Kentucky Derby streak on the line: Can Disarm get Steve Asmussen back to Churchill Downs?
Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen hasn’t missed the Kentucky Derby since 2015, but he’ll need a solid showing from Disarