THE DERBY DISPATCH Contacts: John Asher (502) 636-4586 (o), (502) 494-3626 (m) or [email protected] @JohnAsher Darren Rogers (502) 636-4461(o), (502) 345-1030 (m) or [email protected] @DerbyMedia Kevin Kerstein (502) 635-4712 (o), (610) 420-6971 (m) or [email protected] @HorseRacingKK _________________________________________________________________________________________________________ CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES KICKS OFF Pletcher hopes to add a fourth win in the Risen Star with SATURDAY WITH RISEN STAR WinStar Farm and Repole Stable ’s Gulfstream Park-invader Noble Indy . The 3-year-old colt by Take Charge Indy is LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Friday, Feb. 16, 2018) – There is one unblemished in the first two starts of his career after an eye- “sure thing” on this year’s Road to the Kentucky Derby: catching maiden triumph by 8 ¾ lengths on Dec. 3 and a hard- compelling drama will be abundant. fought allowance win on Jan. 11, his first start around two Over the next nine weekends, 3-year-old Thoroughbreds turns. – Kevin Kerstein will continue their quest for points in select races to secure a th ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY TOP 25 berth in the starting gate for the 144 running of the $2 million Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (Grade I) on # Horse Trainer Points Saturday, May 5 at Churchill Downs. 1. Good Magic Chad Brown 24 2. Firenze Fire Jason Servis 24 The Road to the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford 3. McKinzie Bob Baffert 20 Reserve is action-packed this weekend with a quartet of races, 4. Bolt d’Oro Mick Ruis 14 led by Saturday’s Risen Star (GII) at Fair Grounds which is the 5. Free Drop Billy Dale Romans 14 first “Championship Series” race that will award 50 points to 6. Solomini Bob Baffert 14 7. Catholic Boy Jonathan Thomas 14 the winner and 20 to the runner-up. The third and fourth-place 8. Avery Island Kiaran McLaughlin 14 finisher will earn 10 and 5 points, respectively. 9. Instilled Regard Jerry Hollendorfer 14 The “Prep Season” races, which award 10-4-2-1 points to 10. Enticed Chad Brown 13 the Top 4, conclude with Saturday’s El Camino Real Derby at 11. Flameaway Mark Casse 10 12. Greyvitos Adam Kitchingman 10 Golden Gate and Monday’s Southwest (GIII) at Oaklawn 13. Audible Todd Pletcher 10 Park. 14. Mourinho Bob Baffert 10 Also, one spot in the Kentucky Derby could be reserved 15. Lombo Mike Pender 10 Sunday morning as the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby 16. Combatant Steve Asmussen 8 17. Tiz Mischief Dale Romans 6 concludes at Tokyo Racecourse with the Hyacinth. – Darren 18. Hollywood Star Dale Romans 5 Rogers 19. Ayacara (GB) Keith Desormeaux 5 20. Bravazo D. Wayne Lukas 4 INSTILLED REGARD IS RISEN STAR FAVE – Oxo 21. Principe Guilherme Steve Asmussen 4 22. Seven Trumpets Dale Romans 4 Equine LLC ’s California-based Instilled Regard will invade 23. Coltandmississippi Todd Pletcher 3 New Orleans on Saturday as the 8-5 morning line favorite in 24. Snapper Sinclair Steve Asmussen 2 the $400,000 Risen Star to kick off the 16-race “Championship 25. Givemeaminit Dallas Stewart 2 Series.” The 1 1/16 mile Risen Star is the ninth race on Fair UPCOMING ROAD TO THE DERBY RACES Grounds’ 12-race program and has a scheduled post time of Date Race Track Top 4 Points 6:03 p.m. (all times Eastern). Feb. 17 Risen Star FG 50-20-10-5 Feb. 17 El Camino Real Derby GG 10-4-2-1 The 3-year-old colt by Arch is familiar with traveling to The Feb. 18 Hyacinth# Tokyo 30-12-6-3 Pelican State. He scored a comfortable 3 ¾-length triumph in Feb. 19 Southwest OP 10-4-2-1 the Jan. 13 Lecomte Stakes (GIII) for the Hall of Fame duo of March 1 Road to the Kentucky Derby* Kempton 20-8-4-2 trainer Jerry Hollendorfer and jockey Javier Castellano . March 2 Patton* Dundalk 20-8-4-2 March 3 Fountain of Youth GP 50-20-10-5 Purchased for a hefty $1,050,000, Instilled Regard began his March 10 Gotham Aqu 50-20-10-5 journey on the Road to the Kentucky Derby in the Dec. 9 Los March 10 San Felipe SA 50-20-10-5 Alamitos Futurity (GI) when he crossed the wire in third March 10 Tampa Bay Derby Tam 50-20-10-5 behind Solomini and McKinzie but was placed second due to March 17 Rebel OP 50-20-10-5 March 17 Spiral TP 20-8-4-2 a disqualification of Solomini. March 24 Louisiana Derby FG 100-40-20-10 Chief among Instilled Regards’ challengers are Lecomte March 25 Sunland Derby Sun 50-20-10-5 second and third place finishers, Three Chimneys Farm ’s March 30 