Five horses bred in the mid-Atlantic region are scheduled to face the starter in Kentucky Derby day stakes at Churchill Downs. They are:
- LONG ON VALUE, 20-1, GRADE 2 AMERICAN TURF
- Bred in Virginia by Snow Lantern Thoroughbreds
- 3 year-old son of Value Plus out of the unraced Orientate mare Long Message
- Owned by Wachtel Stable and George J. Kerr
- Record: 7-3-0-1, earnings of $105,300
- Unranked in latest Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred/The Racing Biz Top Midlantic-bred Poll
- Turf route is a curious spot for horse who has not won beyond 5 1/2 furlongs
- Won lone turf try, sprinting against Virginia-breds in the Jamestown at Colonial
- Has not finished within 7 lengths of the winner in last four starts
- Trained by Bill Mott, who has enticed Joel Rosario to ride
- For more info:
- Equibase profile
- STORMING INTI, 4-1, GRADE 2 AMERICAN TURF
- Bred in Pennsylvania by Brushwood Stable
- 3 year-old son of Stormy Atlantic out of the unraced Pulpit mare Tarfaya
- Owned by Santa Rosa Racing Stables
- Record: 7-4-0-2, earnings of $259,500
- Ranked fifth among three year-olds in latest Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred/The Racing Biz Top Midlantic-bred Poll
- $100,000 auction purchase saw four-race win streak snapped in narrow G3 Palm Beach defeat
- Owns two wins at the trip and led in longer Palm Beach until late
- Trainer Chad Brown and rider Javier Castellano team up for 31 percent win rate and positive ROI
- For more info:
- Equibase profile
- FALLING SKY, 10-1, GRADE 2 CHURCHILL DOWNS
- Bred in Pennsylvania by Copper Penny Stables LLC
- 4 year-old son of Lion Heart out of the stakes-placed Sea Hero mare Sea Dragoness
- Owned by Newtown Anner Stud and Joseph Bulger
- Record: 11-4-1-1, earnings of $320,470
- Ranked fourth among older horses in latest Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred/The Racing Biz Top Midlantic-bred Poll
- Scored second graded victory of his career in blitzing the field in G3 Gulfstream Park Sprint in February
- Has a win from two tries at 7f distance
- In-and-out form makes him something of a handicapping puzzle
- Trained by George Weaver and will be ridden by Luis Saez
- For more info:
- Equibase profile
- DELAUNAY, 9-2, GRADE 2 CHURCHILL DOWNS
- Bred in Maryland by Fitzhugh, LLC
- 7 year-old gelded son of Smoke Glacken out of the stakes-winning Coronado’s Quest mare Perilous Night
- Owned by Maggi Moss
- Record: 43-15-10-3, earnings of $904,486
- Ranked fifth among older horses in latest Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred/The Racing Biz Top Midlantic-bred Poll
- Hard-hitting veteran was claimed five times in six races in 2012 before current connections grabbed him for $40,000, has not run out of stakes company since
- Won this race easily as the fave a year ago
- Enters off odds-on defeat but show horse from that race returned to defeat graded rivals at Oaklawn
- Trained by Tom Amoss and will be ridden by Rosie Napravnik for seventh straight time (she has three wins and two seconds aboard him)
- For more info:
- Equibase profile
- MORO TAP, 30-1, GRADE 1 WOODFORD RESERVE TURF CLASSIC
- Bred in Virginia by Edward P. Evans
- 4 year-old son of Tapit out of the stakes-winning Silver Ghost mare Ghost Dancing
- Owned by Skychai Racing LLC, Sand Dollar Stable LLC, et. al.
- Record: 14-3-1-2, earnings of $129,440
- Unranked in latest Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred/The Racing Biz Top Midlantic-bred Poll
- $350,000 auction purchase is winless in four stakes tries
- Has lost last five starts, three in allowance company
- Figures to find the likes of Wise Dan and other G1 winners here more than he can handle
- Trained by Mike Maker and will be ridden by Rosie Napravnik, a combo that wins more than a quarter of the time
- For more info:
- Equibase profile
