That’s because the Bob Baffert-trained Messier is not eligible to receive Derby points or to run in the Kentucky Derby because Baffert and all his horses are in the Churchill penalty box this year.

Stop me if you’ve heard this before.

Baffert-trained runners have now posted victories in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (20 Derby  points to the winner), American Pharoah Stakes (10), Sham Stakes (10), Southwest Stakes (60), and Sunday’s Robert B. Lewis, the race Messier won in such sensational fashion.

In addition to his win in the Lewis, Messier would also have four additional points for his runner-up effort in the Los Alamitos Futurity in December. Those 14 points would have him tied for first, except, of course, that another Baffert-trained runner, Corniche, would have 30 for his wins in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and American Pharoah.

For good measure, Wharton, another from Baffert’s powerful operation, finished third, which would have been good for two points.

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The two horses in the race that did earn points were runner-up Cabo Spirit (4 points), trained by George Papaprodromou, and the Simon Callaghan-trained Sir London (1 point), who was fourth. 

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The results of the weekend’s Derby prep races — two preps were contested Saturday — left the very top of the Derby points leaderboard unchanged. Pappacap and Epicenter remained tied with 14 points each.

KENTUCKY DERBY POINTS