European Road to the Kentucky Derby Wraps April 11

Triple Crown-nominated U S S Michigan is among the top contenders in the Woodford Reserve Cardinal Conditions Stakes April 11 at Chelmsford City, the final race in the European Road to the Kentucky Derby.

The series of races awards qualifying points to nominated runners for a spot in the starting gate for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1). Thursday's race is the final and most lucrative points race in the European series, awarding points on a 30-12-6-3 scale to the top four finishers.

Thursday's race for 3-year-olds features two Triple Crown-nominated runners in U S S Michigan and Shir Khan.

Campaigned by Coolmore-affiliated owners Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor, and Derrick Smith, U S S Michigan enters Thursday's one-mile test on the synthetic track off a clear victory in a March 1 maiden race at six furlongs on the synthetic surface at Dundalk. Bred in Kentucky by Joseph Allen, the son of War Front  out of Unbridled's Song mare Photograph is a full brother to group 3 winner War Dispatch.

U S S Michigan is trained by Aidan O'Brien, who also sends out Antilles, another son of War Front, who will make his seasonal debut after a win in four juvenile starts.

"I've never had any runners at Chelmsford before and if we were to have a horse for the Kentucky Derby it would be U S S Michigan," O'Brien told the Racing Post. "He's a big, long-striding cruiser and we always thought he would get a mile and further. He would look the right sort of type for the race."

Shir Khan, a son of Leroidesanimaux trained by Paul Cole, will make his first start since a five-length romp in an about 1 3/16-mile maiden race Nov. 17 on the synthetic track at Wolverhampton.

The expected field of nine also includes group 2 winner Dark Vision, who will make his seasonal debut for Godolphin and trainer Mark Johnston.

"It is going to take a fair horse to win on Thursday as it looks a hot race," said Oliver Cole, assistant to his father, Paul. "Shir Khan has been working well. We have not done any testing work, but what we have seen, we have been pleased with.

"We don't quite know how good he is and whether he is in the deep end or not, we don't know. I expect we will find out on Thursday. He took a long time to come to hand physically last year, but we have always liked the horse."