Recapping the Weekend’s Derby and Oaks Preps

By Emily Shields

Two Kentucky Derby and two Kentucky Oaks preps were held over the weekend at the Fair Grounds in Louisiana and Sunland Park in New Mexico. There were some surprising results across the four races, even when a favorite won impressively.

Kentucky Derby

Louisiana Derby (Fair Grounds) 100 – 40 – 20 – 10

Sunland Park Derby (Sunland Park) 50 – 20 – 10 – 5

The $1 million Louisiana Derby (G2) went to 22-1 shot By My Standards ($47.00) when War of Will, the favorite and winner of the Fair Grounds’ two other Derby preps, took a strange step coming out of the gate and struggled to continue. He ultimately finished ninth and his Derby status is in the air. Meanwhile, By My Standards sat in fourth of 11 and then pounced to win by ¾ of a length under Gabriel Saez in 1:49.53 for the 1 1/8-mile race. Spinoff ran second, Sueno third, and Country House fourth.

Worth $800,000, the Sunland Park Derby (G3) drew a field of nine after the scratch of Diamond Blitz. The favorite was Mucho Gusto (4-5) from the rail, but the Bob Baffert-trainee could do no better than third. Cutting Humor ($6.60) won by a neck over Anothertwistafate, who closed boldly in the stretch but could not get by the winner and rider John Velazquez. Trainer Todd Pletcher did not originally have Kentucky Derby designs for the son of First Samurai, but Cutting Humor’s gutsy win could put him in the conversation. The final time was 1:46.94.

Kentucky Oaks

Fair Grounds Oaks (Fair Grounds) 100 – 40 – 20 – 10

Sunland Park Oaks (Sunland Park) 50 – 20 – 10 – 5

The Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) went to 10 – 1 Street Band ($23.80), a daughter of Istan for trainer (and part owner) Larry Jones. Street Band was ridden by Sophie Doyle, who guided the filly to a 3 ¾ length win. The way to the winner’s circle became a little easier when race favorite Serengeti Empress bled and went from leading to last. She was vanned off but reportedly okay after the race. Liora finished second and Sweet Diane third. Street Band ran the 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.54.

A more popular winner on the weekend was Chasing Yesterday ($2.10), American Pharoah’s half-sister by Tapit. The chestnut filly won the $200,000 Sunland Park Oaks under Drayden Van Dyke for trainer Bob Baffert, rolling home in 1:43.18. Chasing Yesterday inherited heavy favoritism when Bellafina was scratched in favor of staying at Santa Anita for the Santa Anita Oaks on April 6.

Next weekend we’ll see the Florida Derby (G1) and the UAE Derby as Derby preps.