Forbidden Kingdom Vaults Into Derby Dozen Top Three

1. Zandon  

Owner/Trainer: Jeff Drown/Chad Brown

Pedigree: Upstart  —Memories Prevail, by Creative Cause   

Breeder: Brereton Jones (KY)

After a third in the Feb. 19 Risen Star Stakes presented by Lamarque Ford (G2) at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, he resumed breezing March 5, covering a half-mile in :49 3/5 at Payson Park in South Florida. Likely up next is the $1 million Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G1) at Keeneland, which regained grade 1 status this year after run as a grade 2 from 2017-21. Anticipating development after an encouraging comeback race in which he played catchup after a sluggish start.

2. Smile Happy  

Lucky Seven Stable/Kenny McPeek

Runhappy  —Pleasant Smile, by Pleasant Tap

Moreau Bloodstock International and White Bloodstock (KY)

He also seems likely to have benefited from his first start at 3 when second in the Risen Star. He was one of last fall's top 2-year-olds, winning first out in a route at Keeneland and following that race up with a graded stakes victory in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs. He breezed a half-mile in a maintenance :49.03 at Gulfstream Park over the weekend. 

3. Forbidden Kingdom 

MyRacehorse and Spendthrift Farm/Richard Mandella

American Pharoah  —Just Louise , by Five Star Day 

Springhouse Farm (KY)

Being a frontrunning sprinter out of a graded-winning dam who never won beyond six furlongs, Forbidden Kingdom had been a route question mark prior to Saturday's San Felipe (G2), but not any longer. He romped in the 1 1/16-mile race at Santa Anita Park, making fractions of :22.66, :45.90, and 1:10.46 look relatively easy to set. His pace slowed late but he won with his ears pricked, clocked in a fast 1:43.98 for a 102 Equibase Speed Rating.

4. Epicenter  

Winchell Thoroughbreds/Steve Asmussen

Not This Time  —Silent Candy , by Candy Ride   

Westwind Farms (KY)

The Risen Star winner was sharp in an in-company drill in a bullet :59 3/5 at Fair Grounds March 7, and looks to be headed into the $1 million Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby (G2) March 26 as the probable favorite. There, a rematch is in order with Call Me Midnight , who ran him down in a fast-paced Lecomte Stakes (G3) earlier in the Fair Grounds meet. Some leading contenders that chased this speedy colt in the Risen Star, however, are likely to skip the Louisiana Derby.

5. White Abarrio  

C2 Racing Stable and La Milagrosa Stable/Saffie Joseph Jr.

Race Day —Catching Diamonds, by Into Mischief   

Spendthrift Farm (KY)

The Holy Bull Stakes (G3) winner had his form flattered by runner-up Simplification  returning to take the Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) this past Saturday. Simplification was compromised by a poor start in the Holy Bull and elevated his game with a better trip in the Fountain of Youth. White Abarrio missed training and overcame it to win the Holy Bull, and he is training swiftly leading up to an intended fresh start in the April 2 Curlin Florida Derby (G1) at Gulfstream.

6. Simplification  

Tami Bobo/Antonio Sano

Not This Time—Simply Confection , by Candy Ride 

France Weiner and Irwin Weiner (FL)

After being compromised by a tardy beginning in the Holy Bull, his Fountain of Youth was eagerly anticipated and he still managed to exceed expectations. Patiently handled into the first turn, he tugged at Jose Ortiz down the backstretch behind a wall of horses before traffic cleared in front of him and he circled widest with a successful rally. As in the Fountain of Youth, he didn't switch leads, but it didn't stop him from running up a 3 1/2-length margin of victory in a race tarnished by a two-horse spill.

7. Mo Donegal  

Donegal Racing/Todd Pletcher

Uncle Mo  —Callingmissbrown, by Pulpit 

Ashview Farm and Colts Neck Stables (KY)

After scratching from the Fountain of Youth after drawing post 12 and developing what trainer Todd Pletcher said was a low-grade fever, his next start is to come in the April 9 Wood Memorial Presented by Resorts World Casino (G2) at Aqueduct Racetrack. That race makes sense for this late-running colt, who nipped Zandon by a nose in the Remsen Stakes (G2) there last fall over the same 1 1/8-mile trip. 

8. Classic Causeway  

Kentucky West Racing and Clarke Cooper/Brian Lynch

Giant's Causeway —Private World , by Thunder Gulch 

Kentucky West Racing and Clarke M. Cooper Family Living Trust (KY)

After rolling in the Feb. 12 Sam F. Davis Stakes (G3) to kick off his 3-year-old season, he returns to Tampa Bay Downs for the March 12 Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby (G2), where he is likely to be favored against a field that should also include the come backing Major General , who won a maiden race and the Iroquois Stakes (G3) last year. Classic Causeway seemingly holds the edge with a start over the track and being battle-tested against some of the best of the division.

9. Emmanuel  

WinStar Farm and Siena Farm/Todd Pletcher

More Than Ready  —Hard Cloth, by Hard Spun   

Helen K. Groves Revocable Trust (KY)

His first stakes attempt in the Fountain of Youth was deceptively good. Off poorly, he was shuttled back entering the first turn and sat eighth after a quarter mile. Hung wide, he fought his way back into contention down the backstretch and on the second turn, sitting in third with an eighth remaining before finishing fourth. His race was somewhat reminiscent of the trip Simplification experienced in the Holy Bull—and we know how he performed with a better journey in the Fountain of Youth.

10. Morello  

Blue Lion Thoroughbreds, Craig Taylor, and Diamond T Racing/Steve Asmussen

Classic Empire  —Stop The Wedding, by Congrats  

Robert Tillyer & Dr. Chet Blackey (KY)

Facing a field that included several out-of-state invaders, this colt passed his first graded stakes test in winning the one-mile Gotham Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct by 4 1/2 lengths to improve to 3-for-3. After chasing pacesetting Florida invader Dean's List , he reeled that one in and pulled away in the one-turn test. Trainer Steve Asmussen has gradually stretched him out, and now a key two-turn try awaits in the 1/8-mile Wood.

11. Rattle N Roll  

Lucky Seven Stable/Kenny McPeek

Connect  —Jazz Tune, by Johannesburg  

St. Simon Place (KY)

Running in the Fountain of Youth with a limited work tab, the race seemed a means to an end to get him ready for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) in a couple of months. He ran as if he were short on fitness, advancing up the rail down the backstretch before weakening to sixth. Look for him to improve in his second prep of the year—he will have to move forward to earn Derby qualifying points. He has shown he is a high-class, two-turn horse, taking the Claiborne Breeders' Futurity (G1) last fall at Keeneland.

12. In Due Time   

Edge Racing, Medallion Racing, and Parkland Thoroughbreds/Kelly Breen

Not This Time—Sweet Sweet Annie, by Curlin   

Gary & Mary West Stables (KY)

He crossed the wire second in the Fountain of Youth, his first-two turn race, and stayed up following an inquiry after stewards made no change to the order of finish after two horses went down in the race (thankfully without injury). In search of room under Paco Lopez, this colt bumped a foe, who in turn appeared to bump High Oak , one of the two horses that fell as a tight pack jostled leaving the second turn. In Due Time had mostly a ground-saving trip, covering 23 fewer feet than the winner and 61 feet less than Emmanuel, per Trakus data.