ESKENDEREYA followed up his impressive Fountain of Youth (G2) victory with another romping of his foes in the Wood Memorial (G1). There is no doubt that the son of Giant’s Causeway is currently the most talented 3-year-old entering the Kentucky Derby. While trainer Todd Pletcher wins more races than anyone else the rest of the year, a Kentucky Derby (G1) but a win still eludes him. Eskendereya is his best chance to wear the roses, but just as other big favorites have failed on Derby day, he must still prove he can run 1 ¼ miles in front of the loudest crowd he’ll ever see.

LOOKIN AT LUCKY is easy to like as he owns the most earnings in Graded Stakes events and is trained by the popular Bob Baffert. Before you jump on board, you should know that this son of Smart Strike had finished first or second in each of his first seven races before running a troubled third in his last start, the Santa Anita Derby. While 7-for-7 on the board is very impressive, most of those races were run last year and it should be said that the strongest and fastest 2-year-olds usually get past up as everyone else in the crop grows up during their 3-year-old campaign. He’ll be the second betting choice.

SIDNEY’S CANDY entered the Kentucky Derby picture very late, as he started quietly amassed 4 victories in his first 6 races, including 3-in-a-row while winning the San Vincente (G2), the San Felipe (G2) and the Santa Anita Derby (G1). This son of Candy Ride (Arg) will be your early speed in the Derby and will try to take them wire-to-wire. Jockey Joe Talamo says this horse “takes a deep breath and can run all day,” so his biggest question might be if he can handle the Churchill Downs dirt, since all of his races have been on the Polytrack. He’s your probable 3rd choice as they enter the gate.

ENDORSEMENT took 3 races to finally break his maiden, but he jumped right into the Sunland Derby (G3) and defeated Bob Baffert’s previously undefeated Conveyance (now 4 wins in 5 starts) by 3 lengths while running 1 1/8 miles. Following that defeat, trainer Bob Baffert said, “I think the horse that beat us, of all the others I’ve seen lately, he was pretty impressive. I think we saw a star born today.” Shannon Ritter trains the son of Distorted Humor, who was purchased as a yearling for $450,000. Might be rounding into his best form at the right time, or he may need a little more seasoning.

MISSION IMPAZIBLE This son of classy sire Unbridled’s Song is considered to be trainer Todd Pletcher’s “other horse,” as he also saddled post time favorite Eskendereya. He’s one of the lighter raced contenders, only being seen on the track on 5 occasions, however, he’s made the most of them while hitting the board in 4 of his 5 career races. He put it all together in the Louisiana Derby (G2) in his last start, winning his first try at 1 1/8 miles around two turns. Gives Pletcher two bullets in his Derby gun, but at a better price.

AWESOME ACT missed some training going into the Wood Memorial (G1) and then blew a shoe at the start. Jockey Julian Leparoux had a handful turning for home and thought he was an easy winner until Eskendereya pulled away down the stretch to beat him by 9 ¾ lengths. This son of Awesome Again has talent, which he proved when winning his previous race, the Gotham (G3), following a 4-month layoff. He’ll be making his 3rd start off the layoff on Derby day, a “form cycle” that indicates this might be his strongest race back since he was rested.

ICE BOX has earned a spot in the Derby starting gate after winning 3 of his last 4 races, including the Florida Derby (G1) at 1 1/8 miles. The biggest knock against this maturing son of Pulpit would be that he was handily beaten by favored Eskendereya by 12 lengths in the Fountain of Youth (G2) at Gulfstream Park. If you’re expecting the early pace to be sharp, or his competitors to crumble going 1 ¼, he’s your “come from the clouds” late closer.

CONVEYENCE earned a lot of the early Derby buzz last fall when he started his career by winning 4 straight races, including the San Rafael (G3) and Southwest Stakes (G3). The son of Indian Charlie has never won better than a Grade 3 race and his loss in his last start in the Sunland Derby (G3) to little known Endorsement dropped his stock. He’s trainer Bob Baffert’s “other horse,” but you’ll get a big price on him in the Derby, which isn’t bad for a horse who’s won a very respectable 4-for-5 of his career races!

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