The Preps are Over

Ron Correll
Senior columnist Tracksideview

Omaha Beach and Improbable went from being on the outside looking at the 2019 Kentucky Derby to securing solid spots in the 145th renewal of the race after putting on a thrilling stretch drive in the Arkansas Derby on April 13 at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark.

The top pair engaged each other near the three-eighths pole after Omaha Beach rushed to the lead on the backstretch. Improbable challenged Omaha Beach as they entered the second turn while the rest of the field floundered in their wake.

Omaha Beach still had the lead as the pair hit the quarter pole and would not let Improbable by as they battled the length. Omaha Beach still had a little more than a length lead as he hit the wire in 1:49.91 for the mile-and-an-eighth race. The third-place horse, Country House, was another six lengths back.

The final time was the third-fastest mile-and-an-eighth prep race run this year. Cutting Humor ran a 1:46.94 in winning the Sunland Derby in New Mexico. I’m a little leery of that time. Maximum Security ran a 1:48.86 in winning the Florida Derby over a fast track. The Arkansas Derby was run over a sloppy, sealed track.

The colts in the starting gate and their points are listed below. Of course, since the qualifying races are over, the points don’t mean anything now. I’ve also listed the trainers.

Tacitus, 150 points, Bill Mott
Omaha Beach, 137.5, Richard Mandella
Vekoma, 110, George Weaver
Plus Que Parfait, 104, Brendan Walsh
Roadster, 100, Bob Baffert
By My Standards, 100, Bret Calhoun
Maximum Security, 100, Jason Servis
Game Winner, 85, Bob Baffert
Code of Honor, 74, Shug McGaughey III
Haikal, 70, Kiaran McLaughlin
Improbable, 65, Bob Baffert
War of Will, 60, Mark Casse
Long Range Toddy, 53.5, Steve Asmussen
Tax, 52, Danny Gargan
Cutting Humor, 50, Todd Pletcher
Win Win Win, 50, Mike Trombetta
Country House, 50, Bill Mott
Gray Magician, 41, Peter Miller
Spinoff, 40, Todd Pletcher
Master Fencer, (Japanese entry) Koichi Tsunoda

If any of the above colts would withdraw from the field prior to the post-position draw, the horses below will get into the field in the order they are listed. Two alternate entries will be drawn for the race and right now they would be Bodexpress and Signalman. If a colt in the main body of the race scratches before 9 a.m., May 3 the first AE will get in the race, and if two colts scratch, then both will get in.

Bodexpress, 40, Gustavo Delgado
Signalman, 38, Kenny McPeek
Anothertwistafate, 38, Blaine Wright
Sueno, 32, Keith Desormeaux
Bourbon War, 31, Gregg Sacco
Instagrand, 30, Jerry Hollendorfer
Mucho Gusto, 24, Bob Baffert
Knicks Go, 20, Ben Colebrook
Owendale, 20, Brad Cox
Outshine, 20, Todd Pletcher