A competitive group of three-year-olds take center stage in Sunday’s $200,000 Ellis Park Derby. (Photo credit: Ellis Park).
A full field will line up in Sunday’s $200,000 Ellis Park Derby, giving three-year-olds one last shot of making it into the field for the Kentucky Derby (G1) which is now less than four weeks away.
The race offers up 50-20-10-5 points toward entry into the Run for the Roses, actually the next to last Derby points race this season. Next Saturday’s Pegasus at Monmouth Park will offer 20-10-4-2 points.
The winner of the Ellis Park Derby will earn 50 points which would be enough to safely make it into the field for the Kentucky Derby. The bubble now stands at 25 points to make it into the top 20.
The 4-5 morning line favorite Art Collector does not have to worry about earning points. The Thomas Drury trainee earned 100 points by winning the Toyota Blue Grass (G2) at Keeneland on July 11.
Bettors can check out the latest BetMGM betting codes.
Anneau d’Or has accumulated 32 points which is good for 18th in the standings which likely will be good enough to get into the big dance. Ohio Derby (G3) winner Dean Martini and Indiana Derby (G3) winner Shared Sense are currently on the outside looking in, each with 20 points and both likely need to pick up some points to get into the Kentucky Derby starting gate.
2020 Blue Grass Stakes Replay
Art Collector has earned back to back triple digit Beyer Speed Figures and looks like an imposing favorite. However, the question is with the main goal a month away, is this colt going to empty the tank in an ungraded stake that is nothing more than a prep?
With that in mind I am going to take a look at Anneau d’Or, who we backed in the Santa Anita Derby (G1) where he checked in fourth. He looks eligible to move forward off that effort.
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My Best Plays Report for Sunday includes my 10 strongest plays from Saratoga and Ellis Park.
Let’s head out to Ellis Park for Sunday’s featured race of the day:
Ellis Park Race 10 The Ellis Park Derby (5:10 CT)
2 Anneau d’Or 12-1
4 Art Collector 4-5
12 Shared Sense 9-2
5 Necker Island 15-1
Anneau d’Or
This colt gets one more look here as we had this guy as our top pick in the Santa Anita Derby (G1), and he ran well but had to settle for fourth at 16-1. He prompted the early pace and weakened in the stretch, beaten 5 3/4 lengths. He did earn a career top speed fig after two subpar efforts to start off his three-year-old campaign. This guy showed some ability last year missing in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) by just a head in his second career start at 28-1 and then second in the Los Al Futurity (G1), beaten a neck by the Bob Baffert trained Thousand Words, who is back in the Derby picture after winning the Shared Belief on Aug. 1 at Del Mar. Our top pick owns solid early and mid pace numbers and has the pedigree to handle nine furlongs. He may still have some upside in him, and the price should be right.
Art Collector
The morning line favorite was a good looking winner of the Blue Grass (G2) last out at Keeneland. it was one of the most impressive Derby preps were have seen in recent months. H has won his last four starts by a combined 20 1/4 lengths including a couple of triple digit Beyers. He was taken from Sharp after he failed a drug test and was DQ’d from his win last November. He has thrived since landing with Drury. He passed the distance test last out and looks really tough here, but his price is going to be puny.
Shared Sense
The colt draws a tough post here for the Cox barn. He earned a career top with a smart looking win in the Ohio Derby (G3) at Indian Grand last out. He ran second to Art Collector two back, checking in 6 1/2 lengths behind the favorite in here. The colt does look headed in the right direction and another move forward gives him a shot of being in the mix in this spot.
