Led by Eclipse Award winner Nyquist, as well as a pair of prominent prospects – Greenpointcrusader and Mohaymen –who are scheduled to race on Saturday in the Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream Park, a total of 368 3-year-olds are early nominees to this year's Triple Crown, Churchill Downs announced Thursday.
There are potential stars running in Florida and New York on Saturday, including a possible rival for Songbird. For the last Saturday in January, this is some serious racing.
There were few surprises when entries were drawn Wednesday for Saturday's Grade 2 Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream Park, with Mohaymen and Greenpointcrusader topping a field of six 3-year-olds set to go 1 1/16 miles in the first of two key prep races leading up to the $1 million Florida Derby on April 2.
The lesson I have learned over the last decade about picking the Kentucky Derby winner is that opinions best be fluid.
Nyquist, the champion 2-year-old of 2015 after winning all five starts, including the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, Nyquist posted a solid one-mile workout Sunday at Santa Anita and is on target for a Feb. 15 comeback in the Grade 2, seven-furlong San Vicente Stakes.
Discreetness and Gordy Florida, who finished a neck apart in the $150,000 Smarty Jones on Monday at Oaklawn Park, are both being pointed for next month's Southwest Stakes, according to their trainers.
Road to the Derby analysis: Smarty Jones Stakes.
Discreetness struck first in Oaklawn Park’s series for 3-year-olds on Monday, when he rallied for a neck win over Gordy Florida in the $150,000 Smarty Jones.
Saturday at Fair Grounds, in the Grade 3, $200,000 Lecomte Stakes, Mo Tom ran better still, making a sustained run from the half-mile pole and pulling away the final half-furlong from Tom’s Ready to win by 2 1/4 lengths.
Frank Conversation ($7) got a dream stalking trip Saturday, one start after being involved in a hot pace duel in a Grade 1 stakes, and scored a powerful victory in the $100,105 California Derby at Golden Gate Fields.
