148th Kentucky Derby: Current Field 18 Days Out

Twenty horses are allowed to race in the 148th Kentucky Derby on May 7 and below is the list of the top 20 point-getters from Derby prep races. To this point, 18 days out from the famous race at Churchill Downs, these 20 are all set on being entered for the 1 1/4 mile classic as long as their training goes flawlessly.

EPICENTER is a long leader in points as he dominated preps in Louisiana and he could become the first Derby winner for all-time leading trainer by wins, Steve Asmussen and Winchell Thoroughbreds. The son of Not This Time – Silent Candy by Candy Ride (Arg) has had three improved Beyer Speed Figures in his last three races with a top of 102 in the Louisiana Derby (G2). Joel Rosario rides this strong bay colt. Epicenter was a $260,000 Keeneland September sale yearling.

ZANDON, by Upstart – Memories Prevail by Creative Cause, is owned by Jeff Drown and trained by Chad Brown and this guy was impressive winning the Grade 1 Blue Grass Stakes with a 98 Beyer Figure.

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The Florida star is WHITE ABARRIO by the Tapit stallion Race Day (now in Korea) from the mare Catching Diamonds by Into Mischief. He has a 96 and 97 Beyer Figure from wins in the Holy Bull (G3) and Florida Derby (G1) and he was a $40,000 purchase at the Ocala March Sale for juveniles in 2021, but originally a $7,500 short yearling from the 2020 Ocala Winter Mixed sale.

MO DONEGAL and MESSIER have deep Canadian pedigree lines with the latter being the only Canadian-bred in the field. Mo Donegal comes from the family of Bon Debarras, bred by Pierre Levesque and dam of champion Eternal Search. Bon Debarras is also the dam of Savethelastdance, fourth dam of Mo Donegal.

MESSIER was foaled in Milton at Sam-Son Farms and is from multiple generations of Sam-Son Farms breeding. As the farm has sold most of its breeding stock and is mostly a racing stable now, the bloodlines continue to produce top-class horses. Messier dam Checkered Past has a half-sister, Catch the Fire, who produced an Ontario-bred juvenile of 2022 by Distorted Humor, bred by Tan Hyka and now owned by Begg Racing.

Messier has nine ownership groups.

Rank/Horse/Points/Owner(s)/Trainer/Non-Restricted Stakes Earnings

1. Epicenter / 164 / Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC (Joan & Ron Winchell) / Steve Asmussen / $940,000
2. Zandon / 114 / Jeff Drown / Chad Brown / $663,500
3. White Abarrio / 112 / C2 Racing Stable LLC (Clint Cornett) & La Milagrosa Stable LLC (Antonio Pagnano) / S Joseph

4. Mo Donegal / 112 / Donegal Racing (Jerry Crawford et al) / Todd Pletcher / $561,500
5. Tiz the Bomb / 110 / Magdalena Racing (Sherri McPeek et al) / Kenny McPeek / $1,012,610

6. Cyberknife / 100 / Gold Square LLC (Abraham “Al” Gold) / Brad Cox / $752,000
7. Crown Pride (JPN) / 100 / Teruya Yoshida / Koichi Shintani / $671,544
8. Taiba / 100 / Zedan Racing Stables Inc. (Amr Zedan) / Tim Yakteen / $450,000
9. Simplification / 74 / Tami Bobo / Antonio Sano / $482,150
10. Smile Happy / 70 / Lucky Seven Stable (Michael J. Mackin) / Kenny McPeek / $499,410

11. Tawny Port / 60 / Peachtree Stable (John Fort) / Brad Cox / $351,400
12. Barber Road / 58 / WSS Racing LLC (William Simon) / John Ortiz / $589,700
13. Un Ojo / 54 / Cypress Creek Equine (Kevin Moody) & Whispering Oaks Farm LLC (Carrol Castille) / Ricky Courville / $661,250
14. Early Voting / 50 / Klaravich Stables Inc. (Seth Klarman) / Chad Brown / $277,500
15. Morello / 50 / Diamond T Racing (Jason Taylor), Blue Lion Thoroughbreds (David Lyon) & Craig Taylor / Steve Asmussen / $242,500

