Correll’s Derby Top Ten: Essential Quality heads the List

Ron Correll
Senior Columnist
Tracksideview

With just two months to the 147th Kentucky Derby on May 1, it’s time to unveil my first Derby Top 10 of 2021.

Leading off is the 2-year-old champion Essential Quality who looked like he hadn’t lost a step in winning the delayed Southwest Stakes on Feb.27 at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark.

Next is Greatest Honour who looked just as impression winning the Fountain of Youth on the same day at Gulfstream Park in South Florida.

Mandaloun won the Risen Star on Feb. 13 at Fair Grounds in New Orleans.

Life is Good won the Sham Stakes on Jan.2 at Santa Anita Park in Southern California and is set to go in the San Felipe on March 6 at the same track.

Proxy and Midnight Bourbon ran second and third in the Risen Star, but both of them beat Mandaloun in the Lecomte earlier at Fair Grounds. All three are good-looking colts.

Rombauer won the El Camino Real Derby on Feb. 13 at Golden Gate in Northern California. I’m not usually a fan of the winner of this race, but sources say this guy can really run on dirt. We’ll see.

Medina Spirit ran second to Life is Good in the Sham and I want to see the rematch in the San Felipe.

Keepmeinmind ran second to Essential Quality in the Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland and third to him in the Juvenile. He may not stay here long.

Concert Tour is an “unknown” in the Bob Baffert barn and Baffert also has Life is Good and Medina Spirit. I want to see him in stakes company.

The list:

1. ESSENTIAL QUALITY
2. GREATEST HONOUR
3. MANDALOUN
4. LIFE IS GOOD
5. MIDNIGHT BOURBON
6. PROXY
7. ROMBAUER
8. MEDINA SPIRIT
9. KEEPMEINMIND
10. CONCERT TOUR