mere prep race.
A disappointing effort in the Fountain of Youth by Good Magic helped muddle the Kentucky Derby picture, but all is not lost for his camp. The reigning divisional champion will have every opportunity to regain his lost stature when going postward as a solid favorite Saturday in the annual spring showcase at Keeneland, the $1 million Blue Grass Stakes.
