Path to Kentucky Derby narrowing for stakes newcomers

Jul 20, 2020 Vance Hanson/Brisnet.com

With just four prep races remaining in the 2020 Road to the Kentucky Derby series, there are limited opportunities for any potential stakes newcomers to jump and join the Derby picture in the final weeks leading up to the first Saturday in September.

Judging by the current points leaderboard and the points left available between now and Aug. 15 (the day of the last prep), it appears that a win in either the Shared Belief S. on Aug. 1 or Ellis Park Derby on Aug. 9, or a first- or second-place finish in the Aug. 8 Travers (G1), would be a requirement for any horse without any points now to make the Derby field.

The above tasks will be made more difficult considering that Santa Anita Derby (G1) winner Honor A. P. is an intended starter and likely strong favorite in the Shared Belief, while current Derby favorite Tiz the Law could be a similarly short price in the Travers following impressive wins in the Belmont S. (G1) and Florida Derby (G1).

In other action this past week, Authentic, Ny Traffic, and Dr Post all climbed the leaderboard after occupying the first three slots in Saturday's Haskell (G1) at Monmouth Park. Two days earlier, Country Grammer entered the Kentucky Derby picture with a photo-finish score in the Peter Pan (G3) at Saratoga. The same can not yet be said for Caracaro or Mystic Guide, up-and-coming colts who finished second and third, respectively, in the Peter Pan and who need additional points in the coming weeks.

The 1 1/16-mile Shared Belief at Del Mar is the next stop in the series, followed by the Travers and Ellis Park Derby the following weekend. The Aug. 15 Pegasus S. at Monmouth concludes the series, though awarding points of only 20-8-4-2 to the top four.

(Durand/Coglianese photo)