Sovereignty Remains 1st in Derby Dozen, Disco Time Dips

1. Sovereignty Owner/Trainer: Godolphin/Bill Mott Into Mischief—Crowned, by Bernardini Breeder: Godolphin (KY) For the first time this winter, he put together two published breezes a week apart, with a half-mile move at Payson Park Training Center in :49 3/5 Feb. 7 after a similar one in :49 1/5 Jan. 31. If he can continue that kind of consistent breeze pattern, his prospects of securing the necessary foundation of training and readiness for two Kentucky Derby (G1) preps significantly increase after an erratic schedule during the early part of the winter. He has tons of racing potential, particularly over a classic distance, as noted by his blow-past-the-field triumph by five lengths in the Oct. 27 Street Sense Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs. Watch: King Recaps Sam. F. Davis Stakes, Derby Dozen Lineup 2. Barnes Owner/Trainer: Zedan Racing Stables/Bob Baffert Into Mischief—All American Dream, by American Pharoah Breeder: Jeff Drown and Don Rachel (KY) After capturing two sprints, including the seven-furlong San Vicente Stakes (G2), a route is on deck. Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, a six-time Kentucky Derby (G1) winner, has indicated the Feb. 22 Rebel Stakes (G2) at Oaklawn Park or the March 1 San Felipe Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita Park are the races under consideration. Both races are 1 1/16 miles. Barnes zipped five furlongs in :58 4/5 at Santa Anita Feb. 11, a quick move in his first breeze since Feb. 1. 3. East Avenue Owner/Trainer: Godolphin/Brendan Walsh Medaglia d'Oro—Dance Music, by Ghostzapper Breeder: Godolphin (KY) The beaten Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) favorite swings back into action in the Feb. 15 Risen Star Stakes (G2) at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, where he faces a dozen rivals over 1 1/8 miles. Recall this front-runner stumbled at the start of the Nov. 1 Breeder's Cup Juvenile at Del Mar and never challenged when ninth. His quick works suggest he is ready for his return, and jockey Tyler Gaffalione—who rode him in two of his three races last year, including in an easy victory in the Breeders' Futurity (G1) at Keeneland—travels from Florida to New Orleans for the mount for trainer Brendan Walsh. 4. Citizen Bull Owner/Trainer: SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Dianne Bashor, Determined Stables, Bob Masterson, Tom Ryan, Waves Edge Capital, and Catherine Donovan/Bob Baffert Into Mischief—No Joke, by Distorted Humor Breeder: Robert and Lawana Low (KY) The Eclipse Award-winning juvenile male of last year, a wire-to-wire winner of the Feb. 1 Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G3) at Santa Anita, would appear likely to resume breezing in the coming week based on approximate two-week turnaround norms for Baffert trainees following a race. Robert B. Lewis was accomplished easily for him without early or late pressure. While others need qualifying points heading toward the May 3 Kentucky Derby, with 60 points, Citizen Bull is already comfortably in the race based on historical trends. 5. Chancer McPatrick Owner/Trainer: Flanagan Racing/Chad Brown McKinzie—Bernadreamy, by Bernardini Breeder: Rigney Racing (KY) Last year at 2, he won both the seven-furlong Hopeful Stakes (G1) and one-mile Champagne Stakes (G1)—races in which an abundance of Derby winners have competed through the years, though not since the early 2010s. Juvenile form is not the prerequisite for Derby success it was decades ago, and both races are one-turn contests that do not test stamina as much as two-turn routes. Think quite highly of this late-running colt, despite his lackluster sixth in his lone two-turn start in the slow-paced Breeders' Cup Juvenile. Planned starts in the Tampa Bay Derby (G3) and Blue Grass Stakes (G1) should provide a barometer of his two-turn routing ability. 6. Burnham Square Owner/Trainer: Whitham Thoroughbreds/Ian Wilkes Liam's Map—Linda, by Scat Daddy Breeder: Whitham Thoroughbreds (KY) Sometimes a trainer will opt to have the Holy Bull Stakes (G3) winner skip the Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2), instead waiting eight weeks for the Florida Derby (G1). However, trainer Ian Wilkes views both the March 1 Fountain of Youth and March 29 Florida Derby as essential building blocks for this gelding, who still showed some signs of greenness in the Feb. 1 Holy Bull. "I think this horse needs a couple more races; you don't want him to make mistakes in the Kentucky Derby," Wilkes said during the "BloodHorse Monday" podcast. 