Orb with John Velazquez aboard in the winner's circle after the Florida Derby. Orb is the points leader with 150. (Photo courtesty of Gulfstream Park)
Forty Tales won Saturday night’s Derby Trial (G3) to earn 20 points, but the Todd Pletcher trainee is not going to come back in a week’s time to compete in the 139th running of the Kentucky Derby, meaning the field is just about set and the Derby point standings are now complete.
Florida Derby winner (G1) Orb and Wood Memorial (G1) winner Verrazano share top billing with 150 points each.
The cut off as of Sunday night is 20 points, but the connections of several of the horses sitting on the bubble have not committed to the race, and several horses sitting on the outside looking in are still hoping to be in the starting gate on the first Saturday of May.
Trainer Bob Baffert said Govenor Charlie (11th in points) and Code West (21st) are likely not going to run in the Run for the Roses.
That will open the door for Tiz a Minister, who ran third in the Snow Chief at Santa Anita Park on April 27 to get into the race. The colt’s trainer Paul Aquirre said after a fourth in the Santa Anta Derby (G1) that the colt was off the Derby Trail, but apparently is having second thoughts.
Golden Soul, who was fourth in the Louisiana Derby (G2) in his last start, is at Churchill Downs and trainer Dallas Stewart has said he wants to run, and now make get his wish.
Todd Pletcher, who won the 2010 Kentucky Derby with Super Saver, will saddle the likely betting favorite. The undefeated Verrazano, who won the Grade 1 Wood Memorial on April 6, has been taking most of the action in Kentucky Derby future wagering.
The Shug McGaughey trained Orb, winner of the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth and Grade 1 Florida Derby will likely be the second choice in the wagering.
2013 Kentucky Derby Point Standings
| Rank | Horse | Points | Trainer | Non-Restricted Stakes $ |
| 1 | Orb | 150 | Claude McGaughey |
$840,000 |
| 2 | Verrazano | 150 | Todd Pletcher | $810,000 |
| 3 | Goldencents | 129 | Doug O’Neill | $1,208,000 |
| 4 | Java’s War | 122 | Ken McPeek | $651,772 |
| 5 | Overanalyze | 110 | Todd Pletcher | $908,381 |
| 6 | Revolutionary | 110 | Todd Pletcher | $720,000 |
| 7 | Lines of Battle | 100 | Aidan O’Brien | $1,261,089 |
| 8 | Vyjack | 70 | Rudy Rodriguez | $505,000 |
| 9 | Will Take Charge | 60 | D. Wayne Lukas | $512,971 |
| 10 | Itsmyluckyday | 50 | Eddie Plesa Jr. | $593,600 |
| 11 | Govenor Charlie | 50 | Bob Baffert | $400,000 |
| 12 | Black Onyx | 50 | Kelly Breen | $317,130 |
| 13 | Palace Malice | 50 | Todd Pletcher | $200,000 |
| 14 | Normandy Invasion | 44 | Chad Brown | $258,000 |
| 15 | Frac Daddy | 44 | Ken McPeek | $240,596 |
| 16 | Mylute | 42 | Tom Amoss | $363,365 |
| 17 | Oxbow | 36 | D. Wayne Lukas | $346,000 |
| 18 | Falling Sky | 30 | John Terranova II | $207,500 |
| 19 | Charming Kitten | 20 | Todd Pletcher | $206,000 |
| 20 | Winning Cause | 20 | Todd Pletcher | $137,250 |
| 21 | Code West | 20 | Bob Baffert | $90,000 |
| 22 | Tiz a Minister | 20 | Paul Aguirre | $81,000 |
| 23 | Golden Soul | 14 | Dallas Stewart | $84,000 |
Michael Dempsey’s Triple Crown Package $44.95
Get Michael’s Dempsey’s full card reports for all three jewels of this year’s Triple Crown! Included in this package is Michael’s full card report for the Kentucky Derby, Preakness, and Belmont Stakes Day cards. As an added bonus, subscribers to this package will also receive Michael’s Kentucky Oaks Day card free!
