Kentucky Derby Roundup: Previewing the Cattleya Stakes

A three-week lull in the Road to the Kentucky Derby is coming to an end.

Starting this Saturday, there’s at least one prep race somewhere in the world every week through Dec. 21.

Let’s get up to speed on upcoming Kentucky Derby (G1) action and recount a few noteworthy developments from last week:

Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby kicks off with Cattleya

The Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby gets underway on Saturday with the running of the Cattleya S. at Tokyo Racecourse.

Held over 1,600 meters (about one mile), the Cattleya is best known for producing Lani, who competed in all three legs of the 2016 Triple Crown. In the Kentucky Derby, he finished ninth.

Entries haven’t been finalized for this year’s Cattleya, but the early entries include a bevy of promising names. The prospective starters include:

• Bolt Tesoro: Bolt Tesoro made a nice impression when debuting over 1,600 meters at Tokyo Racecourse. Facing 15 rivals in a newcomers' race, Bolt Tesoro raced in second place early on before running his final 600 meters (about three furlongs) in :35.6 to take over and win by one length in 1:39.4.
• Kianu: Even after carving out the pace in a maiden race over 1,400 meters (about seven furlongs) at Tokyo Racecourse, Kianu had enough left to dash his final 600 meters in :35.9 (0.8 faster than anyone else in the field) and win by eight lengths in 1:24.7.
• Malibu Orange: This promising filly beat males when debuting in a 1,600-meter newcomers' race at Tokyo, clocking her final 600 meters in :35.9 to win by three-quarters of a length. She reached the finish line in a snappy 1:36.8 over a muddy track, missing the juvenile track record by only 0.6.
• Natural Rise: Natural Rise debuted in a newcomers' race over 1,700 meters (about 1 1/16 miles) at Sapporo, where he finished his final 600 meters in :36.9 to dominate by six lengths in 1:45.7, 0.8 off the juvenile track record.
• Snappy Dresser: There was no doubting Snappy Dresser’s superiority in a newcomers' race sprinting 1,400 meters at Tokyo Racecourse. He dominated his rivals by a huge margin, clocking his final 600 meters in :35.4 to reach the finish line in 1:24.7, a whopping 2.2 seconds faster than the runner-up.
• Tagano Babylon: A big rally carried Tagano Babylon from seventh place to first place in a 1,600-meter newcomers' race at Tokyo Racecourse. By sprinting his final 600 meters in :36.2, he scored by two lengths in 1:38.9.

Bullard defeats McKinzie Street in Bob Hope

A five-horse field assembled for Sunday’s seven-furlong Bob Hope (G3) at Del Mar. Among the biggest names was McKinzie Street, the Del Mar Futurity (G1) runner-up who picked up Road to the Kentucky Derby qualification points when third in the American Pharoah (G1).

But in the Bob Hope, McKinzie Street got burned out dueling for the lead through intense fractions of :21.63 and :43.93. He ultimately tired to finish third while 11-10 favorite Bullard rallied from last place to dominate by 4 3/4 lengths in the solid time of 1:22.55.

Bullard was returning from a 2 1/2-month layoff, having gone unraced since rallying to win his Sept. 1 debut sprinting six furlongs at Del Mar. The son of Gun Runner is now 2-for-2 and looks ready to join the Road to the Kentucky Derby, perhaps in next month’s Los Alamitos Futurity (G2).

Breeders’ Cup Juvenile alumni return to the work tab

A pair of participants from the Nov. 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) recorded workouts this week:

• Getaway Car: In his first timed workout since finishing fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, Best Pal (G3) winner and American Pharoah runner-up Getaway Car clocked half a mile in :48.00 on Friday at Santa Anita.
• Jonathan’s Way: Bouncing back from a subpar seventh-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, Iroquois (G3) conqueror Jonathan’s Way blazed a bullet five furlongs in :58.80 on Saturday at Churchill Downs.

Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard top five

1. Citizen Bull (40 points)
2. Gaming (15 points)
3. Getaway Car (11 points)
4. Chancer McPatrick (10 points)
5. East Avenue (10 points)

European-Middle East Road to the Kentucky Derby top five

1. Hotazhell (20 points)
2. Wimbledon Hawkeye (13 points)
3. Camille Pissarro (10 points)
4. Rashabar (5 points)
5. Delacroix (5 points)