The road to the Bluegrass State Derby swings through and through Arkansas on Saturday. group A field of force of 11 horses is expected for the Johnny Stakes at Oaklawn Park. But the morning-line favorite is a Equus caballus currently ineligible to bleed inwards the Run for the Roses that will read position inwards 10 weeks.
Bob Baffert’s Newgrange is the 9-5 morning-line favorite inward the 1-1/16-mile run for 3-year-olds. The colt is 3-for-3 inwards his immature career, including II Derby prep stakes wins cobbler's last month. However, because he’s a Baffert-trained horse, Duke of Marlborough Downs has ruled him – similar others trained by Baffert – to follow ineligible for qualifying points inward prep races.
Churchill Downs banned Baffert from its tracks for two years after Al Madinah Spirit time-tested confirming for overweening amounts of betamethasone inward his system after crossover the conducting wire first off inward utmost year’s Kentucky Derby. Earlier this week, stewards from the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC) officially disqualified Al Madinah Spirit – who died on the cart track after preparation at Santa Anita inward December – as the winner. In doing so, the stewards also slapped a 90-day suspension on Baffert, effective March 8.
Due to reciprocity, Baffert’s hanging inwards KY would preserve him from entering horses elsewhere inward the US until June 5. The Louisville Courier Journal reported Fri that the commissioning declined to detain the respite pending Baffert’s appeal.
The appeal outgrowth firstly goes through and through the KHRC itself, and then, if the panel opts against overturning the stewards’ ruling, Baffert could so accept the appeal through and through the nation court of law system. There’s also a strong chance Baffert would Indian file a lawsuit against John Churchill Downs Inc. for blocking him from entering horses inward the Derby and other races at the Louisville caterpillar track and other Churchill Downs properties.
A Clear Favorite
While we all waiting for the administrative and effectual dramatic event to unfold, the races will continue. And if Newgrange wins on Saturday, that testament hold on others from getting 50 qualifying points and a near-certain pick out inwards the May 7 Derby. The second-place gymnastic horse testament obtain 20 points, with 10 points and fin points sledding to the third- and fourth-place finishers, respectively.
Newgrange is certainly the year of the race. After winning a maiden run inwards his debut cobbler's last Nov at Del Mar, he came rear on New Year’s Clarence Day to win the Sham Stakes. He went wire-to-wire at Santa Anita, and widened his track o'er the field of view as the run progressed. He finished 2-3/4-lengths ahead of fellow Baffert-trained colt Rockefeller.
Four weeks ago, Baffert brought Newgrange to Hot Springs to race in Oaklawn’s southwestern United States Stakes. It was a different rush than the Sham. In the Southwest, he bust wide-cut at the bulge and rallied from a tight fourth spatial relation at the whirligig of the stretchability to win by a length and a half.
I was impressed with his cobbler's last win because he was sort of block and lead the unit path and relieve found a way to win,” Baffert said. “That’s the signalise of a serious horse. I’m well-chosen with the way he’s coming into this race.”
While he skint from the 10th gate shoemaker's last month, Newgrange gets the to a greater extent desirable sec station on Saturday. Saint John the Apostle Velazquez will capture the mount again.
“We hold to gap well,” Baffert said. “So, that’s the key, no more affair what carry you have. But it should maybe be easier on him. Had to usage him upwards out of doors last time.”
A 4th win in as many races could put Newgrange inwards demarcation for Oaklawn’s openhanded race, the Apr 2 Arkansas Derby – one of the spinning top Derby preps.
Whether Baffert testament follow there remains to be seen.
Barber Road Gets Another Shot
Newgrange’s primary quill rivalry looks to follow Samuel Barber Road. The John Lackland Ortiz-trained colt finished 2d to Newgrange in the Southwest. Barber Road was chasing him at the wire, but a five-wide activate was too often earth to overcome.
A winner of a maiden and an leeway race, Samuel Barber Road has placed inwards his endure deuce-ace starts – all stakes races. Jockey Reylu Guiterrez testament capture the ride, and he’s been on the colt inwards IV of the sextet races.
Barber Road will stop from the 9th gate. However, Ortiz said he’s not abominably worried about starting wide.
“I’m worried around my gymnastic horse running his best race,” Ortiz said. “We’ve competed against the upside horses in here already. We’re just now sledding along for the ride. The hurrying is on the inside. I cerebrate Reylu, he’ll have the flop plan. It’s all in his hands.”
Ben Diesel, who was passed past Newgrange and Samuel Barber Road inward a third-place finishing in the Southwest, is the 3rd quality on the morn run along at 6-1. Jon Court will sit the Dallas Stewart-trained colt, which will break up from the 7th gate.
The fill in field of force for the Johnny Reb is available here. C. W. Post clip for the rush is 6:22 pm ET, and the race will be airy on Fox Sports 2.