American Promise joins Kentucky Derby prospects
March 17 (UPI) -- Add the name American Promise to the list of Kentucky Derby candidates, thanks to the Justify colt's runaway victory in this weekend's sole qualifying race for the Run for the Roses.
American Promise's victory in the Virginia Derby capped a diverse weekend of racing that leads to one of busiest and most pressure-packed periods of the year. The May 3 Kentucky Derby is six weeks from Saturday and much remains to be determined.
The Road to the Roses
American Promise took six tries to find the winner's circle as a 2-year-old, but then finished seventh in the Grade III Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn and fifth in the Grade II Risen Star at Fair Grounds to start 2025.
The Justify colt put it all together and defeated a solid field in Saturday's $400,000 Virginia Derby at Colonial Downs, dueling California shipper Getaway Car into submission and drawing off to win by 7 3/4 lengths.
The score earned the D. Wayne Lukas trainee 50 points on the "Road to the Kentucky Derby," historically enough to claim a stall in the Churchill Downs starting gate.
With Nik Juarez up, American Promise hounded pacesetting Getaway Car down the backstretch through speedy fractions, put that rival away before turning into the stretch and wasn't bothered after that. Render Judgment finished second, Omaha Omaha was third and Getaway Car held on for fourth.
"I didn't want to use my horse early, but I knew I had to get forward position with how the track has been playing," Juarez said. "I'm just a guy who is lucky enough to be named to ride Mr. Lukas's horses. To be heading to the [Kentucky] Derby for him is a dream come true."
Now with 55 points, American Promise is No. 5 on the "Road" leaderboard, which determines preference for the maximum 20-horse field. Getaway Car is No. 8, but looks less and less like Derby material, especially because trainer Bob Baffert has several more promising 3-year-olds. Render Judgment and Omaha Omaha climbed into the No. 14 and 15 slots, respectively.
Starting with next weekend's Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds and Jeff Ruby Steaks at Turfway Park, points are awarded on a scale of 100-50-25-15-10 for the first five finishers. In that context, only a few of the current top points-earners can be relatively sure of earning a spot in the big race.
The Road to the Oaks
Fondly pressed the pace made by Anomia in Saturday's $250,000 Virginia Oaks at Colonial Downs, relentlessly wore that rival down through the final furlong and held off late runner Early On by 1/2 length for the win. Anomia finished another 1/2 length back in third.
Fondly, an Upstart filly, ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.31. Irad Ortiz Jr. rode for trainer Graham Motion. The victory boosted Fondly into the No. 4 spot in the "Road to the Kentucky Oaks" standings.
Sprint
Booth, with Erik Asmussen riding for trainer-father Steve Asmussen, showed the way in Saturday's $250,000 Grade III Whitmore Stakes at Oaklawn Park and had no issues in the late going, winning by 2 1/4 lengths from Giant Mischief. Tejano Twist was third.
A 4-year-old Mitole colt, Booth completed 6 furlongs on a fast track in 1:09.79. It was his fifth win from nine starts and second straight.
"Well, I think it's like his daddy -- with time, with time," the elder Asmussen said. "It's his 4-year-old year, which was when Mitole became Mitole."
Mitole, also trained by Asmussen, won 10 of 14 starts from 2017 through 2019, was never out of the first three and bowed out with a victory in the Breeders' Cup Sprint. The 2019 Eclipse Award champion sprinter was the leading first-crop sire of 2023.
Book'em Danno got back into the win column Friday at Colonial Downs with a pace-stalking, 2 1/2-length victory over Repo Rocks in the $150,000 Boston Handicap.
With Paco Lopez up for trainer Derek Ryan, the Bucchero gelding got 7 furlongs in 1:20.03, just 0.17 second off the course record, while beating just two rivals. The race was restricted to Virginia-breds.
T Kraft outfinished Sexton in a bumping match through the final yards of Saturday's $125,000 Jimmy Winkfield Stakes for 3-year-olds at the Big A, winning by a neck. The stewards took a look before letting the Connect colt keep the win.
At Gulfstream Park, Rolando stalked the pace in Saturday's $115,000 Hutcheson Stakes for 3-year-olds, took the lead on the turn and survived a late bid by Multiverse to win by 1/2 length. The Vekoma colt, with Tyler Gaffalione up, ran 6 furlongs in 1:10.57.
Filly & Mare Sprint
Sheilahs Warcloud rallied to the lead in the stretch in Friday's $150,000 Stellar Wind Handicap for Virginia-breds at Colonial Downs and held off Mary Q to win by a neck. The 4-year-old Madefromlucky filly got 6 furlongs in 1:09.14.
Lithe Spirit dug in through the final furlong of Saturday's $125,000 Queen Stakes at Turfway Park to hold off Get Twisted and win by a head. The 4-year-old daughter of Speightstown ran 6 furlongs on the all-weather track in 1:10.29 for jockey Joe Ramos.
On Sunday at Gulfstream Park, Unchained Elaine launched a rally at the quarter pole that got her past pacesetting Rojo Rita and on to a 2-length victory over that rival in the $115,000 Any Limit Stakes for 3-year-old fillies.
The daughter of American Pharoah, bred, trained and part-owned by Patrick Biancone, ran 6 furlongs in 1:10.96 with Junior Alvarado at the controls.
Filly & Mare Turf
Lady Claypool came from last of seven to upset Saturday's $100,000 Grade III Santa Ana Stakes at Santa Anita, winning by 2 1/2 lengths from Lady Astor. The favorite, Kathynmarissa, stalked the early pace and faded to finish fifth.
A 5-year-old, Irish-bred mare by Starspangledbanner, Lady Claypool ran 1 1/4 miles on firm going, starting on the downhill course, in 2:01.40. Tiago Periera rode for trainer Richard Baltas. It was her third straight win. Before that, she went 1-for-16 in England and the United States.
Turf Sprint
Epona's Hope jumped out to a big lead in Saturday's $115,000 Captiva Island Stakes for fillies and mares at Gulfstream Park and the odds-on favorite, Just a Care, couldn't catch her.
Epona's Hope, a 4-year-old Adios Charlie filly, won by 1 1/4 lengths, covering 5 furlongs on firm turf in 54.78 seconds.
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