©2017 Calvin L.
Carter. All rights reserved.
The
road to the 2017-2018 Kentucky Derby (G1) will span two continents
this Saturday with the $300,000 FrontRunner Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita Park and
the Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes (Group 2) at the Newmarket Racecourse Rowley Mile in Suffolk, England.
On
Sunday, the European road to Derby glory continues
with the Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère (Group 1) at Chantilly Racecourse in Chantilly,
France.
Let’s
take a look at the Royal Lodge where Nelson has been tabbed as even money Twinspires.com
morning line favorite. Post time for the Royal Lodge is 8:50 a.m. ET.
Nelson
comes into this race with a 2-1-0 record in four starts for trainer Aiden
O’Brien including a win in the Willis Towers Watson Champions Juvenile Stakes
(Group 3).
NELSON tracked
leader in second until led after one furlong, ridden to extend advantage two
furlongs out, clear approaching final furlong, stayed on strongly.
Frankel,
the sire of Nelson, is a Classic Champion Thoroughbred that was undefeated in
14 starts including ten Group One victories with $4,789,144 in career earnings.
As
a two year old, Frankel won his first two weight for age races and then won the
Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes (Group 2) and Dubai Dewhurst Stakes (Group 1).
Frankel
won his debut as a three year old in the Totesport.com Greenham Stakes (Gr.
3) and then proceeded to finish out his racing season with nine Group One victories: QIPCO Two Thousand Guineas, St. James's Palace Stakes, QIPCO Sussex Stakes (twice), QIPCO Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, JLT Lockinge Stakes, Queen Anne Stakes, Juddmonte International Stakes and the QIPCO Champion Stakes.
Undefeated
in two starts, Roaring Lion is a long shot I like at 9-2
morning line odds. He comes into this race for trainer John Gosden off of an
impressive four-length win in the 32Red On The App Store/British Stallion Studs
EBF Novice Stakes. Here’s
the video and chart call of that race:
ROARING LION
pressed leader until led just over two furlongs out, ridden and asserted over
one furlong out, ran green and hung left but ran on strongly inside final
furlong, very readily.
Kitten’s
Joy, the sire
of Roaring Lion, was an outstanding router and multiple graded stakes winner
who, in three racing seasons, compiled a 9-4-0 record in 14 starts with
$2,075,791 in career earnings.
As
a two year old, Kitten’s Joy was 2-1-0 in four starts with wins at 8½ and nine
furlongs.
At
the age of three, Kitten’s Joy was 6-2-0 in eight starts with wins in the
Tropical Park Derby (G3), Palm Beach Stakes (G3), Crown Royal American Turf
Stakes (G3), Virginia Derby (G3), Secretariat Stakes (G1) and the 12 furlong
Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational Stakes (G1).
As
a four year old, Kitten’s Joy was 1-1-0 in two starts with a win in the
Firecracker Breeders’ Cup Handicap (G2) and a second-place finish in the
Arlington Million Stakes (G1).
Roaring
Lion has a low Classic Champion Thoroughbred Profile® score but his Behavior
Index makes him competitive and I look for him to run a good race.
Rounding
out the field are Mildenberger
(6-1), Midnight Wilde
(60-1) and Petrus (20-1).
The
Royal Lodge is the first of two races hosted by the United Kingdom Jockey Club with the second race, the Road
to the Kentucky Derby Conditions Sakes, to be ran on March 1, 2018 at Kempton Park.
*****
This
is the sixth consecutive year for Churchill Downs to use a point system to
determine eligibility to get into the Kentucky Derby starting gate. A total of
36 races comprise the Road to the Kentucky Derby and a significant change to
the schedule is the addition of the Springboard Mile at Remington Park on
December 17.
In
addition to the Japan road to the Derby which
features the Cattleya Sho Stakes (November 25), Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushan Stakes
(December 13) and Hayacinth Stakes (February 2018), Churchill Downs has added a
European road to Derby glory consisting
of seven races: Juddmonte Beresford (September 24), Juddmonte Royal Lodge
(September 30), Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère (October 1), Racing Post Trophy
(October 28, Road to the Kentucky Derby Condition Stakes (March 1), Patton
(March 2) and the Burradon (March 30).
EUROPEAN ROAD LEADERBOARD
Ranking, total points, Trainer
1.
Saxon Warrior (JPN), 10, Aidan O’Brien
2.
Delano Roosevelt (IRE), 4, Aidan O’Brien
3.
Warm the Voice (IRE), 2, Brendan Duke
4.
Kew Gardens (IRE), 1, Aidan O’Brien
2017/2018 KENTUCKY DERBY
LEADERBOARD
Ranking, total points, Trainer
1. The Tabulator, 10, Larry Rivelli
2. Hollywood Star, 4, Dale Romans
3. Ten City, 2, Ken McPeek
4. Ebben, 1, Steve Margolis
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