Traditionally taking place on the first Saturday in May, the Kentucky Derby card saw a change in date in 2020 but still attracted a strong group of entries for its seven stakes. The Kentucky Derby closes out the card with a post time of 9.01am AEST.
Tiz The Law leads 17 horse Kentucky Derby
Drawing the 17th post position, Tiz The Law (USA) (Constitution {USA}) will be trying to win the second leg of the United States Triple Crown in this race.
From the first crop of Constitution (USA), Tiz The Law is one of two stakes horses for Grade 2 winner Tizfit (USA) (Tiznow {USA}) and hails from the family of US Horse of the Year Favorite Trick (USA) (Phone Trick {USA}). If the colt wins, he’ll provide major updates for horses at both the Fasig-Tipton and Keeneland yearling sales.
Tiz The Law’s Mission Impossible (USA) half-brother sells as Lot 73 at the Fasig-Tipton Sale next Wednesday alongside a Mission Impossible filly out of a half-sister to Tizfiz as Lot 13 while in Book 6 of the Keeneland September Sale, an Anchor Down (USA) colt out of Tiz The Law’s Uncle Mo (USA) half-sister sells as Lot 3911.
A late addition to the Kentucky Derby field, connections decided to give Money Moves (USA) (Candy Ride {USA}) a shot in the race right before entries closed on Monday. The winner of two of his three career starts, last year’s US$975,000 (AU$1,337,429) 2-year-old purchase will be making his stakes debut here. Money Moves is out of a stakes winning half-sister to the dam of US Champion 2-Year-Old filly Caledonia Road (USA) (Quality Road {USA}) with that filly foaling a Justify (USA) filly in 2020 and returning to Justify this year.
Money Moves is joined by Attachment Rate (Can) (Hard Spun {USA}) as those who descend from Sunset Service (USA) (Deputy Minister {Can}). The mare is Attachment Rate’s second dam and Money Moves’ third. Attachment Rate is also one of two Derby runners by former Darley Australia stallion Hard Spun (USA) with the stallion also having Necker Island (USA) in the race.
Co-owned by Spendthrift Farm, where he’ll retire at the end of his racing career, Authentic (USA) (Into Mischief {USA}) drew the far outside post position in this race. The winner of four of his five starts, Authentic hails from the family of Grade 1 winners Reynaldothewizard (USA) (Speightstown {USA}), Seventh Street (USA) (Street Cry {Ire}), American Gal (USA) (Concord Point {USA}) and Undrafted {USA}) (Purim {USA}). The 3-year-old is one of two entrants for Bob Baffert alongside Thousand Words (USA) (Pioneerof The Nile {USA}) with Baffert searching for his three Kentucky Derby winner in the last six years.
American Pharoah son switches to dirt in American Turf
A 7.5l winner on dirt two starts ago, American Pharoah’s (USA) American Butterfly (USA) switches to turf in the G2 American Turf S. over 1700 metres. Passed in for US$390,000 (AU$534,971) last year as a 2-year-old, the colt is out of a War Front (USA) half-sister to stakes winner and Grade 3-placed Manuka Honey (USA) (Borrego {USA}).
In this race, King Theo (USA) will also be looking to give More Than Ready (USA) a new stakes winner. The colt is a half-brother to this year’s G2 Saratoga S. winner Jackie’s Warrior (USA) (Maclean’s Music {USA}).
US$3.65 million colt makes graded stakes debut in Pat Day Mile
Coolmore and St. Elias Stable’s US$3.65 million (AU$5,006,788) 2-year-old purchase Cezanne (USA) (Curlin {USA}) will be stepping into graded stakes company for the first time in the 1600 metre G2 Pat Day Mile on Saturday. The 3-year-old half-brother to two stakes winners is a great-grandson of Better Than Honour (USA) (Deputy Minister {USA}), who is also a half-sister to the dam of former shuttle stallion Can The Man (USA). The colt hails from the family of New Zealand Group 3 winner Ticket To Ride (NZ) (Shocking) and Group 3-placed Asama Blue (Ire) (Fastnet Rock) among those located in Australasia.
2-Year-Olds in Iroquois Spotlight
Traditionally the first race on the Road to the Kentucky Derby for 2-year-olds, this year’s Iroquois field will line up on the Kentucky Derby undercard.
Sittin On Go (USA) (Brody’s Cause {USA}) could provide another nice update for an Exceed And Excel colt who sold for a record $170,000 on an online Inglis auction a few weeks ago. The colt out of a half-sister to Speaktomeofsummer (USA) (Summer Front {USA}) also hails from this runner’s family. Out of a stakes placed More Than Ready (USA) mare, Sittin On Go has a bit of interesting inbreeding on his pedigree as well – he’s bred 2 x 3 to Giant’s Causeway (USA).
