Experts’ Kentucky Derby undercard stakes picks

  • userThe Biz
  • dateMay 3, 2024

Today’s Kentucky Derby day card has plenty of stakes action before the big race. We asked our experts to share their selections.

The lengthy roster of added-money events includes three other Grade 1 events, along with four Grade 2 events. So there are plenty of plays available and plenty of ways to lose invest your money. Where do our experts land?

Read on – and good luck!

RACE 6: GRADE 1 DERBY CITY DISTAFF

A seven-furlong test for older fillies and mares, the Derby City Distaff has a couple of runners familiar to Midlantic racing fans, as Alva Starr (5-2) — last-out winner of the G1 Madison who earned her first stakes win in Delaware Park’s Dashing Beauty last July — squares off with Madison runner-up Vahva (3-1), who won last August’s G3 Charles Town Oaks.

Our group consensus:

  1. #10 Vahva
  2. #7 Alva Starr
  3. #9 Red Carpet Ready

Eric RubinTed BlackDerby Bill WatsonJohn PiassekNick HahnGary Quill
110. Vahva10. Vahva9. Red Carpet Ready7. Alva Starr10. Vahva7. Alva Starr
23. Flying Connection7. Alva Starr7. Alva Starr10. Vahva7. Alva Starr10. Vahva
37. Alva Starr1. Three Witches10. Vahva5. Spirit Wind1. Three Witches3. Flying Connection

RACE 7: GRADE 2 DISTAFF TURF MILE

The Distaff Turf Mile is a pretty wide-open affair: in fact, nine of the 12 entrants appeared at least once in our experts’ picks. Five received at least one first-place vote.

Or maybe it’s not that complicated at all; maybe it’s just the Chad Brown show. The ace trainer, who’ll seek his first Kentucky Derby win later on the card, has three runners in here, and they are our experts’ top three selections. We’re especially eager to see British import Coppice, who won four times in England albeit mostly against modest company. The consensus:

  1. #11 Coppice
  2. #6 Delahaye
  3. #3 Chili Flag
Eric RubinTed BlackDerby Bill WatsonJohn PiassekNick HahnGary Quill
111. Coppice1. Ag Bullet11. Coppice3. Chili Flag6. Delahaye12. Mission of Joy
210. Infinite Diamond11. Coppice6. Delahaye6. Delahaye3. Chili Flag7. Evvie Jets
37. Evvie Jets8. Heavenly Sunday3. Chili Flag10. Infinite Diamond12. Mission of Joy5. Cairo Consort

CHECK OUT THE LATEST OFF TO THE RACES RADIO!

RACE 8: GRADE 2 PAY DAY MILE

The former Derby Trial ceased to be a useful Derby prep years ago but has been reborn as annually an interesting test for horses who are either a little bit distance-limited or not quite ready for the run for the roses.

A dozen runners are slated to face the starter, with Blue Grass Stakes sixth-place finisher Top Conor the 5-2 morning line favorite and Nash (3-1), who recently won the Hot Springs Stakes, the second choice. One intriguing entrant: Vlahos (8-1), who was a scintillating debut winner at Santa Anita and makes the cross-country trek for his second start. The group’s consensus:

  1. #12 Nash
  2. #5 Seize the Grey
  3. #7 Who Dey/#2 Beeline (tie)
Eric RubinTed BlackDerby Bill WatsonJohn PiassekNick HahnGary Quill
17. Who Dey12. Nash2. Beeline8. Top Conor12. Nash5. Seize the Grey
25. Seize the Grey11. Vlahos12. Nash2. Beeline5. Seize the Grey7. Who Dey
39. Frosty Indulgence8. Top Conor11. Vlahos12. Nash1. Carbone12. Nash

RACE 9: GRADE 2 AMERICAN TURF

This grass test for sophomores lookts to be another wide-open affair. The 7-2 morning line favorite is the Charlie Appleby-trained Legend of Time, who will make his first North American start after dominating rivals in Dubai. The only blemish on his five-start career is an ok fifth-place finish in last year’s Group 3 Tattersall at Newmarket.

Other runners that may offer interest include last-out G3 Transylvania winner Neat, who scored at 13-1; Cugino (10-1), beaten a nose in that spot; Triple Crown trail refugee Agate Road (5-1); and 2-for-2 Set (10-1). The group consensus:

  1. #5 Legend of Time
  2. #11 Cugino
  3. #14 Agate Road
Eric RubinTed BlackDerby Bill WatsonJohn PiassekNick HahnGary Quill
111. Cugino5. Legend of Time5. Legend of Time5. Legend of Time11. Cugino13. Can Group
21. Twirling Point10. Set14. Agate Road10. Set14. Agate Road14. Agate Road
37. Stay Hot9. Noted9. Noted14. Agate Road12. Abrumar6. Neat

RACE 10: GRADE 1 CHURCHILL DOWNS

The morning line favorite in this seven-furlong test for older runners is 2022 Kentucky Derby entrant Zozos (3-1). The Brad Cox trainee owns two wins over the strip, always a plus at Churchill Downs, including a Grade 3 win in the Ack Ack. The class of the field is probably the five-year-old Hoist the Gold, a two-time Grade 2 winner who took last December’s G2 Cigar Mile at Aqueduct impressively with a 109 Beyer Speed Figure. His last two aren’t good, but it appears nine furlongs is beyond his scope.

Two others worth a mention are the Grade 3-winning veteran Tejano Twist (4-1) and the improving, lightly-raced Bo Cruz (10-1), who earned his first graded win (in just seven career starts) in the Commonwealth at this past Keeneland meet. The group consensus:

  1. #3 Bo Cruz
  2. #2 Tejano Twist
  3. #9 Three Technique
Eric RubinTed BlackDerby Bill WatsonJohn PiassekNick HahnGary Quill
19. Three Technique3. Bo Cruz2. Tejano Twist11. Hoist the Gold3. Bo Cruz9. Three Technique
23. Bo Cruz4. Mr. Wireless4. Mr. Wireless10. Gun Pilot2. Tejano Twist2. Tejano Twist
311. Hoist the Gold11. Hoist the Gold7. Track Mate7. Track Mate6. Zozos11. Hoist the Gold

RACE 11: GRADE 1 TURF CLASSIC

Trainer Charlie Appleby could strike again in this turf contest with morning line favorite Naval Power (7-2). The Godolphin runner arrives off a good second in the G1 Maker’s Mark Mile and should appreciate the added ground in this spot; he’s 2-for-2 at nine furlongs. Also in the field is old friend Integration (5-1), who won last summer’s G3 Virginia Derby impressively in just his second career start. Classwise, don’t sleep on Program Trading (9-2), who won two Grade 1 races last year as a sophomore. The group consensus:

  1. #11 Naval Power
  2. #1 Integration
  3. #5 Program Trading
Eric RubinTed BlackDerby Bill WatsonJohn PiassekNick HahnGary Quill
111. Naval Power11. Naval Power4. Far Bridge6. I’m Very Busy1. Integration9. Never Explain
21. Integration6. I’m Very Busy1. Integration5. Program Trading5. Program Trading5. Program Trading
34. Far Bridge5. Program Trading11. Naval Power7. Webslinger4. Far Bridge7. Webslinger

LATEST NEWS