The street to the Kentucky Derby continues this Saturday with the $400,000 Kentucky Jockey Membership Stakes at Churchill Downs. This can be a Grade 2 race with 10 qualifying factors awarded to the winner. Seven promising 2-year-old colts will probably be lined up as a part of the Stars of Tomorrow II card. Traditionally, the race has been an necessary stepping stone to the Derby, producing three Kentucky Derby winners since 1976, however Tremendous Saber is the one horse to realize a uncommon double in that span.
This yr’s area has a gorgeous mixture of homebred horses, high-value yearlings and every part in between, making for some worthwhile and aggressive ticket racing. Winchell Thoroughbred Homebred Horses spice runner Joel Rosario rides for the primary time with coach Steve Asmussen on the rail. Gun Runner, a stallion who returned to Churchill’s dwelling grounds in September and gained two G3 Iroquois Stakes and an 80 Equibase Velocity Determine, earned 11 Kentucky Derby factors and in addition gained the graded stakes. Cherokee NationThe yearling, bought for $1.15 million, is aiming for his first journey to the Winner’s Circle. He was transported from the West Coast to coach Bob Baffert, who has brilliant crimson Flavien Prat lined up for his first journey. Dr. Kapur He gained his first victory by 2 3/4 lengths within the earlier race of his second profession race, and this will probably be coach Saffie Joseph Jr.’s first time on the dust monitor. troopers and diplomats We drove a mile on the Churchill dust in direction of Asmussen and began with about 9 horse lengths. very linked He took his first win on Churchill’s tough course in September in his third profession begin. He earned three factors within the Derby, following a third-place end in his earlier race, the G3 Road Sense S, run by coach Kenny McPeak. Much more commotion In his third begin at Keeneland in October, he defeated the maiden horse by an astonishing 20 lengths. One of many Kentucky Jockey Membership’s most anticipated runners, he will probably be ridden by Airad Ortiz Jr. and can make his stakes debut underneath coach Brad Cox. universeone other coach, McPeak, attracts the surface put up and enters the race with back-to-back prime three finishes in graded stakes.
Evaluation and fundamental candidates:
in the meantime Cherokee Nation remains to be in search of his first profession win, however the Not This Time colt, who was bought for $1.15 million on the 2024 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, appears extremely gifted. Cherokee Nation made his debut in a five-and-a-half furlong dust dash at Del Mar in early September, ending fourth by 11 lengths regardless of posting a modest equibase velocity determine of 68. In his subsequent begin at Santa Anita Park in mid-October, the Baffert trainee tried a double-turn route for the primary time and improved considerably. After a mile on the dust, Cherokee Nation shortly jumped to the entrance and dueled alongside the backstretch, posting robust quarter-mile occasions of: 22.83 and 46.94. The ultimate flip noticed Mr. AP, the 3-5 favourite, take command, however Cherokee Nation wasn’t going anyplace. The pair raced in a straight line, with Cherokee Nation preventing again on the within and ending only a nostril brief, however 12 3/4 lengths away from the third-place horse. It was very spectacular that the two-year-old was capable of battle again after setting the tempo, particularly contemplating that the winner, Mr. AP, subsequently completed second within the TAA-sponsored G1 FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Juvenile by one size to undefeated Ted Nophy. Cherokee Nation earned a career-best velocity of 106 for his effort at Santa Anita and departed for Kentucky with a mission to not solely break his maiden, but in addition rating factors on his technique to the Kentucky Derby. A giant plus for the horse is the addition of Pratt, who gained a powerful 50% from 28 rides final week. Traditionally, the Baffert-Pratt duo has been practically unstoppable, successful 40% (19 of 48 races) and 71% within the cash in graded stakes races over the previous three years. The Cherokee Nation has continued to carry out properly at Santa Anita since its runner-up end, rating second on the sluggish tempo with 112.0 factors behind Father Addo’s 120.5 factors. Normally the Cherokee Nation has an enormous benefit in conditions like this, however the presence of Additional Ado provides numerous worth.
return of Much more commotion His 20-length runaway victory was understandably the main focus of this yr’s Kentucky Jockey Membership Stakes. The Gun Runner colt was bought by Spendthrift Farm for $550,000 on the OBS Spring 2-Yr-Outdated Horse Coaching Sale. The horse debuted at Saratoga in July, ending fifth, three and a half lengths behind fellow Kentucky Jockey Membership competitor Soldier N Diplomat, however fell again barely in his second begin, dropping from an Equibase velocity determine of 78 to 69 by the point he completed third in one other dust dash at Saratoga in August. All the pieces modified final time towards Keeneland. Father Addo, who reached two rotations for the primary time, placed on a jaw-dropping efficiency whereas incomes a career-best and field-best 114 equal base velocity determine within the 1 1/16-mile maiden particular weight with Irad Ortiz Jr. aboard. All numbers point out “Additional Ado”. Cox gained by a 30% margin during the last two first-time winners of the previous two years, with Father Addo coming into the sphere with each the most effective late tempo score and the most effective final out velocity determine within the area. Over the previous yr, horses with this mix in main races on dust routes have had a win fee of 29% and a end within the cash of 61% in 190 begins. Moreover, Addo has continued to coach positively since his breakthrough, most just lately clocking a five-furlong time of 59.60 seconds in robust winds at Churchill Racecourse on November fifteenth. He has an excellent probability of operating away on this race, however it is going to be tough for a 2-year-old horse to repeat such a unprecedented efficiency.
troopers and diplomats He joined the Kentucky Jockey Membership in late October with an excellent efficiency, successful by 9 lengths in an allowance race at Churchill Race Course and posting a career-best velocity of 91 over the dust mile. The Asmussen-trained colt will probably be ridden once more by Tyler Gaffalione, who rode him to victory. Soldier N Diplomat made a right away impression in his profession debut at Saratoga, defeating Father Addo in his first particular weight occasion with an Equibase velocity determine of 85, then moved up considerably within the Grade 1 Spend Thrift Farm Hopeful Stakes, ending fourth behind Ted Nophy. His newest win marked his first try at a one-turn-mile dust route, however the two-turn query stays unanswered. Nonetheless, Soldier N Diplomat confirmed unbelievable expertise in all three of his begins. With a confirmed affinity for Churchill surfaces and a robust monitor document of discovering the winner’s circle, Soldier N Diplomat has one other probability to make it huge on Saturday.
The remainder of the sphere (with the very best Equibase velocity numbers in related races): “The Spice Runner” (1988), “Dr. Kapoor” (1988), “Very Related” (1988), and “Universe” (1992).
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Cherokee Nation
Much more commotion
troopers and diplomats
