Notable achievements and interesting facts:[FONT="] After two wins to start 2018, including a game nose win in the [/FONT]Risen Star Stakes Presented by Lamarque Ford[FONT="], this Calumet Farm-owned colt turned in puzzlingly poor performance in the [/FONT]Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby[FONT="], finishing eighth and beaten by 21 ¼ lengths. In that race, he traveled four wide through the backstretch in a stalking position, went even wider entering the far turn, and then folded. His prior two wins as a 3-year-old came after he closely pressed the pace, but he settled farther back in the Louisiana Derby and that may have cost him. This colt has shown in races such as the Risen Star and last fall’s Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity (in which he finished second) that he deserves to be in the Kentucky Derby field, but he also has failed to show up in a few races, which is a concern. Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas has won the Derby four times in his storied career: [/FONT]Winning Colors[FONT="] in 1988; Thunder Gulch in 1995; Grindstone in 1996; and Charismatic in 1999. This will be Luis Contreras' second appearance in the Derby. Calumet Farm leads all owners in Kentucky Derby wins with eight, including Triple Crown winners [/FONT]Whirlaway[FONT="] (1941) and [/FONT]Citation[FONT="] (1948). All of those came before current Calumet Farm lessee Brad Kelley took over the farm, which sent three horses to the Derby last year in Sonneteer, Hence, and Patch.[/FONT]
Notable achievements and interesting facts:[FONT="] Based on his last three starts, this colt looms as a live longshot and a must-use horse for trifectas and superfectas as arguably the best stone-cold closer in the Kentucky Derby field. After racing on turf for five straight starts to finish his 2-year-old campaign in 2017 with some success, he was switched to dirt by trainer Keith Desormeaux and finished third behind [/FONT]McKinzie[FONT="] and [/FONT]All Out Blitz[FONT="] in the Jan. 6 [/FONT]Sham Stakes[FONT="]. Since then, he’s rallied to win the [/FONT]Southwest Stakes[FONT="] at [/FONT]Oaklawn Park[FONT="], finish third in the [/FONT]Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby[FONT="] at [/FONT]Fair Grounds[FONT="], and then won the [/FONT]Stonestreet Lexington Stakes[FONT="] at [/FONT]Keeneland[FONT="] to get in the Derby field. If he can continue to take his race with him to [/FONT]Churchill Downs[FONT="], he should have enough pace in front to set up his kick through the lane. Having a Hall of Fame rider with decades of Derby experience does not hurt either. Kent Desormeaux won the Derby in 1998 with Real Quiet, in 2000 with Fusaichi Pegasus, and in 2008 with Big Brown. He’s also finished second once and third four times. Keith Desormeaux trained Exaggerator to a runner-up finish behind Nyquist in the 2016 Derby with brother Kent riding. See Audible’s profile for information about Monomoy Stables (Sol Kumin), who also co-own [/FONT]Longines Kentucky Oaks[FONT="] likely favorite [/FONT]Monomoy Girl[FONT="]. West Point Thoroughbreds was co-owner of 2017 Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming. My Boy Jack is the first Kentucky Derby starter for Don’t Tell My Wife Stables.[/FONT]
Notable achievements and interesting facts:[FONT="] This son of 2011 Preakness Stakes winner Shackleford projects to be the pacesetter in the 144[/FONT][FONT="]th[/FONT][FONT="] run for the roses as he attempts to resurrect his career-best form displayed in the March 3 [/FONT]Xpressbet Fountain of Youth Stakes[FONT="]. In that race at [/FONT]Gulfstream Park[FONT="], he shot out to the early lead and was not seriously challenged in a gate-to-wire 2 ¼-length win. But in his next start, the March 31 [/FONT]Xpressbet Florida Derby[FONT="], he was pressured early and often by Strike Power and faded badly to finish ninth, beaten by 35 lengths. This year’s Kentucky Derby is full