Tepin among stars on stakes-packed Derby undercard

If the Kentucky Derby turns out to be three-quarters as good as the six stakes leading up to the main event Saturday at Churchill Downs, it should be an immensely satisfying day of high-class racing. A strong, high-end dirt-mile allowance race launches the 14-race card, and there’s barely a breather until post times start stringing out late in the afternoon.

The day’s first stakes, the Grade 2, $300,000 Distaff Turf Mile, features one of the best-known horses in North America at the moment, Tepin. It wasn’t entirely obvious at the time, but the fabulous grass mare – who could race at Royal Ascot this summer – put her name on the map by winning the 2015 Distaff Turf Mile, but she will be a wee bit shorter on the tote board than the 9-1 at which she triumphed one year ago.

Tepin, who breaks from the rail, won the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley at Keeneland at 2-5 last month and will be odds-on again despite the presence of some high-quality opponents, including Isabella Sings, who set a breakneck pace in the March 12 Hillsborough Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs and still was within one length of Tepin at the finish.

Race 7, the Grade 2, $500,000 Churchill Downs at seven furlongs on dirt, drew an excellent field of nine, including Salutos Amigos and Calculator, the one-two finishers in the Grade 1 Carter last month at Aqueduct; Kobe’s Back, who has scored two sharp California sprint wins this season after having his blinkers removed but drew the rail; and three exciting 4-year-olds, Speightster, Limousine Liberal, and Holy Boss.

The Grade 1, $300,000 Humana Distaff, for fillies and mares at seven furlongs on dirt, goes as race 8 and attracted 10 entrants. Stonetastic will try to lead all the way from post 2, with California shipper Taris and 2015 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint winner Wavell Avenue, both drawn comfortably on the outside, the other two likely betting favorites.

In race 9, the $300,000 American Turf for 3-year-olds at 1 1/6 miles, Airoforce, who started his season as a hot Derby prospect in some quarters, seeks a form reversal with a surface switch. Airoforce finished a close second last fall in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, his most recent grass race, but was well beaten on dirt at Fair Grounds and on Turfway’s synthetic track in his two races this year. He drew post 1 inside 12 opponents in what looks like a contentious race.

Race 10 is the consolation prize for 3-year-olds either too far behind schedule or not quite talented enough to make the Derby, the Grade 3, $250,000 Pat Day Mile. The one-turn dirt mile could have as a favorite a horse who has raced only once, American Freedom, the Bob Baffert-trained colt who got a 98 Beyer Speed Figure – a higher number than 15 Derby entrants ever have earned – in winning his debut April 9 at Santa Anita.

American Freedom might turn out to be a good horse, but his reputation and connections will drag down his price and lend value to contenders like Forevamo and Cocked and Loaded.

The card’s second-most-important race, the Grade 1, $500,000 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic over 1 1/8 miles, came up as strong as could be expected in this era of North American grass racing. Among the 13 entrants are the third- and fourth-place finishers from the 2015 Breeders’ Cup Turf, Big Blue Kitten and Slumber, both trained by Chad Brown and both making their seasonal debut at distance shorter than their best.

California-based Bolo could be a major player, while Tourist was a useful third in his 2016 debut in the Maker’s 46 Mile last month at Keeneland. Divisidero won the American Turf on the 2015 Derby card and has been pointed all season to this spot by trainer Buff Bradley.