Meet the new boss, same as the old boss. Nyquist, last year’s champion 2-year-old male, showed Monday at Santa Anita that he will continue to be a force at age 3. He returned from a 3 1/2-month layoff and staved off a quality colt in Exaggerator to win the Grade 2, $200,000 San Vicente Stakes, remaining unbeaten after six starts and a top prospect for the May 7 Kentucky Derby.
Those zeroing in on unbeaten Mohaymen and champion Nyquist will have a difficult time finding value as early wagering on the Kentucky Derby continues. But the savvy pedigree players participating in Churchill Downs's inaugural Kentucky Derby Sire Future Wager last November may have locked in the best value by looking to their sires.
The mutuel field was a lukewarm favorite over Mohaymen when Pool 2 in the 2016 Kentucky Derby Future Wager closed Sunday.
Frank Conversation followed up his victory in last month’s California Derby with another stakes win at Golden Gate, only this one was far more significant, as he handled 1 1/8 miles and picked up all-important points toward a potential Kentucky Derby berth.
After the first two days of betting, Mohaymen was a slight favorite over the mutuel field in Pool 2 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager.
When trainer Doug O'Neill saw that Frank Conversation had drawn post 12 in a 14-horse field for Saturday's Grade 3, $200,000 El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate Fields, he had an immediate concern. But Frank Conversation worked out a good trip and won by three-quarters of a length as the favorite.
Changes in his equipment, his jockey, and the venue brought out the best in Destin on Saturday at Tampa Bay Downs, where the gray colt rallied from just off the pace to win the Grade 3, $250,000 Sam F. Davis Stakes by 2 1/4 lengths over Rafting. The race was the key local prep for the biggest race of the meet, the Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby on March 12, a race that offers Kentucky Derby qualifying points to its top four finishers.
After the first full day of of betting, the mutuel field was a solid favorite in Pool 2 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager. The pool opened Friday at noon Eastern and runs through Sunday at 6 p.m.
The mutuel field was the early favorite in the opening hours of betting into Pool 2 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager, which opened Friday at noon Eastern for a three-day run.
The rule that relegated Lecomte Stakes runner-up Tom’s Ready to the also-eligible list last month won’t need to be applied to the Risen Star Stakes when entries are taken Friday and is likely to not be applied to the Louisiana Derby next month.
