Saturday, December 15, 2018

Remington Springboard Mile Stakes Racing Roundup


©2018 Calvin L. Carter. All rights reserved.

The last race for two-year-olds on the American Road to the Kentucky Derby takes us to Oklahoma this Sunday where EPIC DREAMER has been tabbed as the 8-5 morning line favorite in the $400,000 Remington Springboard Mile at Remington Park. Post time is 8:52 p.m. ET.
Epic Dreamer comes into this race off a maiden win for trainer Kelly Breen and he’s currently 1-1-0 in two starts. Here’s the video and chart call of his win:

EPIC DREAMER got set up in the two path after the field had been off and running, set the splits, well rated, remained under confident handling kicking away to his largest lead during the final half of the stretch run, then continued as much the best, best described as handily in the eighth.

Epic Dreamer took the early lead and never trailed to break his maiden by 2½ lengths. Much the best, Epic Dreamer’s time of 1:36.42 for the mile split is what I like to see young colts run on the Kentucky Derby Trail.
Orb, the sire of Epic Dreamer, was a multiple graded stakes winner and Classic Champion Thoroughbred that compiled a 5-0-3 record in 12 starts with $2,612,516 in career earnings.
As a two-year-old, Orb was 1-0-1 in four starts in maiden special weight company.
At the age of three, Orb won the Besilu Stables Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) and the Besilu Stables Florida Derby (G1) en route to a first-place finish in the 2013 Kentucky Derby (G1). He also finished third in the Belmont Stakes (G1) and Travers Stakes (G1).
Epic Dreamer has a B Classic Champion Thoroughbred Profile® and a string of three bullet work outs could have him ready to run another good race.
A long shot I like is DUNPH (10-1) and he comes into this race for trainer Michael Maker with a 2-0-0 record in three starts including a ninth-place finish over a sloppy track in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2). Here’s the video and chart call of that race:

DUNPH chased the pace early, fanned into the five path in the far turn and faded in the stretch.

Dunph had been previously undefeated in two starts by a combined win margin of 16¼ lengths, so may not have liked the sloppy track and I’m willing to give him another chance. Time will tell if he wants to go a route of ground.
Temple City, the sire of Dunph, was a graded stakes winner that compiled a 4-2-4 record in 15 starts.
Unraced as a two-year-old, Temple City won his only start as a three-year-old and followed that with a third-place finish in the Del Mar Handicap at the age of four.
Temple City earned graded stakes honors as a five-year-old with a win in the Cougar II Handicap (G3) and second-place finishes in both the American Handicap (G2) and the Hollywood Turf Cup Stakes (G1).
Dunph was a yearling (Hip 114) we profiled at the 2017 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky July Sale but he was not in my blog write up of A and A+ yearlings because he has a B Classic Champion Thoroughbred Profile®.
Dunph has the breeding to win this race and if he returns to his previous form I look for him to run a good race.
SIX SHOOTER (8-1) has never been out of the money and he comes into this race with a 2-0-3 record in five starts. Here’s the video and chart call of his last race:

SIX SHOOTER stalked the pace early, shifted into the four path in the turn, made a bid down the lane, drove past the leaders and cleared the field in the final stages.

Six Shooter looked good winning the one-mile allowance race in the final time of 1:36.89. That’s the kind of time I like to see young colts run on the Kentucky Derby Trail.
Trappe Shot, the sire of Six Shooter, raced mostly in sprints from the age of two to four, compiling a 6-2-0 record in 12 starts with $703,884 in career earnings. His best stakes victories were in the six furlongs Waldoboro Stakes, True North Handicap (G2) and he did stretch out to win the 8½ furlong Long Branch Stakes. In other route races, Trappe Shot finished second in the nine-furlong Izod Haskell Invitational (G1) and ninth in the Travers Stakes (G1).
To date, Trappe Shot’s best runners on the Kentucky Derby Trail have been Wild Shot and My Man Sam. As a two-year-old, Wild Shot finished second in the 2016 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2) and third in the Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity Stales (G1). As a three-year-old, My Man Sam finished second in the nine furlongs 2016 Toyota Blue Grass (G1) stakes.
Six Shooter has a B Classic Champion Thoroughbred Profile® and he’s the second-best bred colt in this herd. A recent bullet work out at Oaklawn Park could have him ready to run a good race.
Several others look like they could be factors in this race. Honorable mention goes to Bankit (3-1), Long Range Toddy (12-1) and Tone Broke (15-1). Both Long Range Toddy and Tone Broke have a B Classic Champion Thoroughbred Profile®. Bankit has a low F profile but his Behavior Index could potentially make him competitive.
On the Japan road to Derby glory, two-year-olds will go to post on December 19 in the Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun race at Kawasaki Racecourse.


