The TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby not only kicked off Part 2 of the Kentucky Derby Championship Series but also ushered in the final round of major preps—all at 1 1/8 miles to provide stern tests for the 1 ¼-mile Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve.
It was a test Noble Indy passed with a re-rallying move up the rail to defeat Lone Sailor by a neck and earn Brisnet ratings of 100 Speed and 121 Class.
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Kentucky Derby Championship Series Brisnet.com Ratings |
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Date |
Track | Distance | Race | Winner | Speed | Class |
| February 17 | Fair Grounds | 1 1/16 | Risen Star | Bravazo | 98 | 119.4 |
| March 3 | Gulfstream | 1 1/16 | Fountain of Youth | Promises Fulfilled | 104 | 120.8 |
| March 10 | Tampa Bay | 1 1/16 | Tampa By Derby | Quip | 98 | 120.3 |
| March 10 | Aqueduct | 1 mile | Gotham | Enticed | 104 | 121.6 |
| March 10 | Santa Anita | 1 1/16 | San Felipe | Bolt d’Oro* | 98 | 120.7 |
| March 17 | Oaklawn | 1 1/16 | Rebel | Magnum Moon | 100 | 119.9 |
| March 24 | Fair Grounds | 1 1/8 | Louisiana Derby | Noble Indy | 100 | 121.0 |
| March 25 | Sunland Park | 1 1/8 | Sunland Derby | Runaway Ghost | 96 |
120.1 |
*Bolt d’Oro placed 1st on disqualification of unofficial winner McKinzie
The win ranks favorably both among Parts 1 and 2 of the Kentucky Derby Championship Series as well as against the 13 races to date for 2018 Kentucky Derby-eligible horses going 1 1/8 miles on dirt. Of the six stakes races at that distance only winners Noble Indy and Blended Citizen (Jeff Ruby Steaks) earned a 100 Brisnet Speed Rating. Noble Indy did it against better competition, though, considering his 121 Class Rating (against Blended Citizen’s 117.8). Class Ratings assess the quality of a horse’s performance based on the strength of the field and what those horses did in other races. A difference of 3-4 points is significant.
The 100 Speed Rating also ranks tied for third (with fellow Todd Pletcher trainee Magnum Moon) among the eight winners of this year’s Kentucky Derby Championship Series with six races to go. The win was the third in 2018 Kentucky Derby points races for Pletcher to join Bob Baffert and Kiaran McLaughlin with the hat trick. Pletcher will go for win number 4 with Audible in the Florida Derby on Saturday at Gulfstream Park.
The Sunland Derby on Sunday at Sunland Park concluded Part 1 of the Championship Series, and it did not go out with a bang as Runaway Ghost’s 96 Brisnet Speed Rating was the slowest of the Championship Series races to date. Part 2 continues on Saturday, March 31, with the U.A.E. Derby at Meydan Racecourse in the United Arab Emirates and the aforementioned Florida Derby.
Brisnet.com Speed & Class Ratings are available in the Ultimate Past Performances that are free to TwinSpires.com players when they wager. Speed measures how fast a horse ran a particular race and is comparable across distance, surface, and location. Class measures competition within each race. For more information, CLICK HERE.
