Altering his initial plan to run American Promise in the April 12 Lexington Stakes (G3) at Keeneland, trainer D. Wayne Lukas said April 5 the colt would now await the May 3 Kentucky Derby (G1) at Churchill Downs. The 3-year-old colt was not entered in the $400,000 Lexington when entries were taken Saturday.
With 55 qualifying points, 50 of which were earned in taking the March 15 Virginia Derby at Colonial Downs, the BC Stables-owned son of Justify appears to have sufficient points to gain entry into the 20-horse Derby—making a start in the Lexington unnecessary from a points perspective. Churchill Downs uses qualifying points as a preference system when the popular race overfills. A threshold of about 40 points has been needed the past two years to gain a starting berth, although this year could require a slightly higher total.
American Promise has twice worked since winning the Virginia Derby, breezing five furlongs in :59 4/5 March 25 at Oaklawn Park in Arkansas and the same distance in :59 1/5 there April 1.
Lukas said he would likely ship American Promise to Churchill Downs around April 20 after planning to run some horses at Oaklawn April 19.
"He's training very strong. I'm able to do pretty much what I wanna do with him, and he's responding," Lukas said by telephone from Arkansas. "So I decided that I would just train him to the Derby, and get in there with a good, fresh, strong horse.
"Every time you go out and put him in that gate with somebody, there's a certain amount of risk, as you know."
As a May foal, American Promise is younger than many of his 3-year-old counterparts, and Lukas views him as still developing into his large frame. The towering chestnut stands about 17 hands, the trainer said.
The colt has a 2-1-1 record in nine starts with earnings of $444,874. After breaking his maiden in his sixth start, he was seventh in the Southwest Stakes (G3) at Oaklawn and fifth in the Risen Star Stakes (G2) at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots before his 7 3/4-length romp in the Virginia Derby. At Colonial Downs, he ran 1 1/8 miles on a quick surface in a track-record 1:46.41.
American Promise is expected to become Lukas' 51st starter in the Kentucky Derby, a race the Hall of Fame trainer has won four times, most recently with Charismatic in 1999. The 89-year-old Lukas' first Derby starter was Partez, who finished third in the 1981 first leg of the Triple Crown.
Nik Juarez, who rode American Promise in the Virginia Derby, has the mount in the Kentucky Derby, Lukas said. Juarez's agent is retired Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens, who paired with Lukas to win the Kentucky Derby in 1988 with Winning Colors and in 1995 with Thunder Gulch.