Burradon* Newcastle 30-12-6-3 Principe Guilherme (7-2 morning line, jockey Florent March 31 UAE Derby Meydan 100-40-20-10 March 31 Florida Derby GP 100-40-20-10 Geroux ) and Bloom Racing Stable ’s Snapper Sinclair (8-1, April 7 Wood Memorial Aqu 100-40-20-10 Adam Beschizza ), respectively. The Steve Asmussen -trained April 7 Blue Grass Kee 100-40-20-10 duo will attempt to give the 52-year-old Hall of Fame April 7 Santa Anita Derby SA 100-40-20-10 conditioner a record-tying third victory in the Risen Star. April 14 Arkansas Derby OP 100-40-20-10 April 14 Lexington Kee 20-8-4-2 Trainers Neil Howard (1992, ’98, 2004) and Todd Pletcher # Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby (2010, ’12, ’14) are the only three-time winners of the race. * European Road to the Kentucky Derby MOURINHO TOPS SOUTHWEST – Phoenix MONOMOY GIRL FAVORED IN OAKS RUN – On the Thoroughbred III ’s Mourinho will attempt to continue his Road to the Kentucky Oaks – the Derby’s companion race for success at Oaklawn Park when Hall of Fame trainer Bob 3-year-old fillies on Friday, May 4 – Michael Dubb , Baffert ships the son of Super Saver from his Southern Monomoy Stables and The Elkstone Group ’s Monomoy California base to Hot Springs, Ark. for Monday’s $500,000 Girl will make her 3-year-old debut as the 8-5 morning line Southwest Stakes (GIII). favorite in Saturday’s $200,000 Rachel Alexandra Stakes (GII) Mourinho made his name known on the Road to the at Fair Grounds. Kentucky Derby after a front-running 3 ¼-length victory in The 1 1/16-mile race, with a post time of 5:05 p.m., will the Jan. 15 Smarty Jones Stakes (GIII) at Oaklawn Park under award the Top 4 finishers points for the $1 million Longines jockey Drayden Van Dyke . The pair will reunite Monday and Kentucky Oaks (GI) on a 50-20-10-5 scale. – Kevin Kerstein break from post position 4. A horse on several insider’s Kentucky Derby lists is Robert SPOTLIGHT HORSE: GOOD MAGIC Baker and William Mack ’s Sporting Chance . The son of Tiznow scored a narrow triumph in the Sept. 4 Hopeful Stakes • Eyes will be on South Florida next Saturday in what is expected (GI) at Saratoga but was subsequently sidelined after he had a to be the seasonal debut of Eclipse Award-winning Good bone chip removed from his knee. Trained by Hall of Fame Magic in the $400,000 Fountain of Youth (GII) at Gulfstream conditioner D. Wayne Lukas , Sporting Chance drew post 2 Park. Trained by Chad Brown , Good Magic still remains high and will be ridden by Luis Saez . on many expert’s Kentucky Derby lists after he broke his maiden Post time for the race is 6:10 p.m. – Kevin Kerstein in the Nov. 4 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (GI) by 4 ¼ lengths under jockey Jose Ortiz . CHOO CHOO IS EL CAMINO FAVE – Only two of the • Owner information : Good Magic is owned by Bob and nine horses entered in Saturday’s $100,000 El Camino Real Kristine Edwards ’ e Five Racing Thoroughbreds and Derby at Golden Gate are nominated for the Triple Crown: Barbara Banke ’s Stonestreet Stables LLC . Bob Edwards is a Calumet Farm ’s Choo Choo , winner of the California Derby pharmaceutical executive and started e Five Racing in 2015. last time out, and Holly and David Wilson ’s turf maiden Banke’s Stonestreet Stables was started in 2005 by her late winner Calexman . husband Jess Jackson . Stonestreet has a rich history in Choo Choo, trained by Hall of Famer Jerry Hollendorfer , Thoroughbred horse racing having campaigned 2007-08 Horse is the 9-5 morning line favorite for the 1 1/8-mile race over of the Year Curlin and ’09 Horse of the Year Rachel the synthetic Tapeta surface. Calexman, conditioned by Alexandra . Both ownership groups are seeking their first win in Vladamir Cerin , is 20-1. the Kentucky Derby. The field for the 6:45 p.m. race also includes the filly Paved , • Trainer information a 5 ½-length maiden winner over 1 1/8 miles on turf at Santa : Chad Brown is a native of upstate New York and is pursuing his first Kentucky Derby victory (4-0-0-0). Anita for trainer Michael McCarthy . – Darren Rogers The 39-year-old multiple Eclipse Award-winning conditioner grew up going to Saratoga and became interested in horse racing RUGGERO BACK FOR HYACINTH – Triple Crown- as a child. Brown began working with harness horses while in nominated Ruggero (JPN) and Work and Love (JPN) are high school but transitioned to Thoroughbreds while in college among the 16 horses that were entered for Sunday morning’s and worked for Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey .