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By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman Prior to the running of the $500,000 American Turf S. (G2) on Kentucky Derby Day at Churchill Downs, there was buzz that the race would rank among the best of the busy weekend. A stellar field of 13 three-year-olds started in the 1 1/16-mile grass prize, and a thrilling finish saw ...

By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman Over the last decade, few stallions have enjoyed as much success as Curlin. It's safe to say the Hall of Fame inductee is every bit as good a sire as he was a racehorse, and now his sons are emerging as influential stallions as well. Curlin was an elite racehorse who won ...

By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman The 148th running of the $1.5 million Preakness S. (G1) at Pimlico has drawn an unusual field by historical standards. Only one starter from the Kentucky Derby (G1) has turned out to contest the 1 3/16-mile race, that being the victorious #3 Mage (8-5). But Mage appears at least a ...

By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman The 2023 Kentucky Derby (G1) is in the history books, which means it's time to turn our attention to the remainder of the Triple Crown series. To that end, we'll spend this week analyzing the $200,000 Peter Pan S. (G3) at Belmont Park. The 1 1/8-mile contest for three-year-olds ...

By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman The field is set, the post positions are drawn, and the 149th Kentucky Derby (G1) is only two days away. After months of analyzing horses on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, it's time to distill all the data and settle on selections for the Run for the Roses itself. I'm breaking down ...

By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman Every year, I like to analyze the Kentucky Derby (G1) contenders according to their birth dates. While there are multiple ways to interpret the data, there is some evidence that horses born in January are at a disadvantage in the Kentucky Derby, and that horses born in May tend to ...

By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman Every year around this time, I make a point of analyzing the prospective Kentucky Derby field and determining whether a fast or slow pace is likely to unfold in the ''Run for the Roses.'' Most of the time, it's not that difficult. Occasionally the Derby will unfold in a manner that ...

By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman Six months after the series began, the 2022-23 Road to the Kentucky Derby wraps up with Saturday's running of the $400,000 Lexington S. (G3) at Keeneland. The 1 1/16-mile contest awards Kentucky Derby (G1) qualification points on a 20-8-6-4-2 split to the top five finishers. That's ...

By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman The Road to the Kentucky Derby reaches its climax on Saturday with the running of the $1 million Blue Grass (G1) at Keeneland, the $750,000 Santa Anita Derby (G1) at Santa Anita, and the $750,000 Wood Memorial (G2) at Aqueduct. After analyzing the entries, I'm keen to support one ...

By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman The first day of April brings two prominent prep races on the Road to the Kentucky Derby: the $1.25 million Arkansas Derby (G1) at Oaklawn Park and the $1 million Florida Derby (G1) at Gulfstream Park. Both races have drawn large fields. Let's check out the key contenders and plan ...