Crunch Time Begins in Blue Grass

It may have been downgraded to a Grade II event for this year, but you wouldn't know it by looking at the field for the Toyota Blue Grass S., as four top GI Kentucky Derby contenders take their final major steps toward the May 6 Run for the Roses in the featured race of a blockbuster Saturday card at Keeneland.

Whitham Thoroughbreds' 'TDN Rising Star' McCraken (Ghostzapper) has piqued the interest of many Triple Crown fans since a well-bet professional debut victory last October at Churchill. The bay colt remained unbeaten through three subsequent stakes forays, most recently annexing the GIII Sam F. Davis S. Feb. 11 at Tampa in his sophomore bow.

McCraken had to miss a bit of training and an expected start in the Mar. 11 GII Tampa Bay Derby with a minor ankle injury, but has returned to the worktab four times in the past month, with three of his breezes coming over the Lexington main track. The late-running homebred, who has remained on top of the TDN Derby 12/20 lists for most of its editions, capped off preparations with an easy half-mile spin in :49 2/5 (14/35) Sunday.

“He is feeling good and his attitude is great. He is enjoying it here,” trainer Ian Wilkes told the Keeneland notes team. “He has gotten bigger and stronger since he has been here and maybe missing that race was a blessing. Things happen for a reason and we will find out in the long run.”

Second in the Sam Davis was Tapwrit (Tapit), who, in McCraken's absence, romped in the Tampa Bay Derby. The progressive gray, purchased for $1.2 million as a Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling by Bridlewood Farm, Eclipse Thoroughbreds Partners and Bob LaPenta, has resided at #2 in TDN Derby lists since his Oldsmar heroics. He will look to become the fourth Blue Grass winner for trainer Todd Pletcher, who also got the money in 2005, 2008 and 2015.

Albaugh Family Stable's J Boys Echo (Mineshaft) earned 'TDN Rising Star' honors with a dominant maiden-breaking victory last fall at Keeneland, and after not seriously threatening in two stakes tries, the $485,000 Keeneland September grad broke out with an open-lengths tally in the GIII Gotham S. Mar. 4 at Aqueduct. Trainer Dale Romans captured the Blue Grass last year with Brody's Cause (Giant's Causeway).

Filling out the heavyweight quartet is the only Grade I winner in the field, Klaravich Stables and Bill Lawrence's Practical Joke (Into Mischief). The $240,000 KEESEP buy started his career three-for-three, including game victories in the GI Hopeful S. and GI Champagne S. The Chad Brown pupil was third with a difficult trip in the GI Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Juvenile and opened his 3-year-old account with a runner-up finish in the GII Xpressbet Fountain of Youth S. Mar. 4 at Gulfstream.

If there is to be an upsetter outside of the big four, it's likely to be It's Your Nickel (Dialed In), a blowout victor of the John Battaglia Memorial S. last out Mar. 4 at Turfway. The dark bay colt boasts victories on all three surfaces and is trained by Ken McPeek, who hoisted the Blue Grass trophy in 2002 and 2013. He shows three local breezes leading up to this acid test.

“We have some bears to run against, but if he can't run third or better against this group, then he really, legitimately doesn't belong in the Kentucky Derby,” McPeek said. “He's had everything set up for him; he's had plenty of time between races. He's been here the whole time. The question is 'Is he good enough?'”