The Live Oak Plantation of Charlotte Weber lost its major hope for the Kentucky Derby when To Honor and Serve was declared from consideration earlier this month with a suspensory injury. But against the odds, Brilliant Speed gave Live Oak a brand new Derby prospect Saturday when he rallied to nip Twinspired the Grade 1, $750,000 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland.
Brilliant Speed, rallying down the center of the track under Joel Rosario, got up in the final stride to edge Twinspired by a nose in Saturday’s Grade 1, $750,000 Toyota Bluegrass Stakes at Keeneland.
Risen Star winner and Kentucky Derby hopeful Mucho Macho Man zipped seven furlongs in 1:23.66 seconds Saturday morning at Gulfstream Park in his final work before his scheduled departure for Churchill Downs on Sunday.
Pants On Fire worked five furlongs in a blistering 58.60 seconds at Palm Meadows shortly after the renovation break on Friday, his first work since upsetting the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby on March 26.
Only a handful of Kentucky Derby preps remain, perhaps most notably at Keeneland next Saturday, April 23, with the $200,000 Coolmore Lexington, a 1 1/16-mile Polytrack race in which Jaycito figures to be favored.
Only one Derby winner (Street Sense, 2007) in the last 15 years has run in the Blue Grass, and it has been 20 years (Strike the Gold, 1991) since the Blue Grass winner also won the Derby. A number of trainers, including Eddie Kenneally, are intent on reversing that trend Saturday at Keeneland. Kenneally will send out Santiva, the likely favorite among 12 3-year-olds in the 87th running of the Blue Grass.
Last weekend’s unpredictable set of results caused a slew of changes to this week’s top 20 of Derby Watch. The most notable newcomer is Toby’s Corner, the Wood Memorial winner, who leapfrogged all the way to the fourth choice, at 10-1, on the Kentucky Derby future line set by Mike Watchmaker, Daily Racing Form’s national handicapper.
George Bolton was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, and he turned it into gold. Through financial intelligence, horse smarts, and a gregarious personality, Bolton has aligned himself with some of the leaders of the racing business, and his boutique operation, favoring quality over quantity, continues to reach new heights.
The Factor has dictated the pace in all three of his dazzling victories. Whether he will be able to do so again Saturday in the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby is the central question surrounding the 1 1/8-mile race that closes out the meet at Oaklawn Park.
Joes Blazing Aaron has completely turned his career around upon the switch to turf, and that suggests he might also be very effective on a synthetic track. I'm taking Joes Blazing Aaron for the upset in the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland.