*****

A total of 35 prep races comprise the USA Road to the Kentucky Derby. In addition, there are seven races on the European road and four races on the Japan road to Derby glory.


2018/2019 KENTUCKY DERBY LEADERBOARD

Ranking, total points, Trainer, Non-Restricted Stakes Earnings
1. Game Winner, 30, Bob Baffert, $1,460,000
2. Knicks Go, 18, Ben Colebrook, $656,085
3. Signalman, 18, Ken McPeek, $392,840
4. Complexity, 10, Chad Brown, $275,000
5. Improbable, 10, Bob Baffert, $239,520
6. Maximus Mischief, 10, “Butch” Reid, Jr., $137,500
7. Cairo Cat, 10, Ken McPeek, $86,490
8. Gunmetal Gray, 4, Jerry Hollendorfer, $120,000
9. Mucho Gusto, 4, Bob Baffert, $120,000
10. Code of Honor, 4, Shug McGaughey, $100,000
11. Network Effect, 4, Chad Brown, $90,000
12. Tight Ten, 4, Steve Asmussen, $67,900
13. Plus Que Parfait, 4, Brendan Walsh, $36,400
14. Call Paul, 2, Jason Servis, $194,000
15. Mr. Money, 2, Bret Calhoun, $100,000
16. Rowayton, 2, Jerry Hollendorfer, $96,000
17.+Standard Deviation, 2, Chad Brown, $50,000
18. Extra Hope, 2, Richard Mandella, $42,000
19. Tax, 2, Danny Gargan, $30,000
20. Limonite, 2, Steve Asmussen, $18,200
          + = Horses picked as yearlings on our 2017 Keeneland September Yearling Sales list.



EUROPEAN ROAD LEADERBOARD

Ranking, total points, Trainer, Non-Restricted Stakes Earnings
1. Royal Marine (IRE), 10, Saeed bin Suroor, $264,968
2. Magna Grecia (IRE), 10, Aidan O’Brien, $185,000
3. Mohawk (IRE), 10, Aidan O’Brien, $128,702
4. Japan (GB), 10, Aidan O’Brien, $75,316
5. Phoenix of Spain (IRE), 4, Charlie Hill, $157,944
6. Broome (IRE), 4, Aidan O’Brien, $140,871
7. Sydney Opera House (GB), 4, Aidan O’Brien, $40,956
8. Mount Everest (IRE), 4, Aidan O’Brien, $24,254
9. Anodor (FR), 2, Freddie Head, $99,215
10. Western Australian (IRE), 2, Aidan O’Brien, $43,084
11. Cape of Good Hope (IRE), 2, Aidan O’Brien, $41,515
12. Power of Now (IRE), 2, Michael O’Callaghan, $11,489
13. Boitron (FR), 1, Richard Hannon, $44,917
14. Victory Command, (IRE), 1, Mark Johnston, $35,108
15. Circus Maximus (IRE), 1, Aidan O’Brien, $24,368
16. Sovereign (IRE), 1, Aiden O’Brien, $5,106


JAPAN ROAD LEADERBOARD

Ranking, total points, Trainer, Earnings
1. f-Make Happy, 10, Koichi Shinkai, $153,066
2. Kingen (JPN), 4, Kunihide Matsuda, $97,867
3. Johaan (JPN), 2, Yasuyuki Takahashi, $72,900
4. Romantico (JPN), 1, Kazuo Fujisawa, $91,245

Friday, December 7, 2018

Los Alamitos Futurity Stakes Racing Roundup


©2018 Calvin L. Carter. All rights reserved.

