This past weekend saw two important prep races ahead of May 1’s Kentucky Derby, with the Jeff Ruby Steaks (Grade III) and the Florida Derby (Grade I) issuing out qualification points that locked the winners into slots at Churchill Downs.
Let’s take a look at the outcomes of both of those races as you consider your Triple Crown betting strategy for picking winners in the Race for the Roses.
Horse Racing News: 2021 Triple Crown Updates
Known Agenda wins the Florida Derby
Running in blinkers has transformed the career of Known Agenda, who won an allowance race in February wearing them and then put up a career best Beyer Speed Figure of 94 in winning the Florida Derby, a score that puts him right there with the best contenders for the championship. That makes two wins in two starts with blinkers.
Coming into the Florida Derby, his speed figures had been mediocre; his runs in the Remsen Stakes and the Sam Davis Stakes were disappointing for those who thought he would qualify for Churchill Downs. It is worth noting that his two best races have also happened at Gulfstream, and he will have to translate that form into a solid showing at Churchill Downs. However, he is improving at just the right time to peak nicely.
In his win on Saturday, he hung midpack through the first turn, riding the two path, following a four-way skirmish for the early lead. Along the backstretch, he started to move closer, but then he had to wait a bit going into the far turn, behind Nova Rags. He then moved to the three path while being pushed to move forward, held straight by his rider using a whip with the left hand. He moved clear in the last furlong.
Soup and Sandwich settled for second place, breaking well but then having too much traffic on the inside. He went three paths wide through the first turn, and then got aggressive a bit early. Known Agenda got by him at the top of the lane and then pushed the pace beyond what Soup and Sandwich could hold. This was the runner-up’s stake debut, and he impressed by finishing three lengths ahead of Greatest Honour, who had entered as the 6/5 favorite.
Greatest Honour showed a lack of early speed and got beat to the initial turn. He slid near the rail in the backstretch as the pace slackened, but he got stuck and had to slow down a bit. He tracked Known Agenda into the far turn on the inside, and he delivered an even finish but never got close to the top two. With speed figures in the high 80s, he cannot give up that much ground in the early going and then catch up. Nova Rags and Collaborate rounded out the top five.
Like the King wins Jeff Ruby Steaks
Even with an objection lodged at the end, Like the King prevailed at Turfway Park, rolling down the center of the track to finish 1 1/8 miles in 1:50.22, paying on 7/1 odds. The Jeff Ruby got 100-40-20-10 point allotment from the Kentucky Derby, so Like the King has a spot at Churchill Downs in just over a month.
He started the day with four qualification points after finishing second at the John Battaglia Memorial Stakes in February, but now his 104 points will put him in the gate. Tarantino and Gretzky the Great were the top two wagering choices, but Tarantino stumbled coming out of the break and did not play a factor, while Gretzky the Great stalked the pace in the early going, as Moonlit Strike led, putting up fractions of 22.93 and 46.81. Gretzky the Great moved into the lead, but then Like the King came from the outside to rally. He pushed past Gretzky the Great and Hockey Dad, and he finished just in time to hold off Sainthood, who closed within a length. Sainthood took second, while Hockey Dad and Hard Rye Guy rounded out the top four, each receiving Kentucky Derby points in the process.
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