The Hyacinth Stakes, run Sunday over about one mile on dirt at Tokyo Racecourse in Japan, is the second of two races in the so-called Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby. The two-race sequence was introduced for this year by Churchill Downs to allow a Japan-based horse to qualify for the Kentucky Derby field, which is capped at 20 runners.
So Conflated drew the outside post when 14 horses were entered in the Grade 2, $400,000 Risen Star on Thursday in New Orleans.
With the two favorites being untested on the synthetic Tapeta surface at Golden Gate Fields, regression is a possibility, creating the potential for a fat-priced winner in Saturday's El Camino Real Derby. My choice is More Power to Him, a 6-1 shot who has two wins, a second, and a third in four routes at Golden Gate.
At least a dozen 3-year-olds were expected to be entered Thursday in the Grade 2, $400,000 Risen Star Stakes on Feb. 25 at Fair Grounds. Fair Grounds racing officials on Wednesday listed Arklow, Girvin, Guest Suite, It's Your Nickel, Local Hero, Mo Town, Shareholder Value, So Conflated, Sorry Erik, Takeoff, Untrapped, and U S Officer as expected entrants in the Risen Star.
Among the paddock schoolers at Gulfstream Park on Wednesday was Huracan Americo, a Group 1 winner in his native Chile at 2 who is currently being pointed toward a possible start in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth on March 4.
Wild Shot, beaten 3 1/2 lengths when fourth behind McCraken last weekend in the Sam Davis Stakes, will return to Tampa Bay Downs for the March 11 Tampa Bay Derby “unless I see no reason not to go,” said trainer Rusty Arnold.
For the inaugural Derby Watch top 20, Classic Empire remains the favorite on the Derby future line produced by Mike Watchmaker, Daily Racing Form's national handicapper. Classic Empire's terrific 2-year-old form, combined with a foot issue that came to the fore days after the Holy Bull, combined to keep him as the favorite – for now.
Kentucky Derby: Who's hot, who's not for Feb. 17
Classic Empire, who debuts as the favorite on Mike Watchmaker's Kentucky Derby future line, became the second Eclipse Award champion juvenile in three seasons for sire Pioneerof the Nile. The first? American Pharoah.
Road to the Derby: Sam F. Davis analysis
