As we move closer and closer to the annual Run for the Roses, horses are steadily stockpiling points in the hopes of cracking the field for the 2014 Kentucky Derby, to be run at Churchill Downs.
One of them, Candy Boy, has emerged as a quality runner and one worth keeping an eye on as the Derby draws near. Let’s take a further look at his recent success.
Candy Boy, A Contender
Led by Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens, Candy Boy is riding high lately – especially after a half-length victory over fellow Derby hotshot Chitu in the Robert B. Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita.
Stevens, a three-time Kentucky Derby winner, couldn’t say enough good things about Candy Boy after the horse won his first stakes victory. He said Candy Boy would be his “No. 1 draft choice” in terms of selecting colts to ride this year, thanks in large part to the horse’s 97 BRIS speed figure, which wowed onlookers at Santa Anita.
McGaughey Going Strong
After capturing last year’s Besilu Stables Fountain of Youth Stakes with Orb, Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey will be back this year looking to make it two wins in a row with Top Billing. The horse will fill in for Honor Code, one of the most highly-touted horses in terms of Kentucky Derby horse racing odds.
Honor Code, who rose to prominence this season with a stellar victory over Cairo Prince at the Remsen Stakes, wasn’t nominated to the Fountain of Youth due to ankle bruising (a significant setback in his training schedule.) As a result, Top Billing – the son of the legendary Curlin – will draw into the field, looking to build upon a stellar performance at the Laurel on December 6, when he scored his first career win.
The Fountain of Youth is a $400,000 stakes race with key points up for grabs on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard. Aside from McGaughey and Top Billing, another trainer-horse combo to watch will be that of Commissioner and Todd Pletcher, who actually defeated Top Billing in the 1 1/8 mile allowance last month.
Pletcher will also be running Intense Holiday (who finished third in the Holy Bull), Havana (a Breeders’ Cup Juvenile runner-up) and We Miss Artie (a Breeders’ Futurity winner) – three to definitely keep an eye on when it comes to online horse odds.
Coach Q in the Limelight
Chicago Blackhawks head coach Joel Quenneville – who guided the ‘Hawks to a pair of Stanley Cup championships in 2010 and 2013 – has an interesting horse in play in Midnight Hawk, who finished third in the Robert B. Lewis Stakes (which, as mentioned above, was won by Candy Boy.)
Trained by the legendary Bob Baffert, Midnight Hawk has run well throughout the Derby points season and should be a factor when it comes to Kentucky Derby betting. The Robert B. Lewis was just the third race of Midnight Hawk’s career and the first time it hadn’t won, so you know there’s some kind of winning pedigree at play with this colt.
