Post Time: Kentucky Derby Day undercard thoughts
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Kentucky Derby undercard includes six graded stakes, culminating with the $3 million Grade 1 Kentucky Derby.
The flagship network NBC Sports and Peacock will broadcast the undercard races starting at noon EDT through the Derby, which will go to post at approximately 6:57 p.m. EDT.
The undercard features last year’s Eclipse Award winning sprinter, Cody’s Wish, who will run in the Grade 1 Churchill Downs Stakes.
Here’s a capsule look at Saturday’s five graded races heading into Race 12, the 149th running of the Run for the Roses.
Race 7 – TwinSpires Turf Sprint (G2) – 5½ furlongs (Turf) – 1:56 p.m. EDT
A full Turf Sprint field is part of the sequence this year, led by 4-year-old colt 4-Big Invasion (7-2), who was tabbed with the favorite role for trainer Christophe Clement. Jockey Joel Rosario will have the son of Declaration of War rolling late, and his inside post is a positive to gain early position. 11-Motorius (8-1) comes off a monster performance at Santa Anita and Great Britain-bred horse will try to make some noise on Coronation Day. Wesley Ward enters the 5-year-old 10-Arrest Me Red (10-1), who is always a threat with Irad Ortiz Jr. in the irons. The son of Pioneerof the Nile finished third in last year’s edition. 7-Nothing Better (5-1) will be on the engine early and will try to take them gate-to-wire.
Post Time Outlook: 1 – Big Invasion; 2 – Motorius; 3 – Arrest Me Red; 4 – Nothing Better
Race 8 – Pat Day Mile (G2) – 1 mile (Dirt) – 2:46 p.m. EDT
Race typically attracts nonqualifiers from the Derby trail that are cutting in distance to a mile. Lots of speed in the race, and we’ll go with a horse that should relish the cut back in 7-Fort Bragg (9-2), a Tim Yakteen trainee that was transferred from the Bob Baffert barn. A Gun Runner colt is the morning line favorite for Steve Asmussen who could benefit from the amount of speed in the race and be a factor late. 5-Echo Again (7-2) will have Florent Geroux in the irons for the Hall of Famer. Long shot with a chance is 11-Gilmore (12-1) with Irad Ortiz Jr. in the saddle of the son of Twirling Candy. 1-Kanagaroo Court (8-1) will try to work out a trip from the rail for Yakteen with Hall of Famer Johnny Velazquez aboard.
Post Time Outlook: 1 – Fort Bragg; 2 – Echo Again; 3 – Gilmore; 4 – Kangaroo Court
Race 9 – The American Turf (G2) – 1 1/16 miles (Turf) – 3:40 p.m. EDT
Trainer Todd Pletcher decided to skip the Derby with 1-Major Dude (5-2), who would’ve been entered due to the four scratches before Friday’s deadline, but picked this spot instead. With the same connections as Derby favorite Forte, Major Dude returns to the turf after his second-place finish in the Ruby on the Tapeta. The lightly raced 11-Carl Spackler (3-1) is the morning-line favorite and a formidable foe. Irad’s brother, Jose, will ride for top turf trainer Chad Brown. 2-Far Bridge (7-2) is the son of top turf sire English Channel and is undefeated in his first two career races. Long shot West Coast shipper 5-Johannes (15-1) comes in third off the layoff on a three-race win streak for Yakteen.
Post Time Outlook: 1 – Major Dude; 2 – Carl Spackler; 3 – Far Bridge; 4 – Johannes
Race 10 – Churchill Downs (G1) – 7 furlongs (Dirt) – 4:31 p.m. EDT
Last year’s male sprint champion 7-Cody’s Wish (4-5) is the overwhelming favorite and most likely single in the multirace sequence for bettors. He’ll be challenged by 7-year-old warrior 10-Endorsed (5-1), who ships in from Gulfstream for trainer Mike Maker. 6-Tejano Twist (6-1) is a son of Practical Joke who ships in from Oaklawn and will be closing late. 8-Fortin Hill (20-1) is the long shot most likely to hit the board.
Post Time Outlook: 1 – Cody’s Wish; 2 – Endorsed; 3 – Tejano Twist; 4 – Fortin Hill
Race 11 – Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic (G1) – 1⅛ miles (Turf) – 5:27 p.m. EDT
The most evenly matched race on the undercard, the field of 10 will be led by last year’s winner 8-Santin (9-2), who is 2-for-2 at Churchill Downs. We’ll go with Pletcher’s 1-Up to the Mark (4-1), who comes off a good effort at Keeneland in which he just ran out of turf in the Maker’s Mark. 4-Steady On (5-1) is right there with the top two and gives Pletcher a solid 1-2 punch. Top turf jock Flavien Prat will ride 7-Hong Kong Harry (7-2), the slim morning-line favorite for Phil D’Amato and looking to rebound from his fourth-place finish in the Kilroe at Santa Anita.
Post Time Outlook: 1 – Up to the Mark; 2 – Santin; 3 – Steady On; 4 – Hong Kong Harry
Gene Kershner, a Buffalo-based turf writer, is a member of the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters Association, and tweets@EquiSpace.
