The Kentucky Derby & Super Hi-5 Selections

By Rick Francis —-

Churchill Downs

Race 12) 1&1/4 Mile. Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve Grade I. Purse $3,000,000 FOR THREE-YEAR-OLDS
Post Time: ( 6:50)/ 5:50/ 4:50/ 3:50
ADVANCED FORECAST: Showers And Thunderstorms, High 69, Low 53

1) War of Will (Casse/Gaffalione); scratches get him off rail; going to the front.

2) Tax (Gargan/Alvarado); can’t behind Aqueduct entries.

3) By Ny Standards (Calhoun/Saez); form is solid, been gliding over the track in the A.M.’s.

4) Gray Magician (Miller/Van Dyke); got his money in Dubai, not here.

5) Improbable (Baffert/Ortiz, I.); tough beats in last two, blinkers off today for a 35 percent training angle.

6) Vekoma (Weaver/Castellano); Blue Grass win was strong, getting no respect at window; value.

7) Maximum Security (Servis/Saez, L.); undefeated and untested, anybody remember the rap on Justify.

8) Tacitus (Mott/Ortiz, J.); another whose best came at Aqueduct.

9) Plus Que Parfait (Walsh/Santana); had nothing for War of Will at Fair Grounds.

10) Cutting Humor (Pletcher/Smith); jock change to HOF rider Smith only chance.

11) Haikal (SCRATCHED)

12) Omaha Beach (SCRATCHED)

13) Code of Honor (McGaughey/Velazquez); Fountain of Youth champ posts a hot work for this.

14) Win Win Win (Trombetta/Pimental); Blue Grass runner-up reunites with jock Pimental, aboard for his three wins.

15) Master Fencer (Tsunoda/Leparoux); Japanese-bred shows only one work.

16) Game Winner (Baffert/Rosario); as with his stablemates, battled tested and a win factor.

17) Roadster (Baffert/Geroux); impressive wins in last two.

18) Long Ranger Toddy (Asmussen/Court); Rebel winner had nothing for a full field Arkansas Derby, won’t here.

19) Spinoff (Pletcher/Franco); La. Derby runner-up getting little respect from out here.

20) Country House (Mott/Prat); form heading south in last three.

21) Bodexpress (Delgado/Landeros); maiden; enough said.

Selections: 16, 5, 1, 3, 6