Ten horses to watch as Kentucky Derby 2018 approaches

With 11 weeks until the 144th running of the Kentucky Derby on May 5 at Churchill Downs, several 3-year-olds have started to emerge as front-runners to win the Run for the Roses.

The top two contenders based on their form as 2-year-olds are Good Magic and Bolt d’Oro.

Good Magic, trained by Chad Brown, won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and is scheduled to make his 3-year-old debut on March 3 in the $400,000, Grade II Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream Park.

Bolt d’Oro, trained by Mick Ruis, was the heavy favorite in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile but finished third. A pulled muscle has slowed his training, but he’s expected to return to racing on March 10 in the $400,000, Grade II San Felipe at Santa Anita Park.

Saturday’s $400,000, Grade II Risen Star at New Orleans’ Fair Grounds will mark the first race on the Road to the Kentucky Derby schedule that offers 85 points, with 50 going to the winner, 20 to the runner-up, 10 to third place and five to fourth place. Instilled Regard, trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, is the 8-5 morning-line favorite for that race.

The list of top Kentucky Derby contenders will inevitably change, but here are 10 horses to watch over the next few weeks:

AUDIBLE

* Trainer: Todd Pletcher.

* Owner: WinStar Farm, China Horse Club and SF Racing.

* Jockey: Javier Castellano.

* Sire: Into Mischief.

* Dam: Blue Devil Bel, by Gilded Time.

* Bred in: New York.

* Career record: 3-0-1 in four starts.

* Career earnings: $287,720.

* Road to the Kentucky Derby points (ranking): 10 (12th).

* Wynn Las Vegas odds: 15-1.

* Last start: Won the Grade II Holy Bull on Feb. 3 at Gulfstream.

* Next start: $1 million, Grade I Florida Derby on March 31 at Gulfstream.

* Notable: “We thought he had a shot to win, but I didn’t think he’d blow everybody away like that,” Pletcher said of Audible’s 5 1/2-length victory in the Holy Bull. “I was happy to see it.” Audible’s pedigree suggests the Kentucky Derby’s 1 ¼-mile distance may be longer than he wants to go.

BOLT D’ORO

* Trainer: Mick Ruis.

* Owner: Ruis Racing.

* Jockey: Javier Castellano.

* Sire: Medaglia d’Oro.

* Dam: Globe Trot, by A.P. Indy.

* Bred in: Kentucky.

* Career record: 3-0-1 in four starts.

* Career earnings: $576,000.

* Road to the Kentucky Derby points (ranking): 14 (fourth).

* Wynn Las Vegas odds: 7-1 (favorite).

* Last start: Third in the Grade I Breeders Cup Juvenile on Nov. 4 at Del Mar.

* Next start: $400,000, Grade II San Felipe on March 10 at Santa Anita.

* Notable: Corey Nakatani rode Bolt d’Oro in his first four career starts, but Ruis announced Castellano will get the mount in his 3-year-old debut in the San Felipe. Ruis said he was disappointed with Bolt d’Oro’s third-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, when he endured a wide trip throughout the 1 1/16-mile race as the 7-10 favorite. A pulled muscle kept Bolt d’Oro from making his 3-year-old debut in last Saturday’s San Vicente at Santa Anita.

CATHOLIC BOY

* Trainer: Jonathan Thomas.

* Owner: Robert LaPenta and Madaket Stable.

* Jockey: Manny Franco.

* Sire: More Than Ready.

* Dam: Song of Bernadette, by Bernardini.

* Bred in: Kentucky.

* Career record: 3-1-0 in five starts.

* Career earnings: $354,000.

* Road to the Kentucky Derby points (ranking): 14 (seventh).

* Wynn Las Vegas odds: 25-1.

* Last start: Finished second behind Flameaway in the Grade III Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs on Saturday.

* Next start: $1 million, Grade II Louisiana Derby on March 24 at Fair Grounds or $1 million, Grade I Florida Derby on March 31 at Gulfstream.

* Notable: Started his career as a turf runner and finished fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf. Made the switch to dirt in December and won the Remsen at Aqueduct, beating Avery Island. Thomas said he’s leaning toward the Florida Derby for Catholic Boy’s next start. “I might have been a little light on him from a training perspective, but we’re anticipating a long spring,” Thomas said. “We’ll probably try to have one more prep, and if he’s good enough he will earn his way into (the Kentucky Derby).”

FREE DROP BILLY

* Trainer: Dale Romans.

* Owner: Albaugh Family Stables.

* Jockey: Luis Saez.

* Sire: Union Rags.

* Dam: Trensa, by Giant’s Causeway.

* Bred in: Kentucky.

* Career record: 2-3-0 in six starts.

* Career earnings: $495,220.

* Road to the Kentucky Derby points (ranking): 14 (fifth).

* Wynn Las Vegas odds: 40-1.

* Last start: Finished second behind Audible in the Grade II Holy Bull on Feb. 3 at Gulfstream.

* Next start: $400,000, Grade II Fountain of Youth on March 3 at Gulfstream.

* Notable: Free Drop Billy has the tendency to lather prior to a race. "I'd rather him not do that, but he does it and that's just him,” Romans said.

GOOD MAGIC

* Trainer: Chad Brown.

