The Jerome Stakes Tipsheet

A cast of five 3-year-old prospects will travel mile on the Aqueduct dirt in Friday’s $150,000 Jerome S. The 2021 Road to the Kentucky Derby event will reward the top-four finishers with qualifying points on a 10-4-2-1 basis towards the Run for the Roses on May 1.

Jerome Picks

• #4 Eagle Orb
• #2 Swill
• #5 Original

Jerome Wagers

• $25 Win: #4 Eagle Orb
• $5 Trifecta: 4 with 2 with all
• $5 Trifecta Key: 4 with 2,5

Jerome Contenders

#1 CAPO KANE showed vast improvement in his second lifetime performance when leading at every call en route to a stylish tally at Parx. Harold Wyner trainee shows a strong 5-furlong drill in the interim, and he should capitalize from a cool rail draw on Friday. Son of Street Boss gets a rider upgrade to Dylan Davis for his stakes debut, as well.

#2 SWILL comes in off of a fourth-place finish in the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) at Churchill Downs for conditioner Brad Cox. A $285,000 yearling purchase, the son of Munnings cuts back to one-turn racing, and he will be a major force if he repeats his maiden triumph beneath the Twin Spires two back. Kendrick Carmouche inherits the ride atop the obvious contender.

#3 HOLD THE SALSA is a two-time stakes winner who exits a game tally in the New York Stallion Series S. on the surface. Richard Lugovitch pupil owns stakes victories in two of his last three assignments overall, and the one-run closer will aim to run them all down late with Romero Maragh in the silks.

#4 EAGLE ORB powered home an impressive winner of the Notebook S. on this course in his latest appearance. Trained by Rudy Rodriguez, the $95,000 son of Orb has taken a big step forward since adding blinkers two prior, and he seems perfectly spotted going a one-turn mile in the Jerome. The top selection will have Manny Franco on board once again.

#5 ORIGINAL is the wildcard in the field for trainer John Terranova. The $425,000 purchase was outrun on the dirt on debut, but he came back to be an impressive winner going long on the turf when removing the blinkers. Son of Quality Road shows four positive morning moves on the main surface since, and the bay could be dangerous in his second lifetime dirt try. Jose Lezcano will be in the stirrups.