Fillies look to add name to prestigious roll of honour in Turf Mile
Declaration Of War’s (USA) She’sonthewarpath (USA) looks for her first graded stakes success in the G2 Longines Churchill Distaff Turf Mile S. over 1600 metres. A race that includes winners such as Tepin (USA) (Bernstein {USA}) and Stephanie’s Kitten (USA) (Kitten’s Joy {USA}) in recent years, She’sonthewarpath comes in to the race with three wins in five starts this year. By former shuttle stallion Declaration Of War, the filly’s stakes-winning dam is a half-sister to Grade 2 winner Catapult (USA) (Kitten’s Joy {USA}) and a granddaughter of Grade 1-placed Capote Belle (USA) (Capote {USA}).
Dansili’s (GB) Juliet Foxtrot (GB) has been a consistent presence in the biggest turf races for fillies this year but is still searching for her first 2020 win here. A Grade 3 winning half-sibling to two other stakes placed horses, her granddam is a half-sister to Dancing Brave (USA) (Lyphard {USA}) from the family of Westbury Stud resident Redwood (GB) and his half-sister’s Group 3 winner Realm Of Flowers (So You Think {NZ}) in addition to Hobert Guineas third Savquaw (Secret Savings {USA}).
Breeders’ Cup winner Newspaperofrecord (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) won the G1 Just a Game S. last out and gets back on track here after a short break. The 4-year-old filly is a half-sister to a Listed winner and out of a Group 3 winning and Group 1 placed half-sister to the dam of G1 Irish Derby winner and G1 Mackinnon S. second Latrobe (Ire) (Camelot {GB}).
Sir Prancealot’s (Ire) Beau Recall (Ire) looks to win back-to-back runnings of this race after winning it by 1.25l last year. The 6-year-old mare is a half-sister to stakes placed Coolminx (Ire) (One Cool Cat {USA}) from the family of the New Zealand stakes winning duo of Zambezi (NZ) (Deputy Governor {USA}) and Valentine Girl (NZ) (Zephr Ace {NZ}).
French-bred La Signare (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) will be looking to return to the winner’s circle here after winning the Listed Sand Springs S. in March. The Grade 3-winning filly is one of two stakes winners for La Teranga (Fr) (Beat Hollow {GB}), whose dam is a half-sister to the granddam of G1 Melbourne Cup winner Almandin (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}).
Oaks Winner returns in Derby City Distaff
Last year’s Kentucky Oaks winner will try to make it back-to-back Derby weekend Grade 1 victories on Saturday when she runs in the G1 Derby City Distaff S. presented by Derby City Gaming. By Alternation (USA), Serengeti Empress (USA) comes into this race off a G1 Ballerina S. win last out. The 4-year-old is a granddaughter of Grade 3 winner Love Dancing (Arg) (Salt Lake {USA}) and out of an unraced Bernardini (USA) mare.
Shuttle sires well represented in Turf Classic
Current and former Australasian sires feature in the G1 Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic the race before the Kentucky Derby on Saturday.
Drawing the rail is The Factor’s (USA) speedy Factor This (USA), who is likely to set the pace in the 1800 metre race. Factor This is out of a Singspiel (Ire) half-sister to the dam of Group 3 and Group 1-placed racehorse and sire Cappella Sansevero (GB) in addition to being a full sister to Royal Ascot Group 2-placed Eldalil (GB). Factor This also comes from the family of Japanese champions Victoire Pisa (Jpn) (Neo Universe {Jpn}) and Robe Tissage (Jpn) (War Emblem {USA}).
Last year’s G2 American Turf winner Digital Age (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) looks to add a second graded stakes win to his resume in this race. The colt is out of a half-sister to Group 1 winner Cursory Glance (USA) (Distorted Humor {USA}) with the extended family also including G1 Schweppes Crystal Mile winner Chief Ironside (GB) (Lawnman {Fr}) and New Zealand Group 2-placed Intrigue (NZ) (Showcasing {GB}).
Six-year-old True Valour (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) is looking for his first win in nearly a year in this spot. A Grade 2 winner who originally raced in Europe, True Valour is from the family of G1 Easter H. winner Pasta Post (NZ) (Postponed {USA}) and his Group 3 winning half-sibling Don Domingo (NZ) (Don Eduardo {NZ}). A family full of Australasian stakes winners under True Valour’s third dam, it also includes multiple South African champions, including 2016/2017 broodmare of the year Mystic Spring (Ire) (Royal Academy {GB}) and seven stakes winners.
Also in the race is Artie Schiller’s (USA) dual Grade 1 winner Bowie’s Hero (USA), Holy Roman Emperor’s (Ire) Grade 1 winner Rockemperor (Ire), Big Brown’s (USA) Somelikeithotbrown (USA), and Can The Man’s (USA) Spectacular Gem (USA).