The Road to the Kentucky Derby takes us to California this Saturday where Hall of Fame Trainer Bob Baffert will send IMPROBABLE to the starting gate as the 6-5 morning line favorite in the $300,000 Los Alamitos Cash Call Futurity (G1) at Los Alamitos Race Course. Post time is 5:28 p.m. ET.
Baffert has won the Futurity a record 10 times and, since 2014, he’s won the last four editions of this race.
Undefeated in two starts, Improbable comes into this race off a win in the Street Sense Stakes at Churchill Downs on November 2. Here’s the video and chart call of that race:

IMPROBABLE chased the pace early, made a bid three wide nearing the lane, took over command in the stretch then drew off late under a brisk drive.

Improbable stalked the leaders to the far turn then drew off to win his stakes debut by an impressive 7¼ lengths.
City Zip, the sire of Improbable, ran mostly in sprint races, compiling a 9-5-4 record in 31 starts with $818,225 in career earnings.
As a two-year-old, City Zip won the Tremont Stakes (G3), Sanford Stakes (G2), Saratoga Special (G2) and the Hopeful Stakes (G1). However, as a three year old on the 2001 Kentucky Derby Trail, his best finish was a third place to Songandaprayer in the 8½-furlong Fountain of Youth Stakes (G1).
Despite his propensity for sprinting, at stud City Zip has sired his share of numerous, good, sprinters as well as several middle-distance runners such as Acting Zippy, Dayatthespa, With a City and Personal Diary.
Improbable has a B Classic Champion Thoroughbred Profile® and that makes him competitive in this race.
A long shot I like is KING OF SPEED (15-1). He comes into this race with a 2-1-1 record in seven starts for trainer Jeff Bonde including a twelfth-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1). Here’s the video and chart call of that race:

KING OF SPEED saved ground off the pace, was under a ride past the three eighths and came up empty.

King of Speed wasn’t a factor in this race and he may have not liked the yielding turf course. In his previous turf race he won the one-mile Zuma Beach stakes in the racehorse time of 1:34.35. Here’s the video.
Jimmy Creed, the sire of King of Speed, was a multiple graded stakes winner that compiled a 4-2-2 record in 10 starts with $439,250 in career earnings.
He finished second in his maiden debut as a three-year-old and went on to compile a 3-2-1 record in seven starts with a win in the Malibu Stakes (G1), a second-place finish in the El Cajon Stakes and a third-place finish in the Santa Anita Sprint Championship Stakes (G1).
At the age of four, Jimmy Creed was 1-0-1 in three starts with a win in the Potrero Grande Stakes (G2) and a third-place finish in the Bing Crosby Stakes (G1).
King of Speed has an A Classic Champion Thoroughbred Profile® and he’s the best-bred colt in this small herd of runners. He has the breeding to win this race and upset at nice price.
Only time will tell if King of Speed can step up in class to earn graded stakes honors.
Also undefeated in two starts for trainer Bob Baffert is MUCHO GUSTO (3-1). He comes into this race off a win in the Bob Hope Stakes (G3). Here’s the video and chart call:

MUCHO GUSTO a bit crowded at the start, had speed inside to set a pressured pace, inched away approaching the turn, fought back along the rail on the turn and in the stretch, inched away again under left-handed urging past mid-stretch and gamely prevailed.