of horses that can either set the pace or press it, which makes this colt’s win chances on May 5 slim, given that he hasn’t shown the ability to win in any other way than by racing on the lead. On the positive side, he did break his maiden first-out at [/FONT]Churchill Downs[FONT="] last September, and ran well when finishing third after setting the pace in the [/FONT]Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes[FONT="] at Churchill in November. Louisville native Dale Romans’ best Kentucky Derby finish to date is third, accomplished with Paddy O’ Prado in 2010 and Dullahan in 2012. Churchill Downs-based jockey Corey Lanerie piloted Lookin At Lee to a runner-up finish in last year’s Derby. Promises Fulfilled is Robert Baron’s first Kentucky Derby starter.[/FONT]
Notable achievements and interesting facts:[FONT="] After burnishing his credentials as one of the best 2-year-olds in 2017, this well-bred colt has not taken the next step at age three, crossing the finish line second, third, and fourth in his three Kentucky Derby preps. He was elevated to third from fourth in his last start, the [/FONT]Toyota Blue Grass Stakes[FONT="], but was no threat to winner Good Magic. He can be counted on to make up some ground in the stretch with a consistent, grinding run, but his overall speed figures this year don’t measure up with the top level of Kentucky Derby contenders. One positive note is his pedigree, which should serve him well in the mile-and-a-quarter Derby. His sire, Union Rags, won the 2012 Belmont Stakes, and his half-brother Hawkbill (same dam [mother], different sire) is a top-class turf performer at long distances. Dale Romans’ Kentucky Derby highlights are recounted in Promises Fulfilled’s profile. Jockey Robby Albarado was aboard Curlin when that eventual two-time Horse of the Year finished third in the 2007 Derby; he also finished second aboard Golden Soul in 2013 and third on Steppenwolfer in 2006. This will mark the third consecutive year Dennis Albaugh’s family operation has a Kentucky Derby starter; they campaigned Brody’s Cause (seventh) in 2016 and [/FONT]J Boys Echo[FONT="] (15[/FONT][FONT="]th[/FONT][FONT="]) last year.[/FONT]
Notable achievements and interesting facts:[FONT="] This off-the-pace runner put together the best performance in his career in his most recent race when second to Noble Indy in the [/FONT]Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby[FONT="]. He rallied in the stretch to duel with that foe and briefly led, but could not close the deal and lost by a neck. Aside from his career debut last summer and his 3-year-old debut in the [/FONT]Lecomte Stakes[FONT="], he’s made up ground with late-closing moves in all of his other starts, even if he still only has one win and three seconds on his résumé. He’ll need to repeat his Louisiana Derby effort and some racing luck to have a shot at hitting the board in the Kentucky Derby. Tom Amoss has trained five Kentucky Derby horses in prior years, with his best finish coming when Mylute checked in fifth in 2013. G M B Racing, the racing operation for Gayle and the late Tom Benson, sent eighth-place Mo Tom and 12[/FONT][FONT="]th[/FONT][FONT="]-place Tom’s Ready to the 2016 Derby. James Graham, who rode Lone Sailor in the Louisiana Derby, will be making his first start in the Kentucky Derby.[/FONT]
Notable achievements and interesting facts:[FONT="] This colt has the least racing experience in the Derby field with only three career starts, but he has flashed exciting potential this year and is an intriguing under-the-radar horse. He made his career debut back in September at [/FONT]Saratoga[FONT="], finishing fourth in a seven-furlong maiden race, and then was away for six months before gamely winning a 1 1/16-mile maiden race on the [/FONT]Xpressbet Fountain of Youth Stakes[FONT="] undercard at [/FONT]Gulfstream Park[FONT="]. His elite connections decided to make a big class jump by starting him in the [/FONT]Xpressbet Florida Derby[FONT="], and Hofburg validated that choice by posting a solid runner-up finish behind Audible, hitting the wire 7 ¾ lengths clear of third-place finisher Mississippi. Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott rarely brings 3-year-olds to the Kentucky Derby and is renowned for patiently developing his charges, so this colt’s presence under the Twin Spires on the first Saturday in May indicates just how highly Juddmonte Farms and Mott think of him. His pedigree is suitable to the Derby’s mile-and-a-quarter distance, as well, since his sire Tapit has already been represented by three Belmont Stakes winners and on his dam’s (mother’s) side, he’s a half-brother (same dam [mother], different sire) to multiple Grade 1-winning router Emollient. Khalid Abdullah’s Juddmonte has not sent a horse to the Kentucky Derby since 2003, when Empire Maker finished second to Funny Cide, and in 2000, Juddmonte-owned Aptitude was runner-up to Fusaichi Pegasus. Mott has trained seven Kentucky Derby horses, most recently 12[/FONT][FONT="]th[/FONT][FONT="]-place Hold Me Back in 2009. Irad Ortiz Jr. will be making his third start in the Kentucky Derby.[/FONT]
Notable achievements and interesting facts:[FONT="] A multiple graded stakes winner last fall at age two, this colt started off 2018 by winning the one-mile Jerome Stakes but since then has finished second, fourth, and fourth in subsequent Kentucky Derby preps. In his two most recent starts, the [/FONT]Gotham Stakes[FONT="] and the [/FONT]Wood Memorial Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets[FONT="], he was defeated by a combined margin of 20 1/4 lengths. In his only start longer than a mile in 2017, he finished seventh in the [/FONT]Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Juvenile[FONT="], 20 lengths behind Good Magic. All evidence points to Firenze Fire being a stakes-caliber miler who is lacking the stamina to compete in the Triple Crown races, and his pedigree is one of the most sprint-oriented in this year’s Derby field, although there are a few good routers such as Preakness winner Shackleford in his dam’s (mother’s) family tree. This will be the first Derby appearance for jockey Paco Lopez, trainer Jason Servis, and owner Ron Lombardi’s Mr. Amore Stable.[/FONT]
Notable achievements and interesting facts:[FONT="] This Steve Asmussen-trained colt made he Derby field after [/FONT]Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby[FONT="] winner [/FONT]Quip[FONT="] was taken out of consideration and pointed to the [/FONT]Preakness Stakes[FONT="]. He gives a consistent effort and has never finished worse than fourth in seven career starts – but he’s only won once, taking a one-turn mile maiden race at [/FONT]Churchill Downs[FONT="] last fall. He competed in all four Kentucky Derby preps held at [/FONT]Oaklawn Park[FONT="], finishing second in the Smarty Jones Stakes and [/FONT]Southwest Stakes[FONT="], third in the [/FONT]Rebel Stakes[FONT="], and then fourth in a three-horse photo for second in the [/FONT]Arkansas Derby[FONT="]. Truthfully, he hasn’t shown much acceleration in his starts in Arkansas and is more of a methodical closer that should be considered for trifectas and superfectas rather than an electrifying one who could score an upset if the Derby pace is too fast. Hall of Famer Asmussen has had success at the Derby but has yet to win the race; his best finishes came with runners-up Nehro in 2011 and [/FONT]Lookin At Lee[FONT="] last year and with third-place Curlin and [/FONT]Gun Runner[FONT="]in 2007 and 2016, respectively. Co-owner Willis Horton campaigned 2013 eighth-place Derby finisher and eventual champion 3-year-old Will Take Charge. Winchell Thoroughbreds has been represented in several Derbys, either as sole owner or with partners, with Gun Runner its best performer. This will be Ricardo Santana's fourth Derby appearance, and third in a row.[/FONT]
Notable achievements and interesting facts:[FONT="] If he does start in the Kentucky Derby, this California-based colt will need to step up his game considerably to be a factor in the outcome. He emerged last year with an eye-catching maiden win at [/FONT]Santa Anita Park[FONT="] in his third career start and then strung together back-to-back strong stakes performances in the [/FONT]Los Alamitos Cash Call Futurity[FONT="] (where he was placed second after Solomini was disqualified) and in the [/FONT]Lecomte Stakes[FONT="]. His 3 ¼-length score in the Lecomte after being shipped to [/FONT]Fair Grounds[FONT="]placed him among the leading Kentucky Derby contenders for a few weeks, but he subsequently turned in a disappointing fourth-place showing in the [/FONT]Risen Star Stakes Presented by Lamarque Ford[FONT="] and then finished fourth again in the [/FONT]Santa Anita Derby[FONT="] while posing no threat to the top three horses. Hall of Fame trainer Jerry Hollendorfer has been to the Derby with six horses, and his best finish came last year when [/FONT]Battle of Midway[FONT="] held on for third. This will be the first Kentucky Derby for Lawrence Best’s OXO Equine, and also the first for up-and-coming young California jockey Drayden Van Dyke.[/FONT]
Notable achievements and interesting facts:[FONT="] With three graded stakes wins in as many starts this season and entering off a dominant 3 ½-length victory in the Grade 1 [/FONT]Santa Anita Oaks[FONT="], Midnight Bisou is one of the most likely winners of this race and figures to vie for favoritism with Monomoy Girl. The Midnight Lute filly owns a career-best 107 Equibase Speed Figure, tied with Monomoy Girl for best in the field. Out of 2010 Florida Oaks winner Diva Delite, Midnight Bisou has shown some versatility in closing from far back and winning from a stalking position as well as winning on fast and wet tracks. Midnight Bisou’s trainer Bill Spawr, 78, trained recent Grade 1-winning sprinters Bordonaro and Amazombie, the later the winner of the 2011 Breeders’ Cup Sprint, but has not won the Kentucky Oaks or Kentucky Derby. Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith won the Oaks last year on [/FONT]Abel Tasman[FONT="] and in 2013 aboard Princess of Sylmar.[/FONT]
Notable achievements and interesting facts:[FONT="] Monomoy Girl is only a neck away from being undefeated in six starts, losing the Grade 2 [/FONT]Golden Rod Stakes[FONT="] by that margin at Churchill Downs in November 2017. Her other five races have been victories by open lengths, including a Grade 2 win from off the pace after a troubled start in the Grade 2 [/FONT]Rachel Alexandra[FONT="] Stakes in February and a dominant, front-running 5 ½-length romp in the Grade 1 [/FONT]Central Bank Ashland Stakes[FONT="] on April 7 in her final Oaks prep race. Based on pedigree, there is a legitimate concern about how far beyond 1 1/16 miles Monomoy Girl wants to go, but in ideal form like she is right now, you would think she should be able to successfully stretch out an extra sixteenth of a mile. Trainer Brad Cox will be seeking his first Kentucky Oaks win after Monomoy Girl gave him his first Grade 1 victory in the Ashland. Cox has been scorching hot this year, leading the [/FONT]Fair Grounds[FONT="] meet that ended March 31 with 54 winners and finishing fourth in the [/FONT]Oaklawn Park[FONT="] meeting that ended April 14 with 27 wins. Cox has a formidable one-two punch for the Oaks as he also trains Fantasy Stakes winner Sassy Sienna. Jockey Florent Geroux finished third in the Oaks aboard I’m a Chatterbox in 2015.[/FONT]
Notable achievements and interesting facts:[FONT="] Sassy Sienna stepped up in a big way to win the Grade 3 [/FONT]Fantasy Stakes[FONT="] on April 13, when she nipped fellow Kentucky Oaks contender Wonder Gadot by a nose in the final strides. Prior to that breakthrough win, Sassy Sienna had placed three times in stakes. She showed tremendous resiliency and tenacity when fighting in the Fantasy stretch after stalking a blistering opening half-mile in :45.88, but the top three finishers came home very slowly. Sassy Sienna’s running style is versatile and she’s run well on a sloppy track, but he speed figures indicate she would need to improve significantly in her 10[/FONT][FONT="]th[/FONT][FONT="] start to win the Oaks. She’s in good hands with trainer Brad Cox (see Monomoy Girl’s profile for additional detail) and Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens, who won the Oaks in 1999 on Silverbulletday and in 1986 with Tiffany Lass.[/FONT]
Notable achievements and interesting facts:[FONT="] My Miss Lilly is an intriguing Kentucky Oaks contender because she’s on the right trajectory and could have a ton of room to improve in what will be only her fifth career start. She won her debut sprinting before third-place finishes in both the seven-furlong [/FONT]Forward Gal Stakes[FONT="] at [/FONT]Gulfstream Park[FONT="] in February and the one-mile Busher Stakes at [/FONT]Aqueduct[FONT="] in March. She closed powerfully to win the Grade 2 [/FONT]Gazelle Stakes[FONT="] by a half-length at 1 1/16 miles on April 7 in her final prep for the Oaks, pairing the 93 Equibase Speed Figure she earned in the Busher. If she can take a step forward on five weeks rest, My Miss Lilly is a legitimate contender. By leading sire Tapit out of stakes winner Wicked Deed, by Harlan’s Holiday, she has the pedigree to excel at 1 1/8 miles. Trainer Mark Hennig is the son of trainer John Hennig and also worked for Hall of Famers [/FONT]D. Wayne Lukas[FONT="] and [/FONT]Jack Van Berg[FONT="] before going out on his own in 1992. He is looking for his first Kentucky Oaks win. Jockey Joe Bravo, a career winner of more than 5,200 races and 540 stakes, also is seeking his first win in the Oaks.[/FONT]
Notable achievements and interesting facts:[FONT="] If you love a good back story, former claimers that rise to glory always rank high on that list. This bay Broken Vow filly has taken off since she was claimed for $25,000 out of a turf race on Feb. 2 at Fair Grounds. Switched back to the main track, Chocolate Martini won an allowance/optional claiming race at one-mile and 70 yards and then closed from off the pace to win the Grade 2 [/FONT]Twinspires.com Fair Grounds Oaks[FONT="] by a head at 13.90-1 odds. The 97 Equibase Speed Figure she earned for her Fair Grounds Oaks win was a new career best, but about 10 points behind the best of the competition. Her dam (mother), Nicksappealinglady, ran second twice in stakes races at 1 1/16 miles. Trainer Tom Amoss, who has won more than 3,500 races and counting, is seeking his first win in the Kentucky Oaks. Amoss also trains 2018 [/FONT]Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby[FONT="] runner-up [/FONT]Lone Sailor[FONT="], who will race in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve.[/FONT]
Notable achievements and interesting facts:[FONT="] Coach Rocks ran second or third in four of her first six races before a breakthrough, front-running win when she capitalized on a soft pace en route to a dominant eight-length romp on Feb. 14 going 1 1/16 miles at Gulfstream Park. A month and a half later, she handled a major class test when rallying from sixth to win the Grade 2 [/FONT]Gulfstream Park Oaks[FONT="], pulling clear late to prevail by 1 ½ lengths and earn a new career-best 94 Equibase Speed Figure. Sometimes it take a little while for the lightbulb to go on for a racehorse or for the trainer to find a horse’s best surface and distance – Coach Rocks made three starts on grass and tried a couple of dirt sprints – but once they find their niche they begin to shine. That might be the case for Coach Rocks, who would need to improve to be a win contender in the Kentucky Oaks but is headed the right way entering the race. Her dam (mother), Mexican Moonlight, was a stakes winner at 1 1/16 miles on the grass, and Coach Rocks is from the first crop of 2013 Preakness winner Oxbow. Trainer Dale Romans, who has a pair of Kentucky Derby contenders in [/FONT]Free Drop Billy[FONT="] and [/FONT]Promises Fulfilled[FONT="], is seeking his first Kentucky Oaks win. Jockey Luis Saez is in the midst of a career year, ranking second among North American jockeys by both wins and purse earnings after leading the Gulfstream Park meet that closed April 1 with 137 wins.[/FONT]
