Pletcher Holding Aces in Derby Dozen; Verifying Rises

1. Forte  

Owner/Trainer: Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable/Todd Pletcher

Pedigree: Violence  —Queen Caroline , by Blame   

Breeder: South Gate Farm (KY)

Though Tapit Trice scored style points for his victory in the Blue Grass Stakes (G1), Forte, the Florida Derby (G1) winner, clings to the top spot in the Derby Dozen rankings, owing to his body of work and professionalism. Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher, a two-time Kentucky Derby (G1) winner, brings a strong hand into this year's Run for the Roses, training three top contenders in Forte, Tapit Trice , and Kingsbarns , all $1 million prep winners. Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr., bidding for his first Derby, can only hope for a better draw this year with Forte than what he caught in 2021-22, when Pletcher trainees Known Agenda   and Mo Donegal   each drew the disadvantageous inside post.

2. Tapit Trice  

Whisper Hill Farm and Gainesway Stable/Todd Pletcher

Tapit  —Danzatrice , by Dunkirk  

Gainesway Thoroughbreds (KY)

The initial quarter-mile of the Blue Grass somewhat mirrored his Tampa Bay Derby (G3) victory when he was off slowly and climbed early behind kickback. But once Luis Saez was able to angle him from the rail to the outside midway on the first turn at Keeneland, the gray quickly advanced on the leaders and outkicked a quality foe in Verifying . He gained a head into that rival in a final eighth timed in :12.40 to complete 1 1/8 miles in 1:50 over a track that produced relatively slow times. He looks tailormade for the Belmont Stakes (G1)—sons of Tapit have excelled in that race—and is a close No. 2 behind Forte in the Derby Dozen rankings.

3. Angel of Empire  

Albaugh Family Stables/Brad Cox

Classic Empire  —Armony's Angel , by To Honor and Serve 

Forgotten Land Investment and Black Diamond Equine (PA)

The Derby preps contested this month all had tight finishes except one: the April 1 Arkansas Derby (G1), a race he took by 4 1/4 lengths. That sticks out relative to Forte winning the Florida Derby by a length, and Tapit Trice, Practical Move , and Lord Miles  taking the Blue Grass, Santa Anita Derby (G1), and Wood Memorial Stakes (G2) in photo finishes. He and Derby favorite Forte have faced a common foe this year in Rocket Can , whom Forte defeated by 4 1/2 lengths when Rocket Can was second in the Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2). Angel of Empire was 4 3/4 lengths ahead of Rocket Can when the latter was fourth in the Arkansas Derby. 

4. Practical Move  

Leslie Amestoy, Pierre Jean Amestoy Jr., and Roger Beasley/Tim Yakteen

Practical Joke  —Ack Naughty , by Afleet Alex  

Chad Brown and Head of Plains Partners (KY)

In gamely winning the 1 1/8-mile Santa Anita Derby, he showed an ability to stay a trip beyond the most effective distance of his sire, Practical Joke  , whose best races came around one turn from seven furlongs to a mile. Mandarin Hero  and Skinner  both loomed with threatening rallies but he was able to fend them off, lasting by a nose over the former, with the latter another half-length back. Practical Move again broke a step slowly, but quickly recovered, and then was able to slip up the fence—just as he had in stalking triumphs in the San Felipe Stakes (G2) and 2022 Los Alamitos Futurity (G2). He moved a bit early from off the pace in the Santa Anita Derby, which perhaps contributed to his looking a little weary late.

WATCH: Tapit Trice, Practical Move Strengthen Derby Resumes

5. Two Phil's   

Patricia's Hope and Phillip Sagan/Larry Rivelli

Hard Spun  —Mia Torri , by General Quarters

Phillip Sagan (KY)

After winning the Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) at Turfway Park in fast time, trainer Larry Rivelli took him back to his base at Hawthorne, where on April 9 the colt worked a half-mile in :49 3/5. If he's successful in the first leg of the Triple Crown, he would not be the first Derby winner this century to spend early April in Chicago. War Emblem  won the 2002 Illinois Derby (G2) at now-shuttered Sportsman's Park, was sold privately to The Thoroughbred Corp. and turned over to trainer Bob Baffert, and then wired the Derby field. This versatile colt is a graded winner over the Churchill Downs strip and this year was second in the Lecomte Stakes (G3) and third in the Risen Star Stakes (G2).

