Derby Top Twelve

by T.D. Thornton Definitive winners in both the GI Florida Derby and the GII Louisiana Derby over the weekend help to solidify the TDN Derby Top 20 rankings, and this coming Saturday a whopping 13 horses on this list will be in action as the GI Santa Anita Derby, GII Blue Grass S., and GII Wood Memorial as we approach the four-week mark to the GI Kentucky Derby. Please note the rankings below are independent from the "Road to the Derby" points leaderboard that Churchill Downs will use to determine...

HENCE (c, Street Boss--Floating Island, by A.P. Indy) O/B-Calumet Farm (KY). T-Steven M. Asmussen. Lifetime Record: GSW, 6-2-1-1, $542,601. Last Start: 1st, GIII Sunland Derby, SUN, Mar. 26 Thoro-Graph sheet, Equineline PPs KY Derby Points: 50 Hence hasn't done anything but train quietly and capably at Churchill Downs since winning the Sunland Derby. Yet his stock has inched upward during his time between starts because his New Mexico company line got boosted by a win and a second by Irap (Tiznow) and Conquest Mo Money (Uncle Mo), respectively, in the...

REACH THE WORLD (c, 3, Tapit--Reach The Stars (Ire), by Galileo {Ire}) O-Don Alberto Stable. B-Don Alberto Corporation (KY). T-Bob Baffert. Lifetime Record: 3-1-1-1, $50,080. Mar. 14 TDN Top 12 Rank: N/A Last Start: 2nd, Allowance/Optional Claiming, SA, Mar. 9 Next Start: GI Santa Anita Derby, SA, Apr. 8 KY Derby Points: 0 Thoro-Graph sheet, Equineline PPs Hence won't get mentioned much in the run-up to the Kentucky Derby, aside from the inevitable comparisons to 2009's 50-1 shocker Mine That Bird (Birdstone). The comparisons won't really be accurate though, because...

BATTALION RUNNER (c, 3, Unbridled's Song--Tamboz, by Tapit) 'TDN Rising Star' O-St. Elias Stable. B-Dell Ridge Farm, LLC (KY). T-Todd A. Pletcher. Sales History: $700,000 Ylg '15 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: GSP, 4-2-2-0, $200,600. Last Start: 2nd, GII Wood Memorial S., AQU, Apr. 8 Next Start: Possible for GI Kentucky Derby, May 6 Thoro-Graph sheet, Equineline PPs Battalion Runner didn't have to work too hard to attain the early lead in the Wood Memorial, but if he's to be forwardly placed in the Derby, he's going to have to deal with...

BATTLE OF MIDWAY (c, 3, Smart Strike--Rigoletta, by Concerto) 'TDN Rising Star' O-Fox Hill Farms, Inc. B-Thor-Bred Stables, LLC (KY). T-Jerry Hollendorfer. Sales History: $410,000 Ylg '15 FTSAUG. Lifetime Record: GISP, 4-2-1-1, $290,000. Last Start: 2nd, GI Santa Anita Derby, SA, Apr. 8 Thoro-Graph sheet, Equineline PPs KY Derby Points: 40 Don't use Battle of Midway's frontrunning tendency in the Santa Anita Derby as a guide to where he'll placed early on in the Kentucky Derby. Trainer Hollendorfer told XBTV after the 'TDN Rising Star' worked six furlongs in 1:13.40...

MALAGACY (c, Shackleford--Classiest Gem, by Dehere) 'TDN Rising Star' O-Sumaya U.S. Stable. B-John Trumbulovic (KY). T-Todd A. Pletcher. Sales History: $45,000 Wlg '14 KEENOV; $130,000 Ylg '15 OBSAUG; $190,000 2yo '16 EASMAY. Lifetime Record: GSW, 4-3-0-0, $616,800. Last Start: 5th, GI Arkansas Derby, OP, Apr. 15 Accomplishments Include: 1st, GII Rebel S., OP, Mar. 18 Next Start: Possible for GI Kentucky Derby, CD, May 6 Thoro-Graph sheet, Equineline PPs KY Derby Points: 50 Malagacy's fifth in the Arkansas Derby does not look all that promising until you factor in that...

by T.D. Thornton With the final round of GI Kentucky Derby preps stretching out primarily to nine furlongs for the remainder of the season, the TDN Derby Top 12 is also expanding, switching to a Top 20 format from here on out. Please note the rankings below are independent from the "Road to the Kentucky Derby" points leaderboard that Churchill Downs will use to determine starting berths; that list can be accessed here. 1. MCCRAKEN (c, Ghostzapper--Ivory Empress, by Seeking the Gold) 'TDN Rising Star' O/B-Whitham Thoroughbreds, LLC (KY). T-Ian...

by T.D. Thornton Favorites dominated this past weekend's GI Kentucky Derby preps, although the brilliance of 'TDN Rising Star' Mastery (Candy Ride {Arg})'s victory in the GII San Felipe S. was immediately overshadowed by an abrupt pull-up and the revelation that he needs surgery for a condylar fracture to his left front ankle, knocking him off the Derby trail. Once this weekend's GII Rebel S. at Oaklawn Park is in the books, the bulk of the remaining important Derby prep races will extend to nine furlongs, which will start separating...

ROYAL MO (c, Uncle Mo--Royal Irish Lass, by Saint Ballado) O-Mr. & Mrs. Jerome S. Moss. B-Brandywine Farm (KY). T-John A. Shirreffs. Sales History: $300,000 Ylg '15 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: GSW & GISP, 6-2-2-1, $267,200. Last Start: 3rd, GI Santa Anita Derby, SA, Apr. 8 Accomplishments Include: 1st, GIII Robert B. Lewis S., SA, Feb. 4 Next start: Possible for GI Kentucky Derby, CD, May 6 Thoro-Graph sheet, Equineline PPs KY Derby Points: 30 If Royal Mo goes to the Kentucky Derby, it won't just be to provide company for...

GIRVIN (c, Tale of Ekati--Catch the Moon, by Malibu Moon) O-Brad Grady. B-Bob Austin & John Witte (KY). T-Joe Sharp. Sales History: $140,000 RNA Ylg '15 KEESEP; $130,000 Ylg '15 FTKOCT. Lifetime Record: MGSW, 4-3-1-0, $874,400. Last Start: 1st, GII Louisiana Derby, FG, Apr. 1 Accomplishments Include: 1st, GII Risen Star S., FG, Feb. 25 Thoro-Graph sheet, Equineline PPs KY Derby Points: 150 Girvin has been downgraded from spot No. 4 since the last installment of the TDN Top 20 after a quarter crack was discovered in his right front...

J BOYS ECHO (c, Mineshaft--Letgomyecho, by Menifee) 'TDN Rising Star' O-Albaugh Family Stable & Bobby Flay. B-Betz/Blackburn/J. Betz/Ramsby/CNHHHNK (KY). T-Dale L. Romans. Sales History: $485,000 Ylg '15 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: GSW, 7-2-1-1, $349,600. Last Start: 15th, GI Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands., CD, May 6 Accomplishments Include: 1st, GIII Gotham S., AQU, Mar. 4 Equineline PPs, Caulfield on J Boys Echo J Boys Echo has a lot to prove in the Belmont S. on Saturday. Beyond the question of actually winning the third leg of the Triple Crown, this...

TAPWRIT (c, Tapit--Appealing Zophie, by Successful Appeal) O-Bridlewood Farm, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners & Robert V. LaPenta. B-My Meadowview, LLC (KY). T-Todd A. Pletcher. Sales History: $1,200,000 Ylg '15 FTSAUG. Lifetime Record: GSW, 7-3-1-0, $343,902. Last Start: 6th, GI Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands., CD, May 6 Accomplishments Include: 1st, GII Tampa Bay Derby, TAM, Mar. 11, 1st, Pulpit S., GP, Dec. 10 Equineline PPs This $1.2-million yearling has a disconcertingly high "perceived potential to delivered results" ratio, yet I'm still clinging to my earlier-season prognostication that his athleticism and...