Notable achievements and interesting facts:[FONT="] After winning the United Arab Emirates Oaks by 3 ¾ lengths in a runaway on March 1, Rayya took on males in the United Arab Emirates Derby Sponsored by Saeed & Mohammed Al Naboodah Group and finished second — albeit by a wide margin of 18 ½ lengths — by [/FONT]Mendelssohn[FONT="], one of the probable favorites for the 2018 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve. She has since joined the barn of Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert to target the Kentucky Oaks and turned in a nice three-quarter-mile workout that was the fastest of 16 at the distance at [/FONT]Santa Anita Park[FONT="] on April 21 that, perhaps, showed she was none the worse for wear after shipping over from Dubai. She’s the dark horse in the race: a filly talented enough to be matched up against males in what was considered a strong group for the UAE Derby, and one who has never been worse than second in five races, but one who also has precious little speed figure data to measure against her competition. Rayya could give Baffert his fourth win in this race after winning the Oaks a year ago with [/FONT]Abel Tasman[FONT="]. Drayden Van Dyke, who won the Grade 1, $1 million [/FONT]Cotillion Stakes[FONT="] for 3-year-old fillies last year with [/FONT]It Tiz Well[FONT="], is seeking his first Kentucky Oaks win.[/FONT]
Notable achievements and interesting facts:[FONT="] Wonder Gadot was considered one of the early favorites for the Kentucky Oaks after winning the Grade 3 [/FONT]Mazarine Stakes[FONT="] and Grade 2 [/FONT]Demoiselle Stakes[FONT="], the latter by 3 ½ lengths in dominant fashion, as a 2-year-old. She also ran a creditable sixth in the [/FONT]14 Hands Winery Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies[FONT="]. While Wonder Gadot has run well as a 3-year-old, she has not taken a step forward with two seconds and two thirds in four races this year. Her career-best Equibase Speed Figure is a 97 earned when running a well-beaten third behind probable Kentucky Oaks favorite Monomoy Girl in the Grade 2 Rachel Alexandra Stakes in February at Fair Grounds. Wonder Gadot, named for the actress Gal Gadot who played the lead role in “Wonder Woman,” is a very good 3-year-old filly, but she looks to be just a cut below the best Oaks contenders. Wonder Gadot is a full sister (same dam [mother], different sire [father]) to Grade 2-placed stakes winner Solemn Tribute. Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez won the Kentucky Oaks in 2004 with Ashado, while perennial top-10 trainer Mark Casse is looking for his first Oaks winner.[/FONT]
Notable achievements and interesting facts:[FONT="] Eskimo Kisses enters the Kentucky Oaks off back-to-back runner-up finishes in the Grade 2 Twinspires.com Fair Grounds Oaks (behind Chocolate Martini) and, most recently, the Grade 1 Central Bank Ashland Stakes (behind probable Oaks favorite Monomoy Girl). She was beaten by 5 ½ lengths in the Ashland but earned a career-best 98 Equibase Speed Figure. She’s another late-bloomer who appears to have figured things out as a 3-year-old, and coming off a 97 Equibase Speed Figure in the Fair Ground Oaks, she’s positioned to take a step forward on Kentucky Oaks day. Her grandam (maternal grandmother) is 1988 champion 3-year-old filly [/FONT]Winning Colors[FONT="], the last filly to win the Kentucky Derby. She has a serious chance to crack the top three for trainer Ken McPeek, who finished second in this race last year with [/FONT]Daddys Lil Darling[FONT="].[/FONT]
