HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Mage has already come a long way in a short time, having progressed from a debut maiden victory on Jan. 28 to a second-place finish in the $1 million Florida Derby just nine weeks later while earning a spot in the 2023 Kentucky Derby in the process. The relatively inexperienced but extremely talented 3-year-old showed no signs of regressing from those efforts when he breezed a very easy and impressive five furlongs in 1:01.09 on Sunday at Gulfstream Park.
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DRF Past Performances
Arkansas Derby winner Angel of Empire was among trainer Brad Cox’s workers as he turned in the first of three likely Kentucky Derby works on Saturday morning at Churchill Downs. The colt was credited with a half-mile in 48.20 seconds.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Trainer Todd Pletcher has used the word “perfect” many times in describing how things have progressed over the last several months for his reigning juvenile champion Forte as he prepares for his role as the favorite on May 6 at Churchill Downs in the Kentucky Derby.
Just how perfect?
So perfect, even Mother Nature couldn’t prevent Forte from remaining right on schedule and getting in his final South Florida workout as planned Friday morning at Palm Beach Downs along with another key Derby contender in stablemate Kingsbarns.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Mage, runner-up despite a slow start and wide trip in the Grade 1 Florida Derby, will have the first of his three scheduled pre-Kentucky Derby workouts at Gulfstream Park this weekend, assistant trainer Gustavo Delgado Jr. said Thursday.
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Next stop, Louisville. Another long series of Kentucky Derby preps will make its traditional final stop Saturday when the Grade 3, $400,000 Lexington Stakes is run for the 41st time at Keeneland.
Wed, 04/12/2023 - 14:30
Every single horse in North America and Japan with the qualifying points to make the 20-horse Kentucky Derby field on May 6 is as of Wednesday still on track to race in the Kentucky Derby.
Of the top 20 point earners, only Brave Emperor, who topped the European Road to the Derby, has been ruled out of consideration. And that means horses who in a more typical year would comfortably be in the field will be sweating things out over the next few weeks.
The status of Blue Grass third-place finisher Blazing Sevens will be monitored quite closely by those on the outside of the Kentucky Derby picture looking in, but don’t expect a decision on that colt’s status for a few weeks.
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Lexington Stakes on Saturday often serves as a prep for the Preakness, not the Kentucky Derby. And that would most definitely apply in the case of Arabian Lion, one of 11 3-year-olds confirmed for the final qualifying race toward the May 6 Derby.
Arabian Lion, trained by Bob Baffert, lacks sufficient qualifying points for the Derby, helping to make that a moot point. But the May 20 Preakness remains in play, especially if the Justify colt runs big in the Grade 3, $400,000 Lexington at Keeneland.
Lord Miles
Curlin – Lady Esme, by Majestic Warrior
Bred in Kentucky by Vegso Racing Stable
With all the major Kentucky Derby prep races in the books, the biggest newcomer on this week’s Daily Racing Form Derby Watch is Lord Miles, who returned $120.50 for his nose victory in the Grade 2 Wood Memorial on Saturday at Aqueduct. While he will again be a long price in the Derby, he brings classic credentials from a pedigree standpoint.
WHO’S HOT
Tapit Trice produced a career-best performance Saturday at Keeneland, where he won the Blue Grass Stakes by a neck. The win lifts Tapit Trice from borderline participant in the Kentucky Derby to legitimate contender. Tapit Trice is the 5-1 second choice on the Derby Watch early odds line by David Aragona; Forte is the 3-1 favorite.