Chancer McPatrick, River Thames highlight competitive Blue Grass

Keeneland's Friday card has been pushed to Monday and Saturday's racing will take place on Tuesday due to the weekends forecast of severe weather. 

Six of the seven entrants in Saturday’s $1.25 million Blue Grass (G1) at Keeneland are seeking qualifying points for the 151st running of the Kentucky Derby (G1) on May 3. 

River Thames, a neck second when making his stakes debut in the Fountain of Youth (G2), has been installed as a slight 5-2 choice on the morning line, but Holy Bull (G3) winner Burnham Square (4-1 morning line), juvenile Grade 1 scorers Chancer McPatrick (7-2) and East Avenue (3-1), and Tampa Bay Derby (G3) winner Owen Almighty (3-1) are all eligible to compete for favoritism in the deep event.

As a major qualifier in the Road to the Kentucky Derby Challenge series, the 1 1/8-mile Blue Grass will offer points on a 100-50-25-15-10 scale to the top five finishers. Owen Almighty is the only contestant who probably won’t need points to qualify for the Kentucky Derby, currently ranking eighth with 65 total points, but trainer Brian Lynch will use the Blue Grass to gauge the speedy colt’s threshold for the 1 1/4-mile Kentucky Derby distance.

Wet conditions will be prevalent in Central Kentucky this weekend, with Keeneland expected to receive significant rainfall.

River Thames won his first two starts by convincing margins and stretched to two turns with a game showing in the Fountain of Youth, registering the top last-out Brisnet Speed rating (99) in the Blue Grass field. Irad Ortiz Jr. picks up the mount on the Todd Pletcher-trained speedy son of Maclean’s Music, and River Thames figures to be forwardly placed from his rail post.

Owen Almighty looks like the probable pacesetter, displaying high speed rolling to a 3 1/2-length decision in the Tampa Bay Derby, but the Speightstown colt will lose the services of Irad Ortiz Jr. The jockey’s brother, Fair Grounds’ runaway leading rider Jose Ortiz, will pick up the mount.

Chancer McPatrick, winner of the Champagne (G1) and Hopeful (G1) last year, will try to improve upon a runner-up in the Tampa Bay Derby in his comebacker. The McKinzie colt raced closer to the pace with first-time blinkers last time, and regular rider Flavien Prat will guide the late runner for Chad Brown, who will seek to tie Pletcher with a fourth Blue Grass win. Brown captured the 2024 Blue Grass with Sierra Leone, who followed with a nose second in the Kentucky Derby.

East Avenue showed an affinity for Keeneland last fall, romping by 5 1/4 lengths in the Breeders’ Futurity (G1), but the well-regarded colt lost all chance when stumbling out of the starting gate as the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) favorite. Brendan Walsh adds blinkers and the son of Medaglia d’Oro will try to turn things around following a dead-heat 10th as the favorite in the Feb. 15 Risen Star (G2), and Luan Machado replaces an injured Tyler Gaffalione.

Burnham Square discovered his best form when adding blinkers this winter, breaking his maiden by nine lengths and rallying to a 1 3/4-length win in the Holy Bull. The Ian Wilkes-trained gelding was flattered when Holy Bull runner-up Tappan Street came back to win the Florida Derby (G1). However, Burnham Square took a step back in the Fountain of Youth next out, winding up an even fourth as the favorite, and the son of Liam’s Map will seek to rebound with new jockey Brian Hernandez Jr.

After being no factor in his first three stakes appearances, Render Judgment will enter the Blue Grass on the upswing for Kenny McPeek following an improved second in the Virginia Derby. Completing the field is the Brad Cox-trained Admiral Dennis, who couldn’t overcome a slow start, finishing sixth in the Rebel (G2) last out.