The chances of Hidden Stash getting a spot in the starting gate for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) grew immeasurably April 13 as trainer Chad Brown said he plans to run only one of his two qualifiers in the May 1 Run for the Roses at Churchill Downs.
Brown's Klaravich Stables duo of Highly Motivated and Crowded Trade are 13th and 18th, respectively, on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard but the four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer says he is likely to enter Crowded Trade in the May 15 Preakness Stakes (G1) at Pimlico Race Course.
"I'm leaning toward running Crowded Trade in the Preakness," Brown said, "but I want to be represented in the Kentucky Derby by either him or Highly Motivated. I won't run both of them in the Derby, but I want to work both of them this weekend and see how their health status is before making a final decision.
Highly Motivated (50 Kentucky Derby points) is coming off a sharp second to Essential Quality in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G2) at Keeneland in which he set the early pace and engaged in a fierce stretch duel with the 2-year-old male champion before losing by a neck. It was 5 1/2 lengths back to Rombauer (34 points, currently 20th on the leaderboard) in third.
Crowded Trade (40 points) was third behind 72-1 shot Bourbonic (7th, 100) in the Wood Memorial Stakes Presented by Resorts World Casino (G2).
The defection of one of Brown's 3-year-olds will open the door for BBN Racing's Hidden Stash to move up from No. 21 and take over the No. 20 spot with 32 points. That would leave Dream Shake on the bubble at 21 with 30 points, followed by O Besos (25), Get Her Number (20), Hozier (20), and King Fury (20) in that order of preference.
If Hidden Stash, who was fourth in the Blue Grass, runs in the Kentucky Derby, Vicki Oliver would become the first female trainer since Carla Gaines in 2015 (Bolo, 12th) to send out a starter in the Run for the Roses.
In other Kentucky Derby news, trainer Brad Cox said Shortleaf Stable's Caddo River arrived at Churchill Downs Tuesday and will be pointed toward the 1 1/4-mile opening leg of the Triple Crown.
Caddo River, who set the pace in the Arkansas Derby (G1) before finishing second, has 50 points and is 12th on the leaderboard.
"We're going to prepare him for the Kentucky Derby as of right now. That's our goal," Cox said Tuesday. "(Owner John Ed Anthony) was adamant that if the horse is doing fine, we'll march forward and the Kentucky Derby will be our next race."
Caddo River will give Cox a trio of starters in the trainer's first Kentucky Derby appearance. He also trains the probable favorite in Godolphin's undefeated Essential Quality (1st, 140 points) and Juddmonte Farms' Mandaloun (11th, 52).
Brown said Klaravich's Risk Taking, who was seventh as the 2-1 favorite in the Wood, is targeting the May 8 Peter Pan Stakes (G3) at Belmont Park.
