BloodHorse associate editor Byron King presents his latest Derby Dozen presented by Spendthrift Farm with a look at his leading contenders for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve on May 1.

Last week on the Derby trail, Hot Rod Charlie shipped from California to Fair Grounds and won $1 million Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby. This Saturday, three more qualifying points preps are lined up: the Curlin Florida Derby Presented by Hill 'n' Dale Farm at Xalapa at Gulfstream Park; the Jeff Ruby Steaks at Turfway Park; and the UAE Derby Sponsored by NBD at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai. Each offers a total of 170 qualifying points for Derby 147 to the top four finishers, distributed on a 100-40-20-10 scale.

Check out America's Best Racing's Triple Crown page to keep up to date with stories and statistics on the Road to the Kentucky Derby.

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1. Essential Quality

As a follow-up to the Feb. 27 Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park, Essential Quality runs next in the April 3 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland. The Blue Grass has produced 23 winners of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve, though the last was back in 2007 with Street Sense , who ran second in the Blue Grass. The Carl Nafzger-trained Street Sense, like this Brad Cox trainee, was a champion at 2 and Kentucky-based.

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2. Concert Tour

Following a March 20 hind-leg injury to stablemate Life Is Good that took him out of Triple Crown consideration, Concert Tour climbs into second in the Derby Dozen. Unbeaten in three races, but unraced at age 2 – to some a big deal, at least before Justify – he seems most likely to pursue the April 10 Arkansas Derby following his March 13 Rebel Stakes romp, unless trainer Bob Baffert reshuffles his stakes cards.

Bob Coglianese/Gulfstream Park

3. Greatest Honour

Trainer Shug McGaughey says this late runner is not the most eager work horse, so he was pleased with the colt's :50.40 half-mile breeze March 31 at Payson Park in his final tune-up before the March 27 Curlin Florida Derby Presented by Hill 'n' Dale Farms at Xalapa at Gulfstream Park. That is a race that Orb won for McGaughey in 2013 prior to that colt's Kentucky Derby victory.

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4. Hot Rod Charlie

A change in style to flash more speed led to a change in outcome March 20 in the Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby. Hot Rod Charlie delivered a track-record performance, admittedly over the infrequently used distance of 1 3/16 miles. Infrequent or not, his time of 1:55.06 was quicker than Wells Bayou's clocking of 1:56.47 in 2020, the first year the race was extended to that trip.

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5. Medina Spirit

Medina Spirit was no match for Life Is Good as a distant runner-up in the March 6 San Felipe Stakes, though with that rival now out, he seems as well positioned as any other 3-year-old to capitalize in California. This bargain $35,000 purchase is consistent and game, which has led to two wins and two seconds in four starts. He breezed five furlongs March 22 at Santa Anita Park in :59.

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6. Midnight Bourbon

Though he weakened late in the Louisiana Derby, holding second over fast-finishing third-place finisher O Besos, his runner-up performance leaves him cracking the Dozen. He was consistent all winter at Fair Grounds, winning the Lecomte Stakes and running third in the Risen Star Stakes Presented by Lamarque Ford. By Tiznow, he should be able to manage 1 ¼ miles.

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7. Spielberg

This inconsistent colt gets a chance in the Florida Derby to validate the fine effort he put forth in the slop in the Southwest behind Essential Quality. Trainer Bob Baffert ships far less frequently to Gulfstream than to Oaklawn Park, but he did win the Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes at Gulfstream with older horse Mucho Gusto in 2020. He’s a threat with an on-time start.

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8. Prevalence

A class test in a major Derby prep awaits Prevalence after pushing his record to 2-for-2 in an allowance optional claiming race March 11. He came back with a half-mile breeze at Gulfstream March 21, an encouraging signal that he came out of his last race in top condition. Yet to race two turns, but he was asked by Tyler Gaffalione on the gallop-out after winning last out, seemingly to prepare for longer races.

Chelsea Durand/NYRA Photo

9. Risk Taking

Many 3-year-olds have yet to race 1 1/8 miles, though Risk Taking has already done so twice, having won a maiden race and the Withers Stakes at the distance. Both races came with blinkers, which likely have contributed to his two-race win streak. Evaluating his class still remains tricky, given the undistinguished stakes company he has kept. The April 3 Wood Memorial should prove telling.

Joe Labozzetta/NYRA Photo

10. Brooklyn Strong

Having missed his 3-year-old season to this point due to sickness and winter weather that impacted training, Brooklyn Strong has a lot riding on the Wood Memorial. He needs to run well to secure Derby points and to provide his connections with Derby faith after a single 3-year-old prep. Trainer Danny Velazquez gave him a :59.71 breeze over five furlongs March 20 at Parx Racing to ready him.

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11. Known Agenda

After low-energy efforts in stakes in the Remsen Stakes and Sam F. Davis Stakes, Known Agenda finally extended himself with blinkers in an allowance optional claimer Feb. 26 at Gulfstream. He scored by 11 lengths, running a 103 Equibase Speed Figure. That race, along with form from age 2, when he beat Greatest Honour in a maiden race at Aqueduct, suggests he is a Florida Derby threat.

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12. O Besos

O Besos challenged at long odds in the 1 3/16-mile Louisiana Derby by storming up the inside to grab third. After a quiet fourth-place finish in the Risen Star in his first route, this was an effort that suggests he is not merely a late-running, one-turn horse. Just 25 Derby points – below the threshold needed from 2016-19 to start – though that would have been acceptable in 2020 when the race didn't overfill.