Mucho Gusto took the lead at the start and led all the way, despite a challenge from two rivals in the stretch, to win his graded stakes debut by 1½ lengths.
Mucho Macho Man, the sire of Mucho Gusto, was a hearty, multiple graded stakes winner that raced for six seasons compiling a 9-5-6 record in 25 starts with $5,625,410 in career earnings.
As a two-year-old, Much Macho Man was 1-3-1 in five starts with second-place finishes in both the Nashua Stakes (G2) and Remsen Stakes (G2).
At the age of three, Much Macho Man was 2-0-2 in seven starts with a win in the Risen Star Stakes (G3) and third-place finishes in both the Louisiana Derby (G2) and Kentucky Derby (1).
Mucho Macho Man was 3-2-1 in six starts as a four-year-old with wins in the Florida Sunshine Millions Classic Stakes, Gulfstream Park Handicap (G2) and Suburban Handicap (G2). He finished second in both the Woodward Stakes (G1) and Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1), and, he finished third in the Alysheba Stakes (G2).
As a five-year-old, Much Macho Man was 2-0-2 in five starts with wins in the Awesome Again Stakes (G1) and Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1). He finished third in the Criminal Type Stakes and Whitney Invitational Handicap (G1).
Mucho Macho Man ran twice at the age of six, finishing first in the Florida Sunshine Millions Classic Stakes and fourth in the Santa Anita Handicap (G1).
Mucho Gusto has an E Classic Champion Thoroughbred Profile® but his Behavior Index makes him competitive in this race.
Honorable mention goes to Extra Hope (7-2).


*****

A total of 35 prep races comprise the USA Road to the Kentucky Derby. In addition, there are seven races on the European road and four races on the Japan road to Derby glory.


2018/2019 KENTUCKY DERBY LEADERBOARD

Ranking, total points, Trainer, Non-Restricted Stakes Earnings
1. Game Winner, 30, Bob Baffert, $1,460,000
2. Knicks Go, 18, Ben Colebrook, $656,085
3. Signalman, 18, Ken McPeek, $392,840
4. Complexity, 10, Chad Brown, $275,000
5. Maximus Mischief, 10, “Butch” Reid, Jr., $137,500
6. Cairo Cat, 10, Ken McPeek, $86,490
7. Gunmetal Gray, 4, Jerry Hollendorfer, $120,000
8. Code of Honor, 4, Shug McGaughey, $100,000
9. Network Effect, 4, Chad Brown, $90,000
10. Tight Ten, 4, Steve Asmussen, $67,900
11. Plus Que Parfait, 4, Brendan Walsh, $36,400
12. Call Paul, 2, Jason Servis, $194,000
13. Mr. Money, 2, Bret Calhoun, $100,000
14. Rowayton, 2, Jerry Hollendorfer, $96,000
15.+Standard Deviation, 2, Chad Brown, $50,000
16. Tax, 2, Danny Gargan, $30,000
17. Limonite, 2, Steve Asmussen, $18,200
18. Pole Sitter, 2, Brad Cox, $17,950
19. Sombeyay, 1, Todd Pletcher, $158,500
20. Tobacco Road, 1, Steve Asmussen, $63,400
          + = Horses picked as yearlings on our 2017 Keeneland September Yearling Sales list.



EUROPEAN ROAD LEADERBOARD

Ranking, total points, Trainer, Non-Restricted Stakes Earnings
1. Royal Marine (IRE), 10, Saeed bin Suroor, $264,968
2. Magna Grecia (IRE), 10, Aidan O’Brien, $185,000
3. Mohawk (IRE), 10, Aidan O’Brien, $128,702
4. Japan (GB), 10, Aidan O’Brien, $75,316
5. Phoenix of Spain (IRE), 4, Charlie Hill, $157,944
6. Broome (IRE), 4, Aidan O’Brien, $140,871
7. Sydney Opera House (GB), 4, Aidan O’Brien, $40,956
8. Mount Everest (IRE), 4, Aidan O’Brien, $24,254
9. Anodor (FR), 2, Freddie Head, $99,215
10. Western Australian (IRE), 2, Aidan O’Brien, $43,084
11. Cape of Good Hope (IRE), 2, Aidan O’Brien, $41,515
12. Power of Now (IRE), 2, Michael O’Callaghan, $11,489
13. Boitron (FR), 1, Richard Hannon, $44,917
14. Victory Command, (IRE), 1, Mark Johnston, $35,108
15. Circus Maximus (IRE), 1, Aidan O’Brien, $24,368
16. Sovereign (IRE), 1, Aiden O’Brien, $5,106


JAPAN ROAD LEADERBOARD

Ranking, total points, Trainer, Earnings
1. f-Make Happy, 10, Koichi Shinkai, $153,066
2. Kingen (JPN), 4, Kunihide Matsuda, $97,867
3. Johaan (JPN), 2, Yasuyuki Takahashi, $72,900
4. Romantico (JPN), 1, Kazuo Fujisawa, $91,245

Friday, November 30, 2018

Remsen Stakes Racing Roundup


©2018 Calvin L. Carter. All rights reserved.

