A CAMINHO DO DERBY

DERBY TMAIS BEM PONTUADOS - APRIL 13 

ESSENTIAL QUALITY (c, Tapit--Delightful Quality, by Elusive Quality)
O/B-Godolphin (KY). T-Brad Cox. 

Lifetime Record: Ch. 2yo Colt & MGISW, 5-5-0-0, $2,265,144.
Last Start: 1st GII Toyota Blue Grass S., KEE, Apr. 3 Accomplishments: 'TDN Rising Star', 1st GI TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile, KEE, Nov. 6, 1st GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity, KEE, Oct. 3, 1st GIII Southwest S., OP, Feb. 27 .

KY Derby Points: 140

With all the prep stakes now in the books, it's safe to say the GII Toyota Blue Grass S. stands out as this year's only true slugfest between two A-list colts who asserted themselves on the front end and kept fighting right through to the finish. Earlier in the season you could have legitimately postulated that TDN Rising Star' Essential Quality enjoyed a couple of gift-trip wins without facing stern stretch battles during his five-for-five run.

HOT ROD CHARLIE (c, Oxbow--Indian Miss, by Indian Charlie)
O-Roadrunner Racing, Boat Racing LLC & William Strauss; 

B-Edward A Cox (KY);

T-Doug O'Neill. 

Sales history: $17,000 Ylg '19 FTKFEB; $110,000 Ylg '19 FTKOCT.
Lifetime Record: GSW & GISP, 7-2-1-2, $1,005,700.
Last Start: 1st GII Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby, FG, Mar. 20 Accomplishments: 2nd GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile, KEE, Nov. 6; 3rd GIII Robert B. Lewis S., SA, Jan. 30
KY Derby Points: 110

Flavien Prat will ride Hot Rod Charlie in the Derby, and the standings-topping Santa Anita rider is picking up a live, versatile mount who has impressed with steady advancement ever since he ran a close second at 94-1 odds behind Essential Quality in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile. Even though this two-time Fasig- Tipton sales grad ($17,000 FTKFEB; $110,000 FTKOCT) is a half- brother to 2019 sprint champ Mitole, trainer Doug O'Neill was on record as far back as last autumn saying Hot Rod Charlie has the makings of a two-turn horse. This Oxbow colt most recently scored on the front end in the GII Louisiana Derby, but he's a fairly relaxed goer who doesn't appear to be a need-the-lead type of speedster. Hot Rod Charlie also got a good deal of schooling out of his Jan. 30 GIII Robert B. Lewis S. third, in which he was beaten a neck in a three-way photo after stumbling at the break and bumping in deep stretch, and he is beginning to resonate as a seasoned competitor who can handle varying levels of pace pressure and in-race chaos.

SUPER STOCK (c, 3, Dialed In--Super Girlie, by Closing Argument)
O-Erv Woolsey & Keith Asmussen; 

B-Pedro & P J Gonzalez (KY); 

T-Steve Asmussen. Sales history: $70,000 Ylg '19 KEESEP. 

Lifetime Record: 8-2-2-2, $804,762.
Last Start: 1st GI Arkansas Derby, OP, Apr. 10. 

Accomplishments: 2nd Street Sense S., CD, Oct. 25; 3rd
GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity, KEE, Oct. 3; 3rd GIII Iroquois S., CD, Sept. 5.  GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity, KEE, Oct. 3; 3rd GIII Iroquois S., CD, Sept. 5. 

KY Derby Points: 109.

If jockey Ricardo Santana Jr.'s instructions for the GI Arkansas Derby were to save ground and make one run at the favored pacemakers, he executed that plan flawlessly. Always in touch behind the dueling duo while stalking in third, this $70,000 KEESEP colt by Dialed In briefly had to switch off the heels of the tiring favorite three-sixteenths from the wire before responding to a rousing stretch ride. His Beyer of 92 translates to a nine- point improvement over his career best. But when you parse the fractions and consider how much Super Stock benefitted from an ideal setup (his winning move was launched into a slow :26.49 fourth-quarter split and there was little resistance from the spent speedsters) the Arkansas Derby doesn=t stand out as a particularly overpowering race. On the brighter side, if you look at Super Stock's company lines, he has already beaten two well- regarded TDN Rising Stars' ranked within the current Top 12, and he has run a credible third and second, respectively, behind the Nos. 1 and 5 horses on this list.

KNOWN AGENDA (c, Curlin--Byrama {GB}, by Byron {GB}) O/B-St Elias Stable (KY); 
T-Todd Pletcher. 
Sales History: $135,000 RNA Ylg '19 FTSAUG. 
Lifetime Record: 6-3-1-1, $541,700.
Last Start: 1st GI Curlin Florida Derby, GP, Mar. 27 Accomplishments: 3rd GII Remsen S., AQU, Dec. 5  

KY Derby Points: 102

In recent seasons, trainer Todd Pletcher has generally not been flooded with early-winter Top 12 candidates. But come April every year, he reliably has several Derby threats primed to pounce. Known Agenda is the best of this year's group for Pletcher, and he told the TDN Writers' Room last week that this $135,000 RNA at FTSAUG surprised by running well first time out when finishing second sprinting at Saratoga. Known Agenda then ran to his distance-centric pedigree by beating well- regarded Greatest Honour (Tapit) going nine furlongs in start number two (with the rest of the field 21 lengths behind). Yet this colt was green and left himself too much work to do in both the GII Remsen S. at Aqueduct and the GIII Sam F. Davis S. at Tampa. Blinkers helped to focus him for a breakout allowance romp and then a sharp, rail-running victory in the GI Florida Derby (94 Beyer Speed Figure).