LEXINGTON, Ky. (WDRB) -- The Kentucky Derby picture figured to clarify itself a bit on Saturday with three major preps, including the upgraded Grade I Toyota Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland. But while the field for the May 7 Run for the Roses has come into clearer view, several who were considered top contenders will come to Louisville with some question marks after failing to win on Saturday.
At Keeneland, Chad Brown's Zandon weaved into position from the back of the pack on a fast but rain-soaked track, maneuvered his muddy frame into position in the stretch, then swallowed up favorite Smile Happy to win the Blue Grass by 2 1/2 lengths.
Zandon wasn't the only thing muddy on an intriguing Saturday of racing. He earned 100 points toward Kentucky Derby qualification and will come into the race No. 2 on the leaderboard.
Meanwhile, the colt who was the No. 2 choice in Kentucky Derby future wagering, the until-recently Bob Baffert-trained Messier, finished a surprise No. 2 in Saturday's Santa Anita Derby. Having been moved to the barn of former Baffert assistant Tim Yakteen, Messier gave way in the Santa Anita stretch to stablemate Taiba, who was entered on a hunch by Amr Zedan, the owner of Medina Spirit. Zedan's hunch paid off – giving former Baffert trainees a 1-2 punch entering the Derby.
And in New York, where Brown watched his win down in Lexington, his favorite in the Wood Memorial , Early Voting, saw Pletcher's Mo Donegal, a son of Uncle Mo, charge by with a late rally to deliver a record-tying seventh victory in the Wood for Pletcher, who was in Lexington watching Emmanuel go to the lead before flattening out and finishing third.
Such were the fortunes of the last major prep day before the Kentucky Derby – trainers winning in absentia, and none more prominent than Baffert, who will hang over the proceedings at Churchill Downs, absent because of a 90-day suspension in Kentucky and a 2-year suspension from Churchill, the latter of which he continues to challenge in federal court.
Got all that? Good.
BLUE GRASS
Smile Happy has done enough to qualify for the Derby for trainer Kenny McPeek, and with what most described as a "heavy" track at Keeneland Saturday, still will send his connections into the Derby with plenty of optimism.
"I am not disappointed whatsoever," McPeek said. "I thought the timing of this race was good. I think the next race will be his best race. He got a little tired at the end. We will see how much water he drinks and how (tired) he is. This is a really good horse. This is only his fourth career start. I feel like I could win the Derby or the Preakness with this horse. The only horse I was worried about (in this race) is the one who won."
Jeff Drown, owner of the winner, said afterward the performance was breathtaking.
"Still working on (catching my breath," he said. "What a great race. What a fantastic performance. You've got to trust the rider (Flavian Prat). The trainer had him ready – Chad did a fantastic job. Flavien rode him perfect. It just felt good.”
Zandon will enter the Kentucky Derby a top contender, after training well leading up to the Blue Grass after a second-place finish to expected favorite Epicenter in the Louisiana Derby.
El Camino Real Derby Blackadder, a Baffert trainee moved to Rodolphe Brisset, finished ninth in the field of 11.
The last Blue Grass runner to win the Derby was Street Sense in 2007.
SANTA ANITA
Yakteen's head must be spinning, now with a pair of Derby contenders after a 1-2 finish in the Santa Anita Derby.
"Overwhelmed is an understatement," he said, after Taiba's big finish.
It was just the second start of the year for the sun of Gun Runner, and Yakteen said it was his preference not to run in him in the Santa Anita Derby, but Zedan was insistant.
"Amr made it very clear. He overruled me," Yakteen said. ". . . We told him the challenges that might take place by doing something like this, but he had all the confidence in the world in this horse and wanted to give the (Kentucky) Derby another go. That’s what he’s in the game for. He took the gamble. That was a huge gamble and the horse paid off.”
Messier had few excuses. Yakteen said he ran "lights out," but was beaten by a stablemate who ran a better race.
Santa Anita was expected to be a duel between Messier and Richard Mandella's Forbidden Kingdom, but Forbidden Kingdom finished last in the field of six as the even-money favorite. He still qualifies easily for the Derby, but Mandella has yet to make a decision on whether he'll run.
The race continued a hot streak for jockey Mike Smith, who has now won three of the past four Santa Anita Derbies.
WOOD MEMORIAL
Likewise, Brown's previously unbeaten Early Voting is an easy qualifier for the Derby, but Brown said he'll take some time to think about his next move after Saturday's Wood Memorial run. It would be a surprise if he weren't racing at Churchill on the first Saturday in May.
Trainer Todd Pletcher talks with jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. before the jockey rode Commandperformance in the Blue Grass Stakes. April 9, 2022.
“I have to digest this and look at what happens everywhere today," Brown said. "Also, first and foremost look at the horse and put everything together to see if he'd have a reasonable chance to win the race. All along, we've said about this horse and really all our horses, I'm not interested in going unless they have a legitimate chance to win the race. Based on his limited experience and such, I'm not sure, but let's see. He has the points, so probably. I don't want to make a decision until I evaluate everything.”
The Wood figured to be a showdown between Early voting and unbeaten favorite Morello, but the Steve Asmussen-trained colt got off to a slow start and didn't figure in the outcome.
Because Morello wasn't able to set a brisk pace, Pletcher wondered if his late-closing colt would be able to reel in Early Voting, but Mo Donegal proved up to the challenge.
"It didn't really unfold the way we thought it would," Pletcher said. "When Steve's horse didn't get away well, I was worried the fractions were a little soft, but he was able to overcome that and come with a big run. I think he got his last quarter-mile in :23.69, which is pretty impressive. He was resolute. He kept coming and I was thrilled to see him get there. . . .
You need a good trip in the Derby and with his running style, he's going to have to work his way through some traffic. But I think he's got some good experience and he showed today he can overcome a bit of a trip and zigzag when he needs to. Most importantly, it looks like he has the stamina to see out the trip.”
EPICENTER THE FUTURE WAGER FAVORITE
Four weeks in advance of the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve, bettors made Louisiana Derby winner Epicenter the 9-2 favorite over Santa Anita Derby runner-up Messier at 6-1 in the fifth and final pool of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager. Santa Anita Derby last-place finisher Forbidden Kingdom and Blue Grass runner-up Smile Happy both closed at 9-1.
The three-day pool closed Saturday at 4:30 p.m. ET in advance of Saturday's Derby preps.
Next up in the wagering was Saffie Joseph's White Abarrio at 12-1 and Morello at 15-1, followed by Pletcher's Charge It at 16-1 and Brad Cox's Cyberknife at 17-1. All Others were at 18-1, as was Zandon.
The latest Kentucky Derby leaderboard.
KEENELAND WAGERING SETS RECORD
All-sources handle for the 11-race card on Blue Grass Stakes Day set a single-day wagering record for Keeneland, with the $28,137,728 wagered exceeding the previous record of $25,809,200 set on Toyota Blue Grass Day in 2019.
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