The United Arab Emirates Derby has yet to produce a Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve winner but it nearly happened last year, when Forever Young came within two noses of taking the opening leg of the Triple Crown.
The last three races awarding 100 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve qualifying points to the winner will be held Saturday, April 5, at Aqueduct in New York and Santa Anita Park in Southern California, and Tuesday, April 8, at
Santa Anita Park’s $200,000 Fasig-Tipton Santa Anita Oaks has been an important steppingstone to stardom just this century with winners such as Beholder (2013) and Songbird (2016) going on to Hall of Fame careers.
Sandman, a $1.2 million yearling purchase and son of leading sire Tapit, secured his first career graded stakes victory on March 29 at Oaklawn Park with a dominant 2 ½-length win in the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby or trainer Mark Casse.
The final three major prep races for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve worth 100 qualifying points each to the winner are on tap for Saturday in New York, Kentucky, and California, so by this time next week the field for the 151st. run for the roses will be just about finalized.
