Four More To Score: Kentucky Derby Prep Points

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To begin with, the four important prep races, on March 2nd and 3rd, 2024, are the Gotham Stakes, the Fountain Of Youth, the John Battaglia Memorial, and the San Felipe Stakes. Collectively, they offer 357 points on the KY Derby leaderboard.

First up is the Gotham Stakes in Ozone Park, NY. This $300,000 race is 1 mile on the dirt. Post time is 5:36 PM ET on Saturday, 3/2/24 for a race that dates back to 1953. The Grade III, Gotham is race 10 on a card of 10. There are 105 KY Derby prep points available, distributed as 50-25-15-10-5 points, to the top five finishers, respectively. Watch on FS2, CNBC or FanDuel TV. A lucky 13 thoroughbred colts are entered as follows by post/horse (state of breeding)/jockey/trainer/owner/morning-line odds and previous KY Derby prep points:

1. Khanate (KY)/Jose Antonio Gomez/Todd Pletcher/Calumet Farm/30-1/5 points from a third place finish in the Jermoe Stakes and 5th place in the Withers Stakes
2. Maximus Meridius (PA)/Mychel Sanchez/Robert Reid, Jr./LC Racing, LLC., Cash is King, LLC., and Robert E Reid, Jr./20-1
3. Deterministic (KY)/Joel Rosario/Christophe Clement/St. Elias Stable, Ken Langone, C. Steven Duncker and Vicarage Stable/9-2
4. Facenda (KY)/Abel Cedillo/Doug O’Neill/William A. Branch/50-1
5. Deposition (KY)/Dexter Haddock/Uriah St. Lewis/Uriah St. Lewis/50-1/4 points for a 4th place in the Withers Stakes
6. Air Cav (KY)/Eric Cancel/Brad Cox/Calumet Farm/30-1/1 point from his 5th place finish in the Champagne Stakes
7. El Grande O (NY)/Kendrick Carmouche/Linda Rice/Barry Schwartz/8-1/15 points gathered by taking second in both the Jerome and the Withers
8. Bergen (KY)/Manuel Franco/Brad Cox/Spendthrift Farm LLC., Martin Schwartz, Ganharvi LLC., Big Easy Racing, LLC., Rick Kanter, James J. Bakke, Titletown Racing Stables, Kueber Racing, LLC., Golconda Stable, Ali Goodrich and Mark Parkinson/9-2
9. Eliminate (KY)/Dylan Davis/Todd Pletcher/Spendthrift Farm, LLC. and Repole Stable/15-1
10. Just A Touch (KY)/Florent Geroux/Brad Cox/Qatar Racing, Resolute Racing and Marc Detampel/5-2
11. Lightline (KY)/Ramon Vazquez/Brad Cox/Albaugh Family Stables, LLC./8-1/6 points from a third place finish in the Withers
12. Slider (KY)/Jose Lezcano/John Sadler/Hall Racing, LLC., Pearl Racing and West Point Thoroughbreds/8-1
13. Capital Idea (KY)/Trevor McCarthy/Christophe Clement/Reeves Thoroughbred Racing/12-1

Second, is the Coolmore Fountain of Youth Stakes. This grade II race, established in 1945, is 1 and 1/16 miles on the dirt at Gulfstream Park. The purse is $400,000 for this field of nine colts entered at Hallandale Beach, FL. 50-25-15-10-5 points are up for grabs. The Fountain of Youth is the final race, on a card of 14, posting at 6:10 PM ET on Saturday. Watch live on CNBC, Peacock and FanDuel TV. The nine entries are as follows by post/horse (state of breeding)/jockey/trainer/owner/morning-line odds and previous KY Derby prep points:

