LOUISVILLE — They’re coming out of the woodwork to run for the roses!
Less than 24 hours after it appeared only 19 horses would be entered today for Saturday’s Kentucky Derby — the field is limited to 20 — that number climbed to 21, and possibly 22, with the announcement yesterday that Sunrise Stable plans to enter Giant Finish, most recently third in the March 23 Spiral Stakes, while the colt Carving, currently based at Emerald Downs in Washington state, is another possible entry.
Giant Finish, who has accumulated 10 points under Churchill Downs’ new system for determining which horses qualify for the Derby, would rank 20th on the list, bumping Fear the Kitten, a late-minute surprise addition Monday with six points, down to 21st. Carving, with three points, is 22nd on the pecking order.
Giant Finish, a New York-bred trained by Tony Dutrow, is stabled at the Fair Hill training center in Maryland. No rider has been named.
Carving, previously trained by Bob Baffert and co-owned by Baffert’s wife, Jill, in partnership with Olympic skier Bode Miller, was sold after finishing a distant sixth in the March 9 San Felipe to Dr. Mark Dedomenico, co-owner of champion filly Blind Luck. Last year, Carving won the Real Quiet at Hollywood Park.
* Dreaming of Julia, who turned in the best performance this year by any 3-year-old of either sex when she won the Gulfstream Park Oaks by 21 3/4 lengths, and last year’s 2-year-old filly champion, the California-based Beholder, head a field of 11 3-year-old fillies for Friday’s 139th running of the Grade 1, $1 million Kentucky Oaks.
Dreaming of Julia and Beholder, who is coming off Grade 1 victories in the Las Virgenes and Santa Anita Oaks, would have ranked among the top contenders if they ran in the Derby, but neither qualified because Churchill Downs’ new system does not award points for races limited to fillies.
Dreaming of Julia is trained by Todd Pletcher, who will saddle five colts in the Derby. Beholder’s trainer, Dick Mandella, said, “We probably wouldn’t have run her in the Derby [if she qualified], but I would have liked the chance to think about it.”
* Churchill Downs has doubled the pick 6 guarantee for Derby Day from $500,000 to $1 million, while increasing the pick 6 guarantee for Oaks Day from $50,000 to $250,000. There is also a 50-cent pick 5.