Saturday's third race at Gulfstream features a field of six three-year-olds who could become Derby contenders with a strong performance in the 1 1/8-mile test. The field:
1. Casper's Touch, J. Leparoux, K. McPeek, 3-1
2. El Grayling, P. Lopez, M. Maker, 4-1
3. Shadow Warrior, J. Castellano, G. Arnold, 4-1
4. Strike Oil, R. Maragh, M. Casse, 5-1
5. Fort Larned, J. Bridgmohan, I. Wilkes, 6-1
6. Shackleford, J. Castanon, D. Romans, 5-2
Casper's Touch, a son of Touch Gold, is making his first start since capturing a Churchill Downs one mile maiden race back in November. He earned a 77 Beyer figure for that effort. (See PP's below)
Shadow Warrior enters off a wide third (Replay below) as the favorite in the January 7th Gulfstream allowance won by Black n Beauty. The son of A.P. Indy broke his maiden going one mile at Churchill Downs in November.
On the outside is the favorite Shackleford for trainer Dale Romans. Like Casper's Touch, he comes in off a maiden win at Churchill in the fall. Shackleford, by Forestry, earned an 85 Beyer figure for his 7-furlong maiden win. (See PP's below)
Also in the field are El Grayling, who ran second to Super Saver's brother Brethren on closing day at Churchill Downs; Fort Larned, who just broke his maiden going one mile at Gulfstream on January 8th for trainer Ian Wilkes; and Strike Oil, who was last seen winning the restricted Coronation Futurity on November 7th at Woodbine for trainer Mark Casse.
All six horses rank highly in Horse Racing Nation's 2011 Kentucky Derby power rankings: