Derby Dozen: Greatest Honour Makes the List

1. Essential Quality 

Trainer/Owner: Brad Cox/Godolphin

Pedigree: Tapit —Delightful Quality, by Elusive Quality

Breeder: Godolphin (KY)

The champion 2-year-old male of 2020 is scheduled to return in Oaklawn Park's Feb. 15 Southwest Stakes (G3)—a race that could also lure Keepmeinmind and Jackie's Warrior. His connections prefer the 1 1/16-mile distance of that race for a comeback. He turned in a serious drill with a six-furlong breeze Jan. 31 in 1:13 at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots.

2. Fire At Will 

Mike Maker/Three Diamonds Farm

Declaration of War—Flirt, by Kitten's Joy 

Troy Rankin (KY)

Trainer Mike Maker said Jan. 30 that the Feb. 27 Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) at Gulfstream Park is one race considered for a return. If so, that would provide a quick barometer regarding this colt's promise on dirt. His biggest wins last year came on turf, capped by the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Presented by Coolmore America (G1T), though he also captured the off-the-turf With Anticipation Stakes.

3. Life Is Good 

Bob Baffert/China Horse Club and WinStar Farm

Into Mischief —Beach Walk, by Distorted Humor 

Gary and Mary West Stable (KY)

His winning Sham Stakes (G3) form was flattered when Medina Spirit, whom he had defeated by three-quarters of a length in the race, returned to score by a neck in the Jan. 30 Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G3). This colt went more than two weeks without a workout in mid-January, but he has since encouragingly come back with moves Jan. 27 and Feb. 1. 

4. Medina Spirit

Bob Baffert/Zedan Racing Stables 

Protonico —Mongolian Changa, by Brilliant Speed

Gail Rice (FL)

His 1:46.26 winning time in the 1 1/16-mile Lewis over a tiring, good track was the slowest since Santa Anita returned the Lewis to dirt in 2011. It also caused his Equibase Speed Figure to drop from a 110 when second in the Sham to a 98 in the Lewis. Still, he was brave in his front-running score, particularly in light of a fast pace that fatigued other front-runners, and he galloped out with energy.

5. Greatest Honour

Courtlandt Farms/Shug McGaughey

Tapit—Tiffany's Honour, by Street Cry

Courtlandt Farm (KY)

Though he ran competitively in his first couple of sprints, he has improved since routing, beginning with a runner-up finish and now with two straight victories at Gulfstream Park. As good as he was in winning the 1 1/16-mile Holy Bull Stakes (G3) by 5 3/4 lengths Jan. 30, he is bred to relish more distance, being out of a dam that is a half sister to Belmont Stakes (G1) winners Rags to Riches and Jazil.

6. Caddo River

Brad Cox/Shortleaf Stable 

Hard Spun —Pangburn, by Congrats 

Shortleaf Stable (KY)

Plans call for him to run in the March 13 Rebel Stakes (G2) at Oaklawn Park after his romp in the Jan. 22 Smarty Jones Stakes at a mile. The timing makes sense, as does running at Oaklawn, where owner John Ed Anthony of Shortleaf Stable has been so successful. Anthony (as Loblolly Stable) has won the Rebel a record five times, including three times with the eventual Arkansas Derby (G1) winners.

7. Senor Buscador

Todd Fincher/Joe R. Peacock Jr.

Mineshaft —Rose's Desert, by Desert God

Joe R. Peacock Sr. and Jr. (KY)

Having run exclusively in two starts at Remington Park, both with Lasix, interested to see what he can do sans Lasix in graded company to begin his 3-year-old season. He is not an alert gate horse, but he packs a closing wallop, suggesting a 1 1/8-mile race such as the Feb. 13 Risen Star Stakes Presented by Lamarque Ford (G2) at Fair Grounds would be right in his wheelhouse. 

8. Concert Tour

Bob Baffert/Gary and Mary West 

Street Sense —Purse Strings, by Tapit 

Gary and Mary West Stables (KY)

As demonstrated by Prime Factor's well-beaten third-place finish in the Holy Bull in his second start, it is challenging to go from a first-out maiden sprint win into a stakes route, as he might have to do after his debut victory. Training this one is Bob Baffert, a six-time winner of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1), and a Hall of Famer known for pulling off the maiden-to-stakes maneuver.

9. The Great One

Doug O'Neill/ERJ Racing, Train Wreck Al Racing Stables, Niall Brennan, Tom Fritz, and William Straus 

Nyquist —Little Ms Protocol, by El Corredor

Coteau Grove Farms (LA)

He and Lewis third-place finisher Hot Rod Charlie are trainer Doug O'Neill's top Derby prospects, and though the latter is skilled, somewhat prefer this one due to his recent development. After a near-miss in the Los Alamitos Futurity (G2) as a maiden against winners, he dusted maidens by 14 lengths going a mile Jan. 23 at Santa Anita.

10. Jackie's Warrior 

Steve Asmussen/Kirk and Judy Robison 

Maclean's Music —Unicorn Girl, by A. P. Five Hundred

J & J Stables (KY)

The Runhappy Hopeful Stakes (G1) and Champagne Stakes (G1) winner is fast. The issue is how far he wants to run. The TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile Presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (G1)—a race in which he was fourth—wasn't a fair test, owing to ridiculously fast splits. Cloud Computing , a son of Maclean's Music, won the 1 3/16-mile Preakness Stakes (G1) in 2017, but most of the sire's other stakes progeny have been sprinters and milers.

11. Keepmeinmind

Robertino Diodoro/Cypress Creek and Arnold Bennewith

Laoban —Inclination, by Victory Gallop

Southern Equine Stables (KY)

He falls a few spots in the rankings due to the below-expectations form of horses exiting the Nov. 28 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2), a soft-paced race he won from behind in his final start at 2. Not having speed and being a towering, long-striding type, his fastest races are likely to come when hot fractions unfold in front of him, as they did when he rallied for third in the Juvenile. 

12. Highly Motivated 

Chad Brown/Klaravich Stables

Into Mischief—Strong Incentive, by Warrior's Reward 

Klaravich Stables (KY)

Last year he played a small role in the single-season progeny earnings record for sire Into Mischief, though Authentic , the Derby and Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) winner was obviously the leading contributor. This colt finished well to win the 6 1/2-furlong Nyquist Stakes at Keeneland in a track-record 1:14.99. His first start at 3 should provide much-needed clues about his classic potential and distance capability.