A field of nine line up at Churchill Downs in the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) with Kentucky Derby points up for grabs. (Photo credit: Churchill Downs).
Nine two-year-olds will head to the starting gate in Saturday’s $300,000 Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) at 1 1/16 miles on the main track including the early co-favorite for the Kentucky Derby (G1).
The race is a Road to the Kentucky Derby points race, with 10-4-2-1 points up for grabs.
Tiz the Law is the 7-5 morning line favorite and is currently 14-1 in early wagering for the Kentucky Derby at USRacing. He shares top honors with Dennis’ Moment, who was a disappointing eighth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) in his last outing.
With Storm the Court winning the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at 46-1, Tiz the Law could garner a few Eclipse votes for top juvenile with a win on Saturday. The colt is perfect in two starts, winning the Champagne (G1) at Belmont Park by four lengths in his last outing.
Among his foes is South Bend (9-5), who won the Street Sense over the Churchill Downs main track in his last outing. The runner up, third and fourth place finishers from Street Sense also return.
The co-feature on Saturday’s card at Churchill Downs is the $300,000 Golden Rod (G2) which drew a field of eight and is a Road to the Kentucky Oaks points race.
We have three stakes at Aqueduct on Saturday—the $125,000 Aqueduct Turf Sprint Championship, the $200,000 Discovery (G3) and the $400,000 Long Island (G3).
Let’s head out to Churchill Downs for Saturday’s featured race of the day:
CD Race 11 The Kentucky Jockey Club G2 (5:56 ET)
#5 Silver Prospector 8-1
#4 South Bend 9-5
#3 Tiz the Law 7-5
#1 Enforceable 8-1
Silver Prospector
This colt dueled for the early lead through solid fractions, gave up the lead, battled back gamely and could not hold off the top pair late in a third-place finish behind a couple of foes he runs into again here. The colt earned a solid number breaking his maiden two back at 6 1/2 furlongs which was his first start on dirt. There really is not much speed in here and he may be able to set the early fractions or sit just off of them if longshot Finnick the Fierce is sent on the stretch out. The Asmussen trainee has the pedigree to handle a wet track, by Declaration of War out of a stakes placed Tapit mare. He may be able to turn the tables here and looks as if he is going to be a fair price.
South Bend
The Stanley Hough trainee is perfect in three starts, tracking the early pace and finished gamely to win the Street Sense last out over our top pick in his stakes debut. He broke his maiden by a nose and them beat Alw-2L optional claimers by a neck second out, both sprinting. The Hough barn has been sending out live runners at the meet with three wins and three seconds from just eight starters. The colt is bred to like a wet track, by Algorithms out of the stakes winner Sandra’s Rose ($199,769). The colt sports two quick works over the main track here and can handle his first trip around two turns.
Tiz the Law
The colt overcame some trouble to win the Champagne (G1) last out at Belmont Park going a one turn mile in his second career start. He stumbled coming out of the gate, had to wait for some running room at the quarterpole, got clear and went into another gear opening up and then getting geared down late in a four-length win. The connections elected to skip the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) which was won by a longshot. An off track should not pose a probable. He is by Constitution out of the stakes winner Tizfiz ($410,944) who has dropped two other winners including Awestruck ($357,116), a two-time winner on off tracks. He gets a test here in his first start around two turns and a possible wet track and his price is going to be on the light side.
Wagering
WIN: #5 to win at 5-1 or better.
EX: 4,5 / 1,3,4,5
TRI: 4,5 / 1,3,4,5 / 1,2,3,4,5
