Weekly Update Friday, March 24, 2017 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________ JAPAN’S EPICHARIS AMONG TOP The Spiral features seven Triple Crown nominees – mainly comprised of horses that appear to prefer a grass or synthetic surface – and many UAE DERBY CONTENDERS; are testing the Road to the Kentucky Derby series for the first time. SPIRAL, SUNLAND DERBY ALSO ON TAP Other Spiral contenders include impressive maiden winner and late LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Friday, March 24, 2017) – The Road to the Triple Crown nominee Parlor , Canadian-bred King and His Court , Kentucky Derby Presented by TwinSpires.com features racing from California shipper Soglio for Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Graham around the world this weekend with plenty of points on the line for Motion , and OBS Championship runner-up Convict Pike . horses to be considered for the “Run for the Roses” on Saturday, May 6. Turfway Park’s leading trainer Mike Maker has won the Spiral three times, including last year’s renewal with Oscar Nominated . Maker has First up is Saturday’s $2 million UAE Derby (Group II) where Japan three entrants in this year’s race: En Hanse , Fast and Accurate and Road to the Kentucky Derby points leader Epicharis (Jpn) looks to Shiraz . remain undefeated when he meets Godolphin ’s UAE 2000 Guineas winner Thunder Snow (Ire), who was made Triple Crown eligible In Sunday’s Sunland Derby, Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert looks get earlier this week. back on the proverbial Derby Trail just two weeks after top contender Mastery was sidelined by injury. The 64-year-old conditioner has won Also scheduled this weekend is Saturday’s $500,000 Spiral Stakes (GIII) the Sunland Derby three times and will attempt to land another with over Turfway Park’s synthetic Polytrack in Florence, Ky. and Sunday’s Juddmonte Farm ’s 3-1 morning line favorite Bronze Age , a recent $800,000 Sunland Derby (GIII) in New Mexico near the border town of maiden winner at Santa Anita. El Paso, Texas. Bronze Age’s main competitors appear to be runaway maiden winner Saturday’s UAE Derby at Meydan Racecourse will go as Race 4 on the and Florida shipper Hedge Fund for trainer Todd Pletcher , Dubai World Cup undercard at 9:25 a.m. (all times EDT). The Road to Louisiana-invader Shareholder Value , local favorite and unblemished the Kentucky Derby Championship Series continues later in the day Conquest Mo Money , winner of the Mine That Bird Derby, and with the Spiral as Turfway Park’s Race 10 at 5:55 p.m. Sunday’s Sunland maiden Irap , runner-up in the Mine That Bird Derby. Hedge Fund and Derby goes at 7:28 p.m. as Sunland Park’s ninth race. Conquest Mo Money are not Triple Crown nominated. The 1 3/16-mile UAE Derby is the first race in the Championship The Road to the Kentucky Oaks Championship Series continues at Series to award 100 points to the winner and 40 to the runner-up. The Turfway Park and Sunland Park. Turfway’s $100,000 Bourbonette Oaks third and fourth-place finishers will earn 20 and 10 points, respectively. (GIII) is scheduled for Race 9 at 5:09 p.m. on Saturday while the Sunland Park Oaks is scheduled for Race 7 at 6:18 p.m. Sunday. The 1 1/8-mile Spiral and Sunland Derby are the final races to award 50 points to the winner and 20 to the runner-up. The third and fourth- #TRENDING place finishers will earn 10 and 5 points, respectively. 1. UAE Derby 8-5 morning line favorite Thunder Snow (IRE) was The top point earners in the 37-race Road to the Kentucky Derby series one of six late-Triple Crown nominees announced this week. The will have preference to compete in the 20-horse Grade I, $2 million others were Hollywood Handsome , More Than Words , Parlor , Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands. Rapid Dial and Stretch’s Stone . Epicharis, unbeaten in four starts after clinching an invitation to 2. In 13 of the 17 runnings of the UAE Derby, the winner had been compete in the Kentucky Derby with a victory in the Feb. 19 Hyacinth saddled by either trainer Saeed bin Suroor (seven wins) or Mike de at Tokyo Racecourse, is the 5-1 second choice on the UAE Derby Kock (six wins). Bin Suroor has entered likely favorite Thunder Snow morning line behind 8-5 early choice Thunder Snow (Ire). (Ire) and longshot Top Score (GB ) while de Kock’s hopes lie in Fawree . Adirato (Jpn) Japan’s , third on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby preference list, also made the 8,000-mile journey to Dubai and looks to 3. Epicharis (Jpn) will attempt to be the first Japanese-bred horse to avenge his runner-up finish in the Hyacinth when he was beaten three- win the UAE Derby. quarters of a length by Epicharis. 4. Entrants in the UAE Derby have competed in nine different Other Triple Crown-eligible top contenders in the UAE Derby include countries including France, Japan, Brazil and the United States. Master Plan Todd Pletcher for trainer , a recent 2 ½-length winner in Aidan O’Brien the restricted OBS Championship, and the -trained duo 5. Three of owners Ken and Sarah Ramsey ’s seven Kentucky Derby Lancaster Bomber of Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf second and Group starters were Spiral Stakes winners. The husband and wide duo will start Spirt of Valor War Front 3 runner-up – both sons of top stallion . morning line favorite Kitten’s Cat this year. As was the case with last year’s Spiral winner Oscar Nominated , Kitten’s Cat is not Triple Some 11,000 miles away at Turfway Park, multiple stakes winner and Crown nominated and will need to pay a $200,000 supplemental fee Kitten’s Cat recent runner-up in Gulfstream Park’s Palm Beach (GIII), should he qualify and be entered in the Derby. was installed as the 4-1 morning line favorite in a field of 12 for the Spiral. -more- PAST PERFORMANCES & STAKES HISTORIES Kentucky Derby Weekly Update Friday, March 24, 2017 Brinset.com Triple Crown Past Performances Page 2 of X http://www.brisnet.com/brisnet_promos/TCnoms17.pdf 6. It’s all in the family for the jockey-trainer combo of Spiral entrant Brisnet.com Kentucky Oaks Past Performances Giant Payday - jockey Chris Landeros is married to trainer Ian http://www.brisnet.com/brisnet_promos/KYOaks17.pdf Wilkes’ daughter Shelby . Brisnet.com UAE Derby Past Performances 7. Sunland Park was once home for Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne http://www.brisnet.com/brisnet_promos/UAEDerby17.pdf Lukas but Sunland Derby entrant Dillatante will mark Lukas’ first start there in over 40 years. According to Lukas, “I have never run a Brisnet.com Spiral Stakes Past Performances Thoroughbred at Sunland Park. In fact, the last year I believe I ran a http://www.brisnet.com/brisnet_promos/Spiral17.pdf quarter horse there was 1970.” Brisnet.com Sunland Derby Past Performances 8. Jockey Florent Geroux is racking up the frequent flier miles. After http://www.brisnet.com/brisnet_promos/SunlandDerby17.pdf riding two horses Saturday in Dubai – Stallwalkin’ Dude in the $2 million Golden Shaheen and Gun Runner in the $10 million Dubai UAE Derby History World Cup – Geroux will fly more than 13,000 miles to Sunland Park https://www.kentuckyderby.com/uploads/wysiwyg/assets/uploads/St where he is scheduled to ride Hence in Sunday’s Sunland Derby. akes_Histories_-_UAE_Derby__2017_.pdf 9. Bronze Age will attempt to give Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert Spiral Stakes History his third Sunland Derby victory in the last four runnings. Baffert has https://www.kentuckyderby.com/uploads/wysiwyg/assets/uploads/St won the Sunland Derby a record three times – Wanna Runner (2006), akes_Histories_-_Spiral__2017_.pdf Govenor Charlie (2013) and Chitu (2014) – and all three horses have gone off at odds of 4-5 or less. Sunland Derby Derby History https://www.kentuckyderby.com/uploads/wysiwyg/assets/uploads/St 10. Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner and 2-year-old champion Classic akes_Histories_-_Sunland_Derby__2017_.pdf Empire refused to work Sunday for the second time in less than a month at Palm Meadows in South Florida. Trainer Mark Casse opted TAKING SHAPE to send Classic Empire to the Winding Oaks Training Center in Ocala, Fla. where he breezed on Wednesday. Classic Empire’s next start could The possible fields for Kentucky Derby Championship Series races are be in the April 8 Blue Grass or April 15 Arkansas Derby. fluid as horsemen vie for points on the “Road to the Kentucky Derby Presented by TwinSpires.com.” Below are known horses mentioned to DOWN THE STRETCH be under consideration for each race based on published news reports and other sources (with Road to the Kentucky Derby point totals).: Undefeated McCraken returned to Kentucky on Saturday and breezed at Keeneland on Monday. McCraken is expected to make his next start APRIL 1 LOUISIANA DERBY – $1 million Louisiana Derby (GII) to be run in the April 8 Blue Grass. … Holy Bull winner Gunnevera was back to over 1 1/8 miles at Fair Grounds in New Orleans, La.: Girvin (50), Guest Suite the work tab Saturday at Gulfstream Park West in preparation for the (15), Local Hero (10), Lookin for Eight (0), Patch (0), Senior Investment (0). April 1 Florida Derby. … Trainer Dale Romans is considering the Points to Top 4 : 100-40-20-10. Florida Derby as a possible next start for Gotham winner J Boys APRIL 1 FLORIDA DERBY – $1 million Florida Derby (GI) to be run over 1 Echo ’s final Kentucky Derby prep.