5 Early Kentucky Derby 149 Frontrunners

Don’t blink. Before you know it, Steve Buttleman will be bellowing out the Call to the Post on the first Saturday in May at Kentucky Derby 149. Now just a little more than five weeks away, the 20-horse field is taking form.

There are still a few more important prep races for the best 3-year-olds in North America. The Arkansas Derby and Florida Derby will go off this Saturday. Next weekend is the final big testing ground at the Wood Memorial, Santa Anita Derby and Keeneland’s Blue Grass Stakes.

Like the 2022 prep season, which concluded with Rich Strike winning the Fastest Two Minutes in Sports as an 80-1 long shot, a group of horses has yet to emerge as frontrunners. The second straight year Bob Baffert is banned from Churchill Downs, the field appears to be wide open, with one exception. These horses may change the narrative in late April as the colts to beat at Kentucky Derby 149.

5. Two Phil’s

Trained by Larry Rivelli out of Hard Spun, this colt sits atop the Kentucky Derby Leaderboard Points Standings after winning the Jeff Ruby Steaks at Turfway Park Saturday night. Although the race on the synthetic surface is not the most prestigious, that’s not why you should keep Two Phil’s on your short list of Derby horses. All this colt does is hit the board. Since finishing seventh in Keeneland’s top race for 2-year-olds last fall, Two Phil’s has finished in the money in four straight stakes races, winning two. Without the pedigree or a big-name trainer, Two Phil’s should be a great price at post time of Kentucky Derby 149.

4. Hit Show

Hit Show has been the top 3-year-old in the New York circuit. A 6-5 favorite in the Withers, the colt out of Candy Ride delivered a dominant performance in a 5 1/2 length win. Trained by Brad Cox, a win in the Wood Memorial could tee up Hit Show to deliver the Louisville native his first Kentucky Derby victory on Derby Day (Mandaloun was victorious in Kentucky Derby 147, thanks to Medina Spirit’s failed drug test).

3. Tapit Trice

Tapit Trice has all of the right connections. He has one of the best sires (Tapit), trainers (Todd Pletcher) and jockeys (Luis Saez) in North America. Despite a bad trip, Tapit Trice had an impressive finish en route to a win at the Tampa Bay Derby. He’ll be the top choice in next Saturday’s Blue Grass Stakes.

2. Practical Move

Trained by Tim Yakteen, Baffert’s former assistant, Practical Move can assert himself as the top 3-year-old on the West Coast at next weekend’s Santa Anita Derby. Practical Move won the San Felipe Stakes by 2 1/2 lengths. Another similar performance next Saturday will make this colt a popular pick ahead of Kentucky Derby 149.

1. Forte

Similar to Epicenter a year ago, Forte is the only 3-year-old with a resume that puts him head and shoulders above the competition. A winner in five of six starts, Forte took home the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, then made his 3-year-old debut with a 4 1/2 length victory in the Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream Park. Trained by Todd Pletcher, Forte is the 9-2 favorite in Saturday’s Florida Derby.