1. Speak Easy (KY)/Irad Ortiz, Jr./Todd Pletcher/WinStar Farm, LLC. and Siena Farm, LLC./9-2
2. Le Dom Bro (KY)/Edwin Gonzalez/Eniel Cordero/Vicente Stella Stables, LLC./30-1
3. Victory Avenue (NY)/John Velazquez/Gustavo Delgado/OGMA Investements, LLC., JR Ranch, Upland Flats Racing, Morplay Racing LLC., High Step Racing LLC., Lady Sheila Stable, Michael and Jules Iavarone/4-1
4. Real Macho (KY)/Tyler Gaffalione/Rohan Crichton/Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Rohan Crichton, Daniel L. Walters and Dennis G. Smith/8-1
5. Dornoch (KY)/Luis Saez/Danny Gargan/West Paces Racing, LLC., R.A. Hill stable, Belmar Racing and Breeding, LLC., Two Eight Racing, LLC., and Pine Racing Stables/10 points with a first place finish in the Remsen Stakes/2-1
6. Merit (KY)/Edgard J. Zayas/Saffie Joseph, Jr./Peter E. Blum Thoroughbreds, LLC./15-1
7. Frankie’s Empire (KY)/Miguel Angel Vasquez/Michael Yates/Frank DeLuca/20-1
8. Locked (KY)/Jose Ortiz/Todd Pletcher/Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Walmac Farm/5-2/19 points with a first place finish in the Breeders’ Futurity and third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Stakes
9. Dancing Groom (KY)/Javier Castellano/ Antonio Sano/Alex Andres, LLC./30-1/5 points from third place in the Champagne Stakes and fifth place in the Holy Bull Stakes

Third, the John Battaglia Memorial Stakes posts at 8:25 PM ET on Saturday. This stakes is race 6 on a card of 9 at Turfway Park in Florence, KY. The $150,000 John Battaglia is a 1 and 1/16 mile race on an all-weather track. This race dates back to 1982. 42 points are available, awarded as 20-10-6-4-2 to the respective top five finishers. Fourteen colts are entered as follows by post/horse (state of breeding)/jockey/trainer/owner/morning-line odds and previous KY Derby prep points:

1. Gettysburg Address (KY)/Geraldo Corrales/Brad Cox/WinStar Farm, LLC. and Siena Farm, LLC./6-1/2 points finishing fourth in the Street Sense Stakes
2. Ode To Balius (KY)/Sonny Leon/Concepcion Torres/Arnaldo Monge/30-1
3. Mr. Faversham (KY)/Orlando Mojica/Stephen Lyster/Stephen Lyster/30-1
4. Bolt At Midnight (KY)/Martin Garcia/Mick Ruis, Sr./Ruis Racing, LLC./4-1
5. Fidget (KY)/Fernando De La Cruz/Brad Cox/Calumet Farm/15-1
6. Epic Ride (KY)/Adam Beschizza/John Ennis/Welch Racing, LLC./5-2
7. Blue Eyed George (LA)/Luan Machado/Michael McCarthy/BG Stables/6-1
8. Break Out (KY)/Tyler Conner/Saffie Joseph. Jr./Kenneth L. Ramsey/12-1
9. Mission Ready (KY)/Gavin Ashton/Edward Fernandez/Anthony Foglia/15-1
10. Good Bali (KY)/Colby Hernandez, Jr./George Arnold/Calumet Farm/20-1
11. Mugatu (KY)/Joseph Talamo/Jeff Engler/Average Joe Racing Stables, Ltd. and Dan Wells/20-1
12. Encino (KY)Axel Concepcion/Brad Cox/Godolphin, LLC./9-2
13. Karlwithanarl (KY)/Axel Concepcion/Robert Medina/Savages Stable/20-1
14. Katheeb (KY)/Declan Cannon/Brendan Walsh/Shadwell Stable/10-1

Finally, on Sunday, is the DK Horse San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, CA. This stakes was inaugurated in 1935 and is racing a day late this year due to rain. The purse is $300,000 for this Grade II, 1 and 1/16 mile dirt race. Five colts are entered for race 6, of 10, posting at 6:00 PM ET. Remember that Bob Baffert trained horses are not eligible for KY Derby points. Otherwise, 50-25-15-10-5 points are earned in this race.

1. Scatify (KY)/Hector Isaac Berrios/John Sadler/West Point Thoroughbreds/6-1/6 points from third place in the Robert B. Lewis Stakes
2. Wine Me Up (KY)/Juan Hernandez/Bob Baffert/Pegram, Watson or Weitman/8-1
3. Nysos/Flavien Prat/Bob Baffert/Baoma Corp/1-5
4. Mc Vay/Antonio Fresu/C R K Stable, LLC./20-1/4 points from a fourth place finish in the Robert B. Lewis
5. Imagination/Lanfranco Dettori/Bob Baffert/SF Racing, LLC., Starlight Racing or Madaket Stables, LLC., et al./6-1

Thank you FOUR following Thoroughbred U’s posts. The first weekend of March brings us to the last month and a half of KY Derby prep races. I am eager for the outcomes of these FOUR stakes races to see how the Kentucky Derby leaderboard changes.

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