Our Braintrust the Jerome pick for January Road to the Derby Bonus Cash

The new year brings many things, most significantly for racing fans a ratcheting up of the Road to the Kentucky Derby series. To coincide with the four Derby preps that will be held in January, TwinSpires.com will be offering January Road to the Derby Bonus Cash. Opt in and bet $20 to Win on a single horse or entry in each of the four Derby preps during the month and earn bonus cash based on how many Derby qualifying points your horse earns. Bonus cash is $10 for a first place finish, $4 for second, $2 for third, and $1 for fourth. A bonus can be earned in all four races. The four scheduled preps are the $150,000 Jerome at Aqueduct on January 1; the $100,000 Sham (G3) at Santa Anita on January 5; the $200,000 Lecomte (G3) at Fair Grounds on January 19; and the $150,000 Smarty Jones at Oaklawn Park on January 25. Tuesday's Jerome at Aqueduct attracted a field of six to go a one-turn mile, and #4 OUR BRAINTRUST (8-1) is a potentially interesting longshot. This will be the second trip to New York for the Maryland-based Our Braintrust. Following a debut win in early May for trainer Cathal Lynch, the son of Freud shipped north in June to take the $150,000 Tremont at Belmont Park over Sombeyay and the filly Mae Never No, both of whom won stakes next out. Sidelined until December 8, Our Braintrust reappeared in the $100,000 Maryland Juvenile Championship at Laurel over seven furlongs, where he finished a clear second to Alwaysmining, himself a repeat stakes winner this past weekend. It was a solid effort from Our Braintrust following a six-month layoff, and he could take a step forward off that in the Jerome. Lynch worked the Maryland-bred nine furlongs (something rarely asked of such a young horse) on December 19 and finished in a strong time of 1:52. His final pre-Jerome work came last week when he sped a bullet half-mile in :47 4/5 at Laurel. Stepping up in distance and second time off the layoff, Our Braintrust will be our Win play in the first leg of the January Road to the Derby Bonus Cash series.