16. Messier / 40 / SF Racing LLC (Gavin Murphy), Starlight Racing (Jack Wolf), Madaket Stables LLC (Sol Kumin), Robert E. Masterson, Jay A. Schoenfarber, Waves Edge Capital LLC (W. Gregg Slager), Catherine M. Donovan, Golconda Stable (Ben Goldberg & Elliot Friman), Siena Farm LLC (Anthony Manganaro) / Tim Yakteen / $390,000
17. Zozos / 40 / Barry & Joni Butzow / Brad Cox / $200,000 / Career: $291,200
18. $-Summer Is Tomorrow / 40 / Michael Hilary Burke & Negar Burke / Bhupat Seemar / $200,000 / Career: $267,606
19. Charge It / 40 / Whisper Hill Farm (Amanda Pope) / Todd Pletcher / $188,000
20. Happy Jack / 30 / Calumet Farm (Brad Kelley) / Doug O’Neill / $142,000

Next on the points list:

21. Pioneer of Medina / 25 / Sumaya U. S. Stables (Oussama Aboughazale) / Todd Pletcher / $116,000
22. In Due Time / 24 / Edge Racing (John Moran), Medallion Racing (Phillip Shelton) & Parkland Thoroughbreds (Steve Weston) / Kelly Breen / $113,800
23. Ethereal Road / 22 / Julie Gilbert & Aaron Sones / Wayne Lukas / $231,000
24. Rich Strike / 21 / RED TR-Racing LLC (Richard Dawson) / Eric Reed / $74,500
25. Rattle N Roll / 20 / Lucky Seven Stable (Michael J. Mackin) / Kenny McPeek / $356,500
26. Skippylongstocking / 20 / Daniel Alonso / Saffie Joseph Jr. / $86,350

KENTUCKY OAKS (G1) MAY 6

Fourteen fillies can run in the Oaks and the field is shaping up strongly.

From a Canadian standpoint, COCKTAIL MOMENTS, second in the Grade 1 Ashland Stakes is a daughter of Ontario-sired and bred RIVER MAID, a Sovereign Award winner for Champion Female Sprinter in 2016. This is the first foal of River Maid who was trained by Bob Tiller for the The Very Dry Stable. River Maid, by Where’s the Ring, was sold for $450,000 as a broodmare in 2017 and Cocktail Moments, by Uncle Mo, is her first foal

Sam-Son farms breeding is well presented again with Cleopatra’s Charge, a Kentucky-bred from four generations of Sam-Son pedigrees tracing back to Quiet Cleo and Queen of Egypt.

Yuugiri, winner of the Fantasy Stakes, has a very recognizable Canadian pedigree as her fourth dam is the great mare Ballade, dam of Glorious Song, and others.

# Horse/Points/Non-Restricted Stakes Earnings/Career Earnings

1 Kathleen O. / Keeneland Sales Graduate/150/$335,730/$379,730
2 Echo Zulu / Keeneland Sales Graduate/130/$1,665,000/$1,720,000
3 Nest / Keeneland Sales Graduate/120 $573,550 $623,050
4 Yuugiri / 114 / $508,050 / $543,610
5 Desert Dawn / 108 / $328,000 / $378,400
6 Nostalgic / 101 / $153,500 / $235,400
7 Venti Valentine / 94 / $237,500 / $416,250
8 Secret Oath / 80 / $436,707 / $590,167
9 Goddess of Fire / 62 $154,375 $209,375
10 Turnerloose / Keeneland Sales Graduate / 60 / $516,700 / $547,300
11 Hidden Connection / Keeneland Sales Graduate / 57 / $369,525 / $399,525
12 Cocktail Moments / Keeneland Sales Graduate / 52 / $145,100 / $214,560
13 Candy Raid / Keeneland Sales Graduate / 51 / $154,320 / $191,400
14 Cleopatras Charge / 50 / $182,250 / $195,406
15 Shahama / 50 / $180,000 / $223,484
16 Shotgun Hottie / 41 / $139,000 / $214,720
17 Adare Manor / 40 / $200,000 / $256,600
18 Ain’t Easy / Keeneland Sales Graduate / 40 / $180,000 / $222,000
19 Beguine / 40 / $120,000 / $183,000