Kentucky Derby Road: March 15 Virginia Derby

D. Wayne Lukas is back in the Kentucky Derby picture after American Promise upset the Virginia Derby. The son of Justify was ridden by Nik Juarez and was timed in 1:46.41 going through nine furlongs around one turn. At 7-1 American Promise attended odds-on favorite Getaway Car through fast early fractions pf 23.12 and 45.20 as Render Judgment tracked those two. Around the turn and six furlongs traveled in 1:08.39 American Promise seized the lead while Getaway Car shortened stride. Render Judgment caught the favorite at the eighth pole and finished second behind American Promise as he widened his lead to 7 3/4 lengths. Omaha Omaha got up late to wrest the show money from Getaway Car, finishing 3/4 length behind Render Judgment. Studlydoright was fifth. Only about a quarter-length separated the third, fourth and fifth finishers. The winner is owned by BC Stables and was bred in Kentucky by Candy Meadows LLC. He's out of the Tapit mare Tapella. Kentucky Derby points 50-25-15-10-5.

His fast time in the Virginia Derby, albeit around one turn, earned American Promise an Equibase speed figure of 101, just a hair off the 102 Equibase and 95 Beyer he got breaking his maiden going two turns at Oaklawn Park on Dec. 29. This was his third race since then -- after finishing seventh in the Southwest (91) and fifth in the Risen Star (86). Beyer from today's race is a 95, same as he earned in his maiden-breaker.

American Promise is a large horse that has nine starts under his belt. If he carries his weight forward I would not be surprised if Lukas tests him in one more prep before the first Saturday in May.

Lukas assistant Sebastian Nicholl: “He had a gate work, so we really wanted to be close. We felt like he dropped too far back in his previous races, he broke badly in Arkansas, but this was perfect today and he broke beautifully, stalking the pace was perfect. He’s got a great mind as well. You know he handled all the adversity today beautifully.”

THE NEXT DAY. D Wayne Lukas: “This is a typical case of a horse that was in a growth spurt like he is, big and rangy. He didn’t actually know what was expected, like a big, rangy kid. But the last 30 days, he has really come around and I expect him to get better the next 30 days. I don’t know if I’m a good enough trainer to train him from now till the Derby and get a good performance. I have a tendency to want to run my horses periodically. They do better for me. But I’ll let him get here and get settled in. We have the options of doing something different, but also can be comfortable with the fact that we’re in the Derby already.”