Khozan Enters Kentucky Derby Picture After Allowance Score

There were three Road to the Kentucky Derby points races this past weekend, but Khozan was the buzz horse after an impressive win against allowance company on Sunday at Gulfstream Park.

Trained by Todd Pletcher, his future price for the Kentucky Derby was down to 16-1 at Bodog, despite the fact the colt has not raced in stakes company or earned any points toward entry into the Kentucky Derby.

The colt did not make his debut until Jan. 24 at Gulfstream Park, winning by 3 ¾ lengths going seven furlongs and earning a lofty Beyer Speed Figure of 103.

On Sunday he took on first level allowance foes going a one-turn mile and won for fun, drawing away to win by 12 ¾ lengths, returning his backers $2.10 for a $2 win wager. His Beyer dropped to a 90, but he still appeared to have plenty left in the tank.

Now the colt needs to earn points to get into the Run for the Roses, and that will come in his next start, which is going to be the $1 million Florida Derby (G1) at Gulfstream Park on March 28. That race is worth 100-40-20-10 points to the top four finishers.

A top two finish would virtually assure he has enough points to get in, and finishing third and earning 20 points would likely put him right on the bubble for entry into the race.

The colt is bred to be a runner. He is by Distorted Humor out of the multiple graded stakes winner Delta Princess, who won 11 of her 30 career starts and earned $740,918. She produced Royal Delta, a multiple graded stakes winner and earner of $4.8 million.

Pletcher has a barn full of Derby candidates including Itsaknockout, who won Saturday’s $400,000 Fountain of Youth (G2). The colt has dropped to odds of 16-1 at Bodog after being at odds of 40-1 last week.

Carpe Diem is at 16-1 in early Derby betting despite the Pletcher trainee being unraced since his runner up finish in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) on Nov. 1. He makes his next start in the $350,000 Tampa Bay Derby (G2) on March 7.

Pletcher’s Daredevil is at Derby odds of 20-1 at Bodog and makes his three-year-old debut in Saturday’s $200,000 Swale (G2) at Gulfstream Park.

Far From Over, winner of the Withers (G2) on Feb. 7, will be seen next in the $400,000 Gotham (G2) on March 7 or the $1 million Wood Memorial (G1) on April 4. The colt is 20-1 in early Derby future wagering at Bodog.