Vekoma won the Toyota Blue Grass (G2) at Keeneland on Saturday and will head to the Kentucky Derby (G1) as a major player. (Photo credit: Keeneland).
It’s been a rocky Road to the Kentucky Derby this spring, but Saturday’s results have brought back some normalcy to the proceedings.
Two favorites and a second choice won the three key Derby preps on Saturday, and the picture for the Run for the Roses got a bit clearer with one major Road to the Kentucky Derby points race still yet to be decided.
Early Kentucky Derby favorite Game Winner did lose again in the Santa Anita Derby (G1), coming up a half-length short to his stablemate Roadster, but still might end up the betting choice on the first Saturday of May.
With one day left of wagering in Pool 4 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager, Game Winner is sitting at 5-1, while Roadster has been bet down from his 15-1 opening morning line down to 5-1.
Derby Prep Beyers
Santa Anita Derby: Roadster 98
Wood Memorial: Tacitus 97
Toyota Blue Grass: Vekoma 94
Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert potentially could have the top three favorites for the Kentucky Derby. Improbable is currently listed at 11-1 in Pool 4 of the KDFW and makes his final prep next Saturday in the Arkansas Derby (G1).
Santa Anita Derby Replay
Tacitus took over the top spot in the Road to the Kentucky Derby points standings with his victory in the Wood Memorial (G2) at Aqueduct on Saturday. Combined with his victory in the Tampa Bay Derby (G2) the colt has 150 points.
The colt is trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott and has won three of his four starts. In Pool 4 of the KDFW the colt stands at 10-1 going into the final day of wagering.
The colt did not have the cleanest of trips in the Wood. He was bumped hard coming out of the gate, was rank early, got his heels clipped, battled with Tax in the stretch and prevailed by 1 ¼ lengths.
Tax, who came into the race off a victory in the Withers (G3) was a solid second and is now safely in the Derby field with 52 points. The colt is part of the All-Others in the KDFW, the price sitting at 15-1.
Wood Memorial Replay
Vekoma won the Toyota Blue Grass (G2) at Keeneland on Saturday as the betting favorite. The colt opened up in the stretch and won by 3 ½ lengths. The colt has a very odd gait and I have a hard time picturing that style getting the job done going 1 ¼ miles at Churchill Downs in four weeks.
Trained by George Weaver, the colt is currently listed at 17-1 in Pool 4 of the KDFW.
Win Win Win rallied from far back to finish second in the Blue Grass, picking up 40 points to stamp his ticket to Louisville. The Michael Trombetta trainee had run third in the Tampa Bay Derby (G2) in his previous outing.
Toyota Blue Grass Replay
Bourbon War is sitting at 20th in the Road to the Kentucky Derby points standings with 31 points, but could soon find himself on the outside looking in.
Master Fencer is the leader in points on the Japan Road to the Derby and is eligible to make the field.
For the latest Kentucky Derby future odds check out USRacing.
On Saturday there are three Derby points races. The Arkansas Derby (G1) at Oaklawn Park offers up 100-40-20-10 points. The Lexington (G3) at Keeneland is worth 20-8-4-2. Overseas the Cardinal Condition Stakes at Chelmsford is worth 30-12-6-3 points.
Road to the Kentucky Derby Points Standings
| Rank |
Horse | Trainer | Points | Non-Restricted Stakes Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Tacitus | Bill Mott | 150 | $610,000 |
| 2. | Vekoma | George Weaver | 110 | $747,600 |
| 3. | Plus Que Parfait | Brendan Walsh | 104 | $1,540,400 |
| 4. | Roadster | Bob Baffert | 100 | $636,000 |
| 5. | By My Standards | Bret Calhoun | 100 | $600,000 |
| 6. | Maximum Security | Jason Servis | 100 | $582,800 |
| 7. | Game Winner | Bob Baffert | 85 | $1,810,000 |
| 8. | Code of Honor | Shug McGaughey | 74 | $432,070 |
| 9. | Haikal | Kiaran McLaughlin | 70 | $322,500 |
| 10. | War of Will | Mark Casse | 60 | $440,840 |
| 11. | Long Range Toddy | Steve Asmussen | 53.5 | $830,000 |
| 12. | Tax | Danny Gargan | 52 | $307,500 |
| 13. | Cutting Humor | Todd Pletcher | 50 | $462,467 |
| 14. | Win Win Win | Mike Trombetta | 50 | $350,000 |
| 15. | Gray Magician | Peter Miller | 41 | $526,000 |
| 16. | Spinoff | Todd Pletcher | 40 | $224,000 |
| 17. | Bodexpress | Gustavo Delgado | 40 | $188,000 |
| 18. | Signalman | Kenny McPeek | 38 | $496,840 |
| 19. | Omaha Beach | Richard Mandella | 37.5 | $450,000 |
| 20. | Master Fencer (JPN) | Koichi Tsunoda | (Japan) |
$234,392 |
| 21. | Bourbon War | Mark Hennig | 31 | $137,200 |
| 22. | Somelikeithotbrown | Mike Maker | 30 | $371,655 |
| 23. | Instagrand | Jerry Hollendorfer | 30 | $276,000 |
| 24. | Anothertwistafate | Blaine Wright | 30 | $228,960 |
| 25. | Country House | Bill Mott | 30 | $120,000 |
| 26. | Sueno | Keith Desormeaux | 28 | $265,000 |
| 27. | Improbable | Bob Baffert | 25 | $389,520 |
| 28. | Mucho Gusto | Bob Baffert | 24 | $286,800 |
| 29. | Outshine | Todd Pletcher | 20 | $74,500 |
| 30. | Harvey Wallbanger | Kenny McPeek | 10 | $218,320 |
