Capsule Looks at Contenders for the 2023 Kentucky Derby

The Road to the Kentucky Derby points races are now in the books, the leaderboard is finalized, and the field for the 149th Kentucky Derby (G1) is crystallizing. Some two weeks out from the race, as horses attempt to keep moving forward to the First Saturday in May, Brisnet.com has shared a capsule look at the top 26 horses pursuing a spot in the field that is limited to 20 starters. Qualifying points are listed in parentheses. Click on highlighted horse names for more from BloodHorse on each. Forte (190 points) Trying to join Street Sense and Nyquist as Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) winners to wear the roses, champion 2-year-old male Forte dominated in his Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) comeback, but had to scramble late to win the Florida Derby (G1)—displaying a champion's heart. Owner: Repole Stable & St. Elias Stable; Trainer: Todd Pletcher; Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr. Pedigree: Violence—Queen Caroline, by Blame Practical Move (160 points) Smashing winner of the Los Alamitos Futurity (G3) and San Felipe Stakes (G2) cut it a lot closer when just lasting in the Santa Anita Derby (G1). Owner: Pierre Jean and Leslie Amestoy and Roger Beasley; Trainer: Tim Yakteen; Jockey: Ramon Vazquez Pedigree: Practical Joke—Ack Naughty, by Afleet Alex More from Brisnet: Meet the Kentucky Derby Contenders Guide Angel of Empire (154 points) Risen Star (G2) scorer raised his profile with an authoritative victory in the Arkansas Derby (G1). Owner: Albaugh Family Stables; Trainer: Brad Cox; Jockey: Flavien Prat Pedigree: Classic Empire—Armony's Angel, by To Honor and Serve Tapit Trice (150 points) $1.3 million yearling started slowly but finished well to win the Tampa Bay Derby (G3) and Blue Grass Stakes (G1). Owner: Whisper Hill Farm & Gainesway Stable; Trainer: Todd Pletcher; Jockey: Luis Saez Pedigree: Tapit—Danzatrice, by Dunkirk Two Phil's (123 points) Placer in the Lecomte (G3) and Risen Star stakes took a leap forward on the Turfway Park Tapeta surface and ran away with the Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3). Owner: Patricia's Hope & Phillip Sagan; Trainer: Larry Rivelli; Jockey: Jareth Loveberry Pedigree: Hard Spun—Mia Torri, by General Quarters Lord Miles (105 points) Underachiever in Florida preps improved at Aqueduct to prevail in three-way Wood Memorial Stakes (G2) tussle. Owner: Vegso Racing Stable; Trainer: Saffie Joseph Jr.; Jockey: Paco Lopez Pedigree: Curlin—Lady Esme, by Majestic Warrior Derma Sotogake (JPN) (100 points) Japanese shipper employed a new pacesetting style to romp in the UAE Derby (G2) in fast time. Owner: Hiroyuki Asanuma; Trainer: Hidetaka Otonashi; Jockey: Christophe Lemaire Pedigree: Mind Your Biscuits—Amour Poesie, by Neo Universe Kingsbarns (100 points) Lightly raced colt capitalized on a soft pace in the Louisiana Derby (G2) to improve to 3-for-3. Owner: Spendthrift Farm; Trainer: Todd Pletcher; Jockey: TBD Pedigree: Uncle Mo—Lady Tapit, by Tapit Raise Cain (64 points) Big winner of the Gotham Stakes (G3) around a one-turn mile closed belatedly for fifth in the Blue Grass. Owner: Andrew & Rania Warren; Trainer: Ben Colebrook; Jockey: Javier Castellano Pedigree: Violence—Lemon Belle, by Lemon Drop Kid Rocket Can (60 points) Holy Bull Stakes (G3) victor has since placed second in the Fountain of Youth and fourth in the Arkansas Derby. Owner: Frank Fletcher Racing Operations; Trainer: Bill Mott; Jockey: Junior Alvarado Pedigree: Into Mischief—Tension, by Tapit Hit Show (60 points) Impressive Withers Stakes (G3) hero was just edged when bounced around between foes in the Wood. Owner: Gary & Mary West; Trainer: Brad Cox; Jockey: Manny Franco Pedigree: Candy Ride (ARG)—Actress, by Tapit Confidence Game (57 points) Rebel Stakes (G2) upsetter has been freshened since that stakes breakthrough in the slop. Owner: Don't Tell My Wife Stables; Trainer: Keith Desormeaux; Jockey: James Graham Pedigree: Candy Ride-Eblouissante, by Bernardini Verifying (54 points) The Justify half brother to Midnight Bisou is on the upswing after a near-miss in the Blue Grass. Owner: Westerberg, Magnier, Poulin, Smith & Tabor; Trainer: Brad Cox; Jockey: Tyler Gaffalione Pedigree: Justify—Diva Delite, by Repent Sun Thunder (54 points) Risen Star runner-up was later a non-threatening fifth in the Louisiana Derby and fourth in the Blue Grass. Owner: R. T Racing Stable & Cypress Creek Equine; Trainer: Ken McPeek; Jockey: Brian Hernandez Jr. Pedigree: Into Mischief—Greenfield d'Oro, by Medaglia d'Oro Wild On Ice (50 points) Sunland Park Derby (G3) stunner was made a late nominee to the Triple Crown. Owner: Frank Sumpter; Trainer: Joel Marr; Jockey: Ken Tohill Pedigree: Tapizar—Slamitagain, by Grand Slam Mage (50 points) Inexperienced colt almost toppled Forte in the Florida Derby. Owner: OGMA Investments, Ramiro Restrepo, Sterling Racing & CMNWLTH; Trainer: Gustavo Delgado; Jockey: TBD Pedigree: Good Magic—Puca, by Big Brown Blazing Sevens (46 points) Champagne Stakes (G1) winner has yet to run back to that level this term, but his Blue Grass third was a step in the right direction. Owner: Rodeo Creek Racing; Trainer: Chad Brown; Jockey: TBD Pedigree: Good Magic-Trophy Girl, by Warrior's Reward Disarm (46 points) Louisiana Derby runner-up was a surprise addition to the Lexington Stakes (G3), where his third-place effort netted just enough points to get him in the Derby field. Owner: Winchell Thoroughbreds; Trainer: Steve Asmussen; Jockey: Joel Rosario Pedigree: Gun Runner—Easy Tap, by Tapit Reincarnate (45 points) Sham Stakes (G3) winner has placed third in his ensuing preps at Oaklawn Park, hampered by a bad trip in the Rebel but without much of an excuse in the Arkansas Derby. Owner: SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables et al; Trainer: Tim Yakteen; Jockey: John Velazquez Pedigree: Good Magic—Allanah, by Scat Daddy Continuar (JPN) (Japan Road invitation) Cattleya S. winner also finished a distant third in the UAE Derby. Owner: Lion Race Horse Co.; Trainer: Yoshito Yahagi; Jockey: Ryusei Sakai Pedigree: Drefong—Pan de Ring, by King Kamehameha ON THE BUBBLE Jace's Road(45 points) Gun Runner Stakes romper flopped in a sloppy Southwest Stakes (G3) but bounced back with a third in the Louisiana Derby. Owner: West Point Thoroughbreds & Albaugh Family Stables; Trainer: Brad Cox; Jockey: Florent Geroux Pedigree: Quality Road—Out Post, by Silver Deputy Skinner (45 points) Third in both the San Felipe and Santa Anita Derby, the closer got within a half-length in his latest. Owner: C R K Stable; Trainer: John Shirreffs; Jockey: Victor Espinoza Pedigree: Curlin—Winding Way, by Malibu Moon Cyclone Mischief(45 points) Fountain of Youth third replicated that result, but reduced his beaten margin, in the Florida Derby. Owner: Albaugh Family Stables & Castleton Lyons; Trainer: Dale Romans; Jockey: TBD Pedigree: Into Mischief—Areyoucominghere, by Bernardini Major Dude (40 points) Multiple graded winner on turf switched to Tapeta for the Jeff Ruby Steaks and finished second. Owner: Spendthrift Farm; Trainer: Todd Pletcher; Jockey: TBD Pedigree: Bolt d'Oro—Mary Rita, by Distorted Humor Mandarin Hero (JPN) (40 points) Denizen of Japan's NAR circuit nearly stunned the Santa Anita Derby field. Owner: Hiroaki Arai; Trainer: Terunobu Fujita; Jockey: TBD Pedigree: Shanghai Bobby—Namura Nadeshiko, by Fuji Kiseki King Russell (40 points) Late Triple Crown nominee got up for second at 58-1 in the Arkansas Derby. Owner: Brereton C. Jones & Naber Racing; Trainer: Ron Moquett Pedigree: Creative Cause—Believe You Will, by Proud Citizen