7. Journalism Owner/Trainer: Bridlewood Farm, Don Alberto Stable, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Elayne Stables 5, and Bob LaPenta/Michael McCarthy Curlin—Mopotism, by Uncle Mo Breeder: Don Alberto (KY) After two easy breezes in late January, Journalism was given a stiffer, in-company work Feb. 9 in :59 4/5 at Santa Anita with his Michael McCarthy-trained stablemate Phosphorescence (FR), an older, starter-allowance turf horse. Journalism was stronger at the finish, with both horses given some hand urging late and a sixteenth of a mile past the finish. The work can be seen online on 1/ST TV. Being by Curlin and already a dual route winner, including the Los Alamitos Futurity (G2), he heads to the San Felipe as one of that race's key contenders. 8. Sandman Owner/Trainer: D. J. Stable, St. Elias Stable, West Point Thoroughbreds, and CJ Stables/Mark Casse Tapit—Distorted Music, by Distorted Humor Breeder: Lothenbach Stables (KY) A cut behind some of the better 2-year-olds last fall, finishing behind Sovereignty, Jonathan's Way, and others, this well-bred, expensive colt seems to have made strides over the winter at Oaklawn Park. He first won a Dec. 13 allowance optional claimer and then turned heads by rallying for second in the Jan. 25 Southwest Stakes (G3) after a troubled start and wide trip. A smooth post-Southwest workout at Oaklawn in 1:01 2/5 Feb. 9, posted on the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association website, was accomplished without urging by his rider. 9. Coal Battle Owner/Trainer: Norman Stables/Lonnie Briley Coal Front—Wolfblade by Midshipman Breeder: Hume Wornall and Jay Adcock (KY) He is not as flashy as others in the mornings, with his quickest five-furlong workout this year timed in 1:02 1/5 Feb. 10 at Oaklawn, but he produces in the afternoons. He is 4-for-4 on dirt, including three stakes wins, topped by the Dec. 13 Remington Springboard Mile Stakes and the Jan. 4 Smarty Jones Stakes at Oaklawn. Though the latter race was slow—1 1/16 miles in 1:46.43, generating an 84 Equibase Speed Figure—a sluggish pace contributed. The Rebel is next. 10. Speed King Owner/Trainer: Triton Thoroughbreds/Ron Moquett Volatile—Athenian Beauty, by Corinthian Breeder: Nancy C. Shuford (KY) The Southwest had a modest opening quarter followed by quick fractions to the half-mile and six-furlong call as American Promise dialed up the pressure on Speed King. Though slow-starting Sandman cut into Speed King's lead down the lane, this gray and/or roan had plenty left and galloped out enthusiastically. He worked five furlongs in 1:04 Feb. 8 at Oaklawn under a hold from jockey Rafael Bejarano. Trainer Ron Moquett plans a more serious drill this week and "that'll tell us whether we're going to the Rebel or we're going to do something different." 11. Rodriguez Owner/Trainer: SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Dianne Bashor, Determined Stables, Bob Masterson, Tom Ryan, Waves Edge Capital, and Catherine Donovan/Bob Baffert Authentic—Cayala, by Cherokee Run Breeder: Kingswood Farm and David Egan (KY) As nicely as Citizen Bull won the Robert B. Lewis Stakes, stablemate and runner-up Rodriguez excites nearly as much. He appeared to lose focus when intimidated between horses down the backstretch, but he is a colt who should benefit from continued racing. He took a huge move forward in breaking his maiden second out on the lead, then gained needed seasoning in the Lewis. He returned to the work tab Feb. 11, a positive sign of resiliency that chasing a champion in Citizen Bull did not knock him out. 12. Disco Time Owner/Trainer: Juddmonte/Brad Cox Not This Time—Disco Chick, by Jump Start Breeder: Juddmonte (KY) Saturday's Risen Star Stakes should shed light on the quality of the slowly run Lecomte Stakes (G3) with four participants from the race in action, but Disco Time, who won the Lecomte with a troubled trip, is not one of them. He has not worked since the race, leading to him dipping to the final position in the Derby Dozen rankings. Absent a breeze soon, this 3-year-old will likely be displaced from this lineup, perhaps by a top performer in the Risen Star or a promising stablemate such as Holy Bull runner-up Tappan Street or Sam F. Davis Stakes winner John Hancock. Trainer Brad Cox told Marcus Hersh of Daily Racing Form that the 3-for-3 colt was "fine" and training after a "little setback." The colt is pointed toward one of the major final preps in late March or early April.