Race Selections: 144th Kentucky Derby

Posted On 04 May 2018

By Rick Francis —-

CHURCHILL DOWNS

Race 12) 1&1/4 Mile. Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve Grade I. Purse $2,000,000 FOR THREE YEAR OLDS
Post Time: ( 6:50)/ 5:50/ 4:50/ 3:50

16) Magnum Moon (Pletcher/Saez), according to racing pundits, the only thing this son of Malibu Moon has done wrong is never race as a two-year-old, something referred to as the “Apollo – Curse”, aptly named for the 1882 Derby winner who never started as a juvenile. Undefeated in his four career starts, he’s shown improvement each time out, easily besting solid fields in both the Grade 2 Rebel and G1 Arkansas Derby; and according to the same racing pundits, hasn’t demonstrated the speed necessary to win from off the pace or on the front end. Up until now however, he’s been fast enough, and at 6-1 morning line, that’s enough for me.

5) Audible (Pletcher/Castellano), Into Mischief colt also enters on a 4-race win streak with equally strong efforts in taking the G2 Holy Bull and Grade 1 Florida Derby. He’s got the speed numbers one could be looking for, and a Pletcher exacta will be a nice return.

7) Justify (Baffert/Smith), Scat Daddy colt is all the talk and rightfully so, as he’s blitzed his three career starts, including a clearing score last out in the G1 Santa Anita Derby; however he’s yet to face the quantity and quality he’ll see in “The Greatest Two Minutes in Sport”. Unfortunately, he also falls into the “curse” category. They’ll have to catch him.

11) Bolt d’Oro (Ruis/Espinoza), colt out of Medaglia d’Oro battles every time out but enters having run second in his last two, including to Justify in SA Derby; an effort where he should have probably challenged that winner a bit earlier. Nevertheless, you’ve got a jockey in Victor Espinoza that knows how to bring them home in this contest, as he seeks his fourth Derby win.

18) Vino Rosso (Pletcher/Velazquez), his stretch run last out in the Wood Memorial is what it’ll take to have a shot here; Hall of Fame jock Johnny V had a couple choices to pick from, and chose this son of Curlin.

LONGSHOTS:

17) Solomini (Baffert/Prat), Breeders’ Cup Juvenile runner-up and Grade 1 winner of the Los Alamitos Futurity has never been off the board in his six career starts.

8) Lone Sailor (Amoss/Graham), a bit of a sentimental play here with my New Orleans connections; that being said, trainer Tom Amoss says this colt out of Majestic Warrior is starting to figure out the racing game, and if not here, will be a summer stakes player.