Blended Citizen, the winner of the Grade 3 Jeff Ruby Steaks at Turfway Park on March 17, is under consideration for the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 5 if enough defections occur that would allow the colt to gain a berth in the field, trainer Doug O’Neill said on Monday.
As of Monday, Blended Citizen would likely need at least two horses to defect from the Kentucky Derby to gain a spot.
:: ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY: Prep races, point standings, replays
Grade 1, $1 million Arkansas Derby; 1 1/8 miles; Oaklawn Park; April 14, 2018
(100 Derby qualifying points for a win, 40 for second, 20 for third, 10 for fourth)
Winner: Magnum Moon, by Malibu Moon
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Jockey: Luis Saez
Owner: Robert and Lawana Low
Beyer Speed Figure: 98
LEXINGTON, Ky. – My Boy Jack will remain stabled at Keeneland until the coming weekend as trainer Keith Desormeaux begins to finalize his Kentucky Derby plans for the Lexington Stakes winner.
My Boy Jack, up in the final strides Saturday to defeat Telekinesis in the Grade 3 Lexington at Keeneland, will give Desormeaux a Derby starter for the third straight year, following Exaggerator (second in 2016) and Sonneteer (16th in 2017).
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Horsepower.
Robert and Lawana Low have got it – whether it’s the couple’s trucking company or their undefeated Kentucky Derby hopeful Magnum Moon.
Churchill Downs is the next stop for Magnum Moon after he ran his record to 4 for 4 with his Saturday win in the Grade 1, $1 million Arkansas Derby. The horse was bright and alert Sunday morning at Oaklawn, where he rolled out of the stable area just after 6:30 a.m. to catch a flight to Florida.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Horsepower.
Robert and Lawana Low have got it – whether it’s the couple’s trucking company or their undefeated Kentucky Derby hopeful Magnum Moon.
Churchill Downs is the next stop for Magnum Moon after he ran his record to 4 for 4 with his Saturday win in the Grade 1, $1 million Arkansas Derby. The horse was bright and alert Sunday morning at Oaklawn, where he rolled out of the stable area just after 6:30 a.m. to catch a flight to Florida.
With Saturday's final two Road to the Kentucky Derby races, plus the defection of Sunland Derby winner Runaway Ghost owing to injury, the potential Derby field is now set, with the current bottom level for making the 20-horse field a record 39 points.
The Kentucky Derby is May 5 at Churchill Downs.
Much can and likely will change over the next two-plus weeks, but at the moment Firenze Fire is 20th on the list with 39 points. Combatant, ranked 21st with 32 points, is on the bubble.
Sunland Derby winner Runaway Ghost will miss the Kentucky Derby after coming out of a Saturday work with a suspected hairline fracture to his right front cannon bone, according to his trainer, Todd Fincher.
Diagnostics were taken when the horse was cooling out after a six-furlong move in 1:13.80 at his base of Sunland Park.
“We can see a small line there,” Fincher said. “Right after the workout he was fine. During the cool-out period he started being off. We took X-rays and he had a little profile on the shin – a faint sign.”
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Magnum Moon won the Grade 1, $1 million Arkansas Derby with authority Saturday at Oaklawn Park to cap an outstanding Kentucky Derby prep season for his trainer, Todd Pletcher. Magnum Moon was a four-length winner over Quip, while it was another neck back in third to Solomini.
The Arkansas Derby was the final points race for the Kentucky Derby. Pletcher trainees that also won major preps this season were Audible, Noble Indy, and Vino Rosso.
LEXINGTON, Ky. – My Boy Jack clinched a spot in the 144th Kentucky Derby with a hard-earned victory Saturday in the 37th running of the Grade 3, $200,000 Stonestreet Lexington at Keeneland.
Jockey Kent Desormeaux went to his whip repeatedly leaving the far turn to the wire in sustaining momentum aboard My Boy Jack, who reeled in Telekinesis to narrowly capture the 1 1/16-mile Lexington as a 3-2 favorite in a field of 10 3-year-olds.
“He was very, very comfortable in his stride,” said Desormeaux.
Oaklawn Park | Race 11 | Post Time 6:18 p.m. (CT) | Go to the TimeformUS PPs
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