Kentucky Derby field filling in after weekend races from Louisiana to Japan
March 25 (UPI) -- It's time to start filling the field for the 150th Kentucky Derby after the first big weekend of qualifying races in Louisiana, Kentucky and Japan.
Catching Freedom is headed to Churchill Downs after a big win in the Louisiana Derby. Endlessly won a Kentucky Derby qualifier at Turfway Park, but don't mark him down for the Derby as his future is on the turf.
In Japan, unheralded T O Password earned a free pass in the Run for the Roses, with his plans yet to be determined.
There was plenty of high-quality, contentious racing sandwiched around those events at tracks from one edge of North America to the other.
Meanwhile, Japan, Hong Kong and Australia had big doings of their own. We cover that action in our separate, international roundup, which please see. Let's get this party started with ...
The Road to the Roses
Saturday's $1 million Grade II Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds and $700,000 Grade III Jeff Ruby Steaks at Turway Park kicked off the end game of the "Road to the Kentucky Derby" series.
Each race bestowed 100 points on the winner with 50, 25, 15 and 10 for the minor placings. In most years, 40 points has been about the "bubble" number to qualify for the maximum 20-horse field. It could be shaping up to be a bigger number for the 150th Derby.
Those numbers no longer concern Catching Freedom or his trainer, Brad Cox. The Constitution colt soared to the top of the leaderboard with a visually impressive, last-to-first victory in the Louisiana Derby.
Jockey Flavien Prat showed Catching Freedom daylight at the top of the long Fair Grounds stretch and he gobbled up the ground to finish first by 1 length.
Honor Marie also ran late to finish second with Tuscan Gold third and pacesetting favorite Track Phantom fourth.
Catching Freedom is comfortably in the Run for the Roses. And, combining Saturday's haul with points accumulated earlier, Honor Marie and Track Phantom both seem certain of Kentucky Derby spots.
"He needed pretty much the entire stretch to get there and I am very proud of the effort," said Cox, whose happy weekend also included wins in the Fair Grounds Oaks and big stakes at Oaklawn Park in Arkansas.
"We'll make sure he is happy and healthy," said Cox, who also won the Fair Grounds Oaks and big money races at Oaklawn Park. "We'll ship him up to Churchill (Downs) next week. ... Hopefully, he can have a great six weeks and a big run the first Saturday in May."
On Turfway Park's all-weather surface in northern Kentucky, Endlessly effortlessly swept by much of the field in the final furlong of the Jeff Ruby Steaks (it's named for the sponsoring steakhouse chain) and drew off to win by 4 lengths. West Saratoga was second with four other horses bunched just behind him.
Endlessly hasn't yet raced on dirt, and isn't likely to make his first start there in the Kentucky Derby. West Saratoga, however, is a potential candidate for Louisville.
In Japan, an otherwise unheralded colt named T O Password secured a guaranteed invitation to the Kentucky Derby by locking down the championship of the "Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby" with a victory in the equally unheralded Fukuryu Stakes at Nakayama Racecourse.
It was only the second career start for the colt, who is by Copano Rickey and has Sunday Silence two generations farther back in his pedigree. Trainer Daisuke Takayanagi said the owner will consider the Derby, adding, "I would love to give it a try in the Kentucky Derby, personally."
Several other Saturday races could be viewed for potential starters in the Preakness Stakes.
Nash showed promise while winning the $200,000 Hot Springs Stakes at Oaklawn Park by 5 1/2 lengths. Trikari took out the $250,000 Rushaway Stakes at Turfway Park. And Copper Tax beat Inveigled by a neck in the $100,000 Private Terms Stakes at Laurel Park.
The Lane to the Lilies
One solid favorite and one solid long shot emerged victorious from weekend Kentucky Oaks preliminaries.
At Fair Grounds, Tarifa went to the post as favorite in the $400,000 Grade II Fair Grounds Oaks, then had all she could do to pull out the victory by 3/4 length over stubborn pacesetter
Our Pretty Woman. Tarifa, a Godolphin homebred filly by Bernardini, ran 1 1/16 miles on a fast track in 1:43.24 with Flavien Prat in the irons for Cox.
The victory boosted Tarifa into a substantial lead on the "Road to the Kentucky Oaks" standings, and Cox said that's just where she's headed.
At Turfway Park, Everland came from off the pace to win the $300,000 Bourbonette Oaks by 1 1/4 lengths over Winable.
Everland, an Arrogate filly based at Turfway, was claimed by trainer Eric Foster three starts back for $30,000 and earned $177,800 for the Bourbonette win. As former Daily Racing Form reporter Marty McGee was fond of saying, "It's an easy game."
Classic
Three big-money heats attracted competitive fields in this division.
First Mission pressed the pace in Saturday's $600,000 Grade III Essex Handicap at Oaklawn Park, quickly took over the lead midway around the stretch turn and flew clear, winning by 5 lengths -- another weekend score for Brad Cox.
Red Route One altered course to the outside of rivals in deep stretch in Saturday's $500,000 Grade II New Orleans Classic at Fair Grounds and shot by pacesetting Louisiana-bred sensation Touchuponastar to win by 2 lengths over that one.
Cellist sat just off the pace in Saturday's $300,000 Grade III Kentucky Cup Classic at Turfway Park, advanced heading into the stretch and kicked on to win by 2 3/4 lengths over Atone.
Distaff
Dana's Beauty, at odds of 20-1, led most of the way to a 2 3/4-length victory in Saturday's $250,000 Latonia Stakes on the Turfway Park all-weather track. The 6-year-old Not This Time mare ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.96 with Jose Ortiz up.
Sprint
Okiro overcame an awkward start in Saturday's $250,000 Animal Kingdom Stakes for 3-year-olds at Turfway Park, showed his stuff in the lane and got up to win by 2 1/4 lengths. The favorite, Valentine Candy, finished fourth.
Turf
I'm Very Busy confirmed he's going to be a turf force with a late-running win in Saturday's $300,000 Grade III Muniz Memorial Classic at Fair Grounds.
The Cloud Computing colt, trained by Chad Brown, flashed signs of breaking out with a close second to Irish star filly Warm Heart in the Grade I Pegasus World Cup Turf at Gulfstream Park in January.
Missed the Cut stalked the pace in Saturday's $100,000 Grade III San Luis Rey Stakes at Santa Anita, got by the early leader around the furlong marker and rolled home first by 1 1/4 lengths.
Filly & Mare Turf
Delahaye stalked the pace in Saturday's $150,000 Tom Benson Memorial at Fair Grounds, challenged for the lead in upper stretch and finally inched away in the final sixteenth to win by 3/4 length from Join the Dance.
Delahaye, a 4-year-old Medaglia d'Oro filly, got 1 1/16 miles on good turf in 1:42.76 with Tyler Gaffalione riding for trainer Brown.
Turf Sprint
Gulfstream Park's two weekend turf sprints were both moved to the main track and two Royal Ascot vets -- No Nay Mets and Crimson Advocate -- were scratched from their slated warmups for a return trip.