6. Verifying   

Jonathan Poulin, Westerberg, Susan Magnier, Derrick Smith, and Michael Tabor/Brad Cox

Justify  —Diva Delite , by Repent  

Hunter Valley & Mountmellick Farm (KY)

Ninth last week, he rises following his close second to Tapit Trice in the Blue Grass. He seemed to have a trip advantage over that rival—placed in a sweet, pace-pressing position—and could not repel his bid. Verifying kicked down the stretch, but was simply outfinished by a rival with a more powerful punch. Note there was a 5 3/4-length margin back to the third-place finisher, grade 1 winner Blazing Sevens .

7. Kingsbarns 

Spendthrift Farm/Todd Pletcher

Uncle Mo  —Lady Tapit , by Tapit 

Parks Investment Group (KY)

Following his frontrunning win in the Louisiana Derby (G2), he returned to Pletcher's South Florida training base, Palm Beach Downs, where he worked a half-mile April 7 in :49.74. His tactical speed has allowed him to partially make his own luck in three starts, all victories, rating behind quick fractions in his first two victories and then taking command early in a paceless Louisiana Derby. Without much speed seemingly in this year's Derby, this versatility should give him an opportunity to work out another favorable trip.

8. Derma Sotogake 

Hiroyuki Asanuma/Hidetaka Otonashi

Mind Your Biscuits —Amour Poesis, by Neo Universe  

Shadai Farm (KY)

Japan's top Derby hope led from start to finish in the UAE Derby (G2) at Meydan, posting the fastest time (1:55.91) in the race over 1,900 meters (about 1 3/16 miles) since the classy Mendelssohn   ran the distance in 1:55.19 in 2018. Since 2000, 18 UAE Derby participants have contested the Derby without finishing better than fifth, but with the apparent pace void in this year's race, this colt could be a threat to shake loose. Even his third in the Saudi Derby (G3), a start before the UAE Derby, was a quality effort after he was left at the break.

9. Confidence Game  

Don't Tell My Wife Stables/Keith Desormeaux

Candy Ride  —Eblouissante , by Bernardini 

Summer Wind Equine (KY)

The Rebel Stakes (G2) winner is on site at Churchill Downs, where he worked five furlongs in 1:00 2/5 under regular rider James Graham April 8. He easily dispatched a workmate and continued with a spirited gallop-out. This was a good-looking move and by far his most serious drill since he took the Feb. 25 Rebel at Oaklawn Park over a sloppy track. That race took more out of him than other starts, and soon after, trainer Keith Desormeaux began thinking about bringing his colt fresh into the Derby.  

Confidence Game, with James Graham up, finishing their five furlong move in 1:00.40 at @ChurchillDowns. #KyDerby pic.twitter.com/Dyu2yeDrHK

— Kevin Kerstein (@HorseRacingKK) April 8, 2023

10. Skinner  

CRK Stable/John Shirreffs

Curlin  —Winding Way , by Malibu Moon  

Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings (KY)

His form is reminiscent of the John Shirreffs-trained Giacomo , the 2005 Derby winner, in that he has just a single victory but has a late-running style that could be more effective over the long Churchill Downs stretch than over speed-favoring tracks in Southern California. Skinner ran a better race in the Santa Anita Derby than Giacomo did, finishing third compared to Giacomo's fourth. Skinner also ran an attractive 104 Equibase Speed Figure with a wide trip. Needs to pick up one spot to make the 20-horse Derby lineup after this past weekend's races, though with defections fairly common, the expectation is he will get in.

11. Mage  

OGMA Investments, Ramiro Restrepo, Sterling Racing, and CMNWLTH/Gustavo Delgado

Good Magic  —Puca , by Big Brown   

Grandview Equine (KY)

He is talented, but his limited experience keeps him near the bottom of the list. He is prone to breaking slowly, and that is a difficult thing to overcome in any race, let alone in the 20-horse Kentucky Derby. His tardy beginning also may have led to an early move from behind in the Florida Derby that caused him to grow a bit weary late, seemingly allowing Forte to run him down in the closing strides. Still, he ran within a length of the Derby favorite, no easy feat.

12. Hit Show 

Gary and Mary West/Brad Cox

Candy Ride—Actress, by Tapit 

Gary and Mary West Stables (KY)

Though he lost the Wood, he ranks as the top Derby hopeful that raced in New York this winter and spring. His nose loss in a roughly contested Wood was a solid effort from post 12, plus he emphatically won the Withers Stakes (G3) earlier in the year. He has twice run well at 1 1/8 miles and has improved his speed figures with every start. He will need continued development to close the gap on the favorites, having a career-best 99 ESF in the Wood compared to figures from the main contenders in the 100s.