The Road to the Kentucky Derby takes us to the Empire State Saturday where MAXIMUS MISCHIEF will go to the starting gate as the 6-5 morning line favorite in the 103rd running of the $250,000 Remsen Stakes (G2) at Aqueduct Racetrack. Post time is 3:12 p.m. ET.
Undefeated in two starts, Maximus Mischief comes into this race for trainer Robert Reid, Jr. off an impressive allowance win at Parx on October 20. Here’s the video and chart call of that race:

MAXIMUS MISCHIEF ducked out while breaking like a bullet, bore out and was rank in the opening furlong while under a stout hold, settled nicely as he was steered closer to the rail on the backstretch, remained in hand, easily shook loose of ABSENTEE entering the stretch and extended his lead through the stretch in another eye-catching performance.

Maximus Mischief was just two much the best as he cruised to an easy six-length victory to run his combined total win margin to 14¾ lengths in two starts.
Into Mischief, the sire of Audible, was a precocious colt and multiple graded stakes winner that compiled a 3-3-0 record in six starts with $597,080 in career earnings.
As a two-year-old, Into Mischief easily won his maiden debut by 2½ lengths at Santa Anita Park on October 21, 2007. He went on to finish second in the Hollywood Prevue Stakes (G3) and followed that with a win in the 8½-furlong CashCall Futurity (G1). His finish time of 1:40.82 was just a few ticks off of the record time of 1:40.74 set by Afternoon Deelites and the second fastest time of 1:40.78 set by Valiant Nature.
In his debut as a three-year-old in February 2008, Into Mischief finished second to Georgie Boy in the San Vicente Stakes (G2). He came out of that race with an injury to his right-hind foot and he was taken off the Triple Crown Trail.
After an extended break, Into Mischief returned to racing in October winning the Damascus Stakes by two lengths. In December, Into Mischief finished his racing season with a second-place finish in the Malibu Stakes (G1).
Into Mischief’s best runners on the Kentucky Derby Trail have been Audible, Goldencents, Practical Joke, Vyjack and Vicar’s in Trouble. Audible won the Holy Bull Stakes (G2) and Florida Derby (G1) en route to a third-place finish in the Kentucky Derby (G1). Goldencents won the Santa Anita Derby and finished 17th in the Kentucky Derby (G1). Practical Joke finished second in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G2) and fifth in the Derby. Vyjack finished third in the Wood Memorial Stakes (G1) and 18th in the Derby. Vicar’s in Trouble won the Louisiana Derby and finished 19th in the Kentucky Derby (G1).
Harlan’s Holiday, the grandsire of Audible, won the Florida Derby (G1), Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G1) and finished seventh in the Kentucky Derby (G1).
Maximus Mischief has a low H Classic Champion Thoroughbred Profile® but his Behavior Index potentially makes him competitive in this race. Time will tell if he can if he can successfully stretch out to nine furlongs like previous Into Mischief colts have on the Kentucky Derby Trail.
A long shot I like is GLADIATOR KING (15-1) who ships in from Gulfstream Park West with a 2-1-0 record in four starts for trainer Jaime Mejia. Here’s the video and chart call of his last race which he won by a nose.

GLADIATOR KING vied three wide for early lead and then lost some ground on CAROTARI when inside rival checked at three eights pole, re-challenged rival approaching quarter pole then lost some ground on out of the turn, roused back to duel outside path of CAROTARI, foe held slight edge then pair exchanged noses nearing wire and got nose up in time.

I like the way Gladiator King kept running with determination to finally prevail by a nose at the wire.
Curlin, the sire of Gladiator King, was an outstanding racehorse that compiled an 11-2-2 record in 16 career starts with $10,501,800 in career earnings.
Curlin did not start as a two-year-old. But, at the age of three, Curlin was 6-1-2 in nine starts with $5,102,800 in earnings including wins in the Rebel Stakes (G3) and Arkansas Derby (G2) en route to a third-place finish in the 2007 Kentucky Derby (G1). He went on to win the Preakness Stakes (G1) and he finished second in the Belmont Stakes (G1).
Other important stakes wins include the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1), Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1), twice, Dubai World Cup (G1), Stephen Foster Handicap (G1), Woodward Stakes (G1), and the UAE Jaguar Trophy Handicap.
In six crops as a stallion, Curlin has sired the 2013 Belmont Stakes (G1) winner Palace Malice and the 2016 Preakness Stakes (G1) winner Exaggerator. In addition, Curlin produced the classic-placed runners Good Magic (second, 2018 Kentucky Derby), Tenfold (third, 2018 Preakness), Ride On Curlin (second, 2014 Preakness), Keen Ice (third, 2015 Belmont) and Irish War Cry (second, 2017 Belmont).
Gladiator King has an A+ Classic Champion Thoroughbred Profile® and he’s the best-bred colt in this herd of runners. He has good speed and his breeding indicates that he should be able to extend his speed in the stretch out to nine furlongs.
I look for Gladiator King run another good race and, perhaps, upset at a nice price.
JUNGLE WARRIOR (8-1) comes into this race for new trainer James Jerkens off a fifth-place finish in the Summer Stakes (G1) at Woodbine. Here’s the video and chart call of that race:

JUNGLE WARRIOR, rated off the pace, came four then three-wide through the turn, chased into the stretch and rallied gamely.

Jungle Warrior ran at the back of the herd until the stretch when he made a move to improve position and get up for fifth-place at the finish.
Animal Kingdom, the sire of Jungle Warrior, was a multiple-graded stakes winner and Classic Champion Thoroughbred that compiled a 5-5-0 record in 12 starts with $8,387,500 in career earnings. In my December 2010 Kentucky Derby Outlook blog I wrote that Animal Kingdom would perhaps be my 2011 Derby favorite.
As a two-year-old, Animal Kingdom only made two starts, breaking his maiden on the second start. As a three-year-old, he compiled a 2-2-0 record in five starts with wins in the Vinery Racing Spiral Stakes (G3) and Kentucky Derby (G1). He finished second in the Preakness Stakes (G1) and sixth in the Belmont Stakes (G1).
Animal Kingdom made only two starts as a four-year-old and he finished second in the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1). As a five-year-old, Animal Kingdom made three starts finishing second in the Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap (G1) and winning the Dubai World Cup sponsored by Emirates Airlines.
Animal Kingdom was a versatile, world-class runner that won on dirt, turf and artificial surfaces and he won races on two continents.
Jungle Warrior has an A+ Classic Champion Thoroughbred Profile® and his finish time in the Summer Stakes (G1) is what I like to see young colts run on the Kentucky Derby Trail.
He’s been training well at Belmont Park and has room to improve in his third start of the season.
I look for Jungle Warrior to run a good race.
TAX (15-1) comes into this race off a maiden claim for $50,000 for new owners Hugh Lynch and Corms Racing Stable. To date he’s compiled a 1-1-0 record in two starts and in his last race he broke his maiden at Keeneland Racecourse. Here’s the video and chart call of that race:

TAX tracked the pace early, shifted into the three path in the far turn then drove past the leader down the lane and cleared the field in the final stages.