* Owner: E Five Racing Thoroughbreds and Stonestreet Stables.

* Jockey: Jose Ortiz.

* Sire: Curlin.

* Dam: Glinda the Good, by Hard Spun.

* Bred in: Kentucky.

* Career record: 1-2-0 in three starts.

* Career earnings: $1,216,600.

* Road to the Kentucky Derby points (ranking): 24 (first).

* Wynn Las Vegas odds: 12-1.

* Last start: Won the Grade I Breeders Cup Juvenile on Nov. 4 at Del Mar.

* Next start: $400,000, Grade II Fountain of Youth on March 3 at Gulfstream.

* Notable: Won the Eclipse Award for 2-year-old champion colt after winning the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. Was purchased for $1 million as yearling by Stonestreet.

INSTILLED REGARD

* Trainer: Jerry Hollendorfer.

* Owner: OXO Equine.

* Jockey: Javier Castellano.

* Sire: Arch.

* Dam: Enhancing, by Forestry.

* Bred in: Kentucky.

* Career record: 2-2-1 in five starts.

* Career earnings: $228,000.

* Road to the Kentucky Derby points (ranking): 14 (ninth).

* Wynn Las Vegas odds: 20-1.

* Last start: Won the Grade III Lecomte on Jan. 13 at Fair Grounds.

* Next start: He’s the 8-5 morning-line favorite for Saturday’s $400,000, Grade II Risen Star at Fair Grounds.

* Notable: Was purchased for $1,050,000 at the Ocala Sale last March.

MCKINZIE

* Trainer: Bob Baffert.

* Owner: Karl Watson, Michael Pegram and Paul Weitman.

* Jockey: Mike Smith.

* Sire: Street Sense.

* Dam: Runway Model, by Petionville.

* Bred in: Kentucky.

* Career record: 3-0-0 in three starts.

* Career earnings: $270,000.

* Road to the Kentucky Derby points (ranking): 20 (third).

* Wynn Las Vegas odds: 8-1.

* Last start: Won the Grade III Sham Stakes on Jan. 6 at Santa Anita.

* Next start: $400,000, Grade II San Felipe on March 10 at Santa Anita or $900,000, Grade II Rebel on March 17 at Oaklawn.

* Notable: Baffert named the horse after Brad McKinzie, a longtime friend of the trainer and a former executive for Los Alamitos Race Course. He died last August due to renal carcinoma.

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MOURINHO

* Trainer: Bob Baffert.

* Owner: Phoenix Thoroughbred III.

* Jockey: Drayden Van Dyke.

* Sire: Super Saver.

* Dam: Sandi’s Ready, by More Than Ready.

* Bred in: Kentucky.

* Career record: 2-2-0 in four starts.

* Career earnings: $154,360.

* Road to the Kentucky Derby points (ranking): 10 (13th).

* Wynn Las Vegas odds: 40-1.

* Last start: Won the Smarty Jones on Jan. 15 at Oaklawn.

* Next start: $500,000, Grade III Southwest on Monday at Oaklawn.

* Notable: He’s named after Jose Mourinho, the manager of the Manchester United soccer team.

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PRINCIPE GUILHERME

* Trainer: Steve Asmussen.

* Owner: Three Chimneys Farm.

* Jockey: Florent Geroux.

* Sire: Tapit.

* Dam: Aubby K, by Street Sense.

* Bred in: Kentucky.

* Career record: 2-1-0 in three starts.

* Career earnings: $101,800.

* Road to the Kentucky Derby points (ranking): 4 (20th).

* Wynn Las Vegas odds: 25-1.

* Last start: Finished second behind Instilled Regard in the Grade III Lecomte on Jan. 13 at Fair Grounds.

* Next start: He’s the 7-2 second choice – behind Instilled Regard - for Saturday’s $400,000, Grade II Risen Star at Fair Grounds.

* Notable: Principe Guilherme is a Portuguese name that translates to “Prince William.” He’s a homebred for Three Chimneys Farm.

SOLOMINI

* Trainer: Bob Baffert.

* Owner: Zayat Stables.

* Jockey: Flavien Prat.

* Sire: Curlin.

* Dam: Surf Song, by Storm Cat.

* Bred in: Kentucky.

* Career record: 1-2-1 in four starts.

* Career earnings: $472,000.

* Road to the Kentucky Derby points (ranking): 14 (sixth).

* Wynn Las Vegas odds: 18-1.

* Last start: Was disqualified from first to third in the Grade I Los Alamitos Cash Call Futurity on Dec. 9 at Los Alamitos.

* Next start: $400,000, Grade II San Felipe on March 10 at Santa Anita or $900,000, Grade II Rebel on March 17 at Oaklawn.

* Notable: The pace-setter in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, Solomini ended up finishing second behind Good Magic in just his third career start.

Jason Frakes: 502-582-4046; jfrakes@courier-journal.com; Twitter: @kyhighs. Support strong local journalism by subscribing today: www.courier-journal.com/jasonf.

2018 KENTUCKY DERBY

* When: Saturday, May 5.

* Where: Churchill Downs.

* Post time: TBA.

* How to watch on TV: NBC.

* How to get tickets: Visit KentuckyDerby.com