Trainer Dale Romans threw some fighting words into the Arkansas Derby mix on Monday, when he confirmed the front-running Unbridled Outlaw for the Grade 1, $1 million race Saturday at Oaklawn Park.
Exaggerator, Outwork, and Brody's Cause, the winners of the three major Kentucky Derby preps run last Saturday, all came out of their races in good order and will move on to the 142nd Derby on May 7, with several horses who chased them on Saturday also headed to Churchill Downs for what assuredly will be a maximum 20-horse field.
Red-hot young stallion Uncle Mo continued to light it up over the weekend, with four colts from his first crop currently under consideration for the Kentucky Derby after last weekend's three major prep races.
As the sun rose Monday morning, Kentucky Derby favorite Nyquist was allowed to gallop for the first time in more than a week.
Exaggerator took advantage of a hot pace to rally for a runaway victory over Mor Spirit, Danzing Candy, and five others while earning a Beyer Speed Figure of 103 in Saturday's Santa Anita Derby.
Outwork, the Wood Memorial winner, and Shagaf, the Wood favorite who finished a troubled fifth in the race, both emerged from their efforts in good order and will make their next starts in the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 7.
Exaggerator and Mor Spirit, the one-two finishers in the Santa Anita Derby on Saturday, both came out of the race well and both will head to the Kentucky Derby on May 7, their trainers reported on Sunday morning.
If you woke up Sunday morning more confused than ever about the Kentucky Derby picture, take heart. You have a lot of company.
Exaggerator splashed through the sloppy, sealed going to a 6 1/4-length victory on Saturday in the Santa Anita Derby, theWest’s final major prep for the May 7 Kentucky Derby
Brody’s Cause took lengthy strides toward the Kentucky Derby when rebounding off a poor 3-year-old debut and posting an emphatic 1 3/4-length victory Saturday under Luis Saez in the 92nd running of the Grade 1, $1 million Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland.