Tax tracked the leader in second place until the far turn when he made a move and took the lead in the stretch to win by two lengths.
Arch, the sire of Tax, was a multiple graded stakes winner that compiled a 5-1-0 record in seven starts with $480,969 in career earnings.
Arch made only one start as a two-year-old easily winning a maiden special weight at Keeneland in October 1997. As a three-year-old, Arch won an allowance race at Keeneland in April 1998 and compiled a 4-1-0 record in six starts including wins in the 10-furlong Super Derby (G1) and the 9½-furlong Fayette Breeders' Cup Stakes (G3).
As a stallion, Arch’s best Top Lifetime Runners include: Blame, Grand Arch, Arravale, Hymn Book, Art Trader, Les Arcs, Archarcharch and Pine Island.
Tax has an A+ Classic Champion Thoroughbred Profile® and the breeding to finish in the money or hit the board. However, his finish time last out was a bit slower than what I like.
Tax has been training well at Belmont Park and has room to improve in his third start of the season. A recent bullet workout could have Tax ready to run a good race and only time will tell if he can step up to earn graded stakes honors.
Honorable mention goes to maiden winner Bourbon War (5-1). He also has an A+ Classic Champion Thoroughbred Profile® and the breeding to finish in the money or hit the board. However, his final time for the mile in his maiden debut was slower than what I like, and, stretching out to nine furlongs in his second start may be a bit much too soon.


*****

A total of 35 prep races comprise the USA Road to the Kentucky Derby. In addition, there are seven races on the European road and four races on the Japan road to Derby glory.


2018/2019 KENTUCKY DERBY LEADERBOARD

Ranking, total points, Trainer, Non-Restricted Stakes Earnings
1. Game Winner, 30, Bob Baffert, $1,460,000
2. Knicks Go, 18, Ben Colebrook, $656,085
3. Signalman, 18, Ken McPeek, $392,840
4. Complexity, 10, Chad Brown, $275,000
5. Cairo Cat, 10, Ken McPeek, $86,490
6. Gunmetal Gray, 4, Jerry Hollendorfer, $120,000
7. Code of Honor, 4, Shug McGaughey, $100,000
8. Tight Ten, 4, Steve Asmussen, $67,900
9. Plus Que Parfait, 4, Brendan Walsh, $36,400
10. Call Paul, 2, Jason Servis, $194,000
11. Mr. Money, 2, Bret Calhoun, $100,000
12. Rowayton, 2, Jerry Hollendorfer, $96,000
13.+Standard Deviation, 2, Chad Brown, $50,000
14. Limonite, 2, Steve Asmussen, $18,200
15. Pole Sitter, 2, Brad Cox, $17,950
16. Sombeyay, 1, Todd Pletcher, $158,500
17. Tobacco Road, 1, Steve Asmussen, $63,400
18. +Aurelius Maximus, 1, Chad Brown, $30,000
19. Jefe, 1, Keith Desormeaux, $18,000
20. King for a Day, 1, Todd Pletcher, $9,100
          + = Horses picked as yearlings on our 2017 Keeneland September Yearling Sales list.



EUROPEAN ROAD LEADERBOARD

Ranking, total points, Trainer, Non-Restricted Stakes Earnings
1. Royal Marine (IRE), 10, Saeed bin Suroor, $264,968
2. Magna Grecia (IRE), 10, Aidan O’Brien, $185,000
3. Mohawk (IRE), 10, Aidan O’Brien, $128,702
4. Japan (GB), 10, Aidan O’Brien, $75,316
5. Phoenix of Spain (IRE), 4, Charlie Hill, $157,944
6. Broome (IRE), 4, Aidan O’Brien, $140,871
7. Sydney Opera House (GB), 4, Aidan O’Brien, $40,956
8. Mount Everest (IRE), 4, Aidan O’Brien, $24,254
9. Anodor (FR), 2, Freddie Head, $99,215
10. Western Australian (IRE), 2, Aidan O’Brien, $43,084
11. Cape of Good Hope (IRE), 2, Aidan O’Brien, $41,515
12. Power of Now (IRE), 2, Michael O’Callaghan, $11,489
13. Boitron (FR), 1, Richard Hannon, $44,917
14. Victory Command, (IRE), 1, Mark Johnston, $35,108
15. Circus Maximus (IRE), 1, Aidan O’Brien, $24,368
16. Sovereign (IRE), 1, Aiden O’Brien, $5,106


JAPAN ROAD LEADERBOARD

Ranking, total points, Trainer
1. f-Make Happy, 10, Koichi Shinkai
2. Kingen (JPN), 4, Kunihide Matsuda
3. Johaan (JPN), 2, Yasuyuki Takahashi
4. Romantico (JPN), 1, Kazuo Fujisawa