Usually, the Kentucky Derby is set for the first Saturday in May, setting in motion a five-week frenzy that continues with the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes. This year, though, the COVID-19 pandemic forced the movement of the Kentucky Derby all the way to Labor Day weekend, which means that the distance on the calendar from the Belmont to the Kentucky Derby is as long as the entire Triple Crown sequence in normal years. Now that the Belmont is done, with Tiz the Law winning as the heavy favorite, let’s turn our attention to Churchill Downs.
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Triple Crown Update: Time to Think about the Kentucky Derby
Between now and then, there will be more prep races to allow horses to gain the needed points to qualify for one of the 20 slots at Churchill Downs. Some of these include the Blue Grass at Keeneland (Grade II, $600,000) on July 11, the Haskell Stakes at Monmouth Park (Grade I, $1 million) on July 18, and the Travers at the Derby (Grade I, $1 million) at Saratoga on August 8.
Even though the Kentucky Derby will be the middle race in the Triple Crown sequence this year, it remains the crown jewel of the three. Let’s take a look at some of the contenders who should be right there at the finish.
Tiz the Law is the early favorite after that big win at the Belmont Stakes. He let Tap It To Win set the pace, just hanging off to the outside, but then once the turn came and the field hit the upper stretch, he hit that next gear and rolled to a fairly easy win. His Beyer Speed Figure was a career-best 100. He is the only three-year-old with more than one Grade I win. He will next race at the Travers at the Derby.
Honor A.P. is the son of Honor Code, who won the Whitney Stakes and the Metropolitan Mile in 2015. He won the Grade I Santa Anita Derby back on June 6, taking the title away from favorite Authentic, who had never lost a race before. His Beyer Speed Figure at Santa Anita was 102, which is currently the top figure of any of the three-year-olds currently in training. His next start is expected to be the Shared Belief at Del Mar, on August 1.
Authentic is one of Bob Baffert’s horses who has not succumbed to injury. He won the Grade II San Felipe and the Grade III Sham, both at Santa Anita. With Nadal and Charlatan down to injury, this will likely be Baffert’s only chance to have a horse win a Triple Crown race. He has two Triple Crown winners since 2015, as American Pharaoh (2015) and Justify (2018) have both won it. His horses have won five Kentucky Derby titles.
King Guilermo won the Tampa Bay Derby at 49/1 odds and came in second to Nadal in the Arkansas Derby’s second division. Keep coming back to JAZZ Horse Racing for the latest news and betting previews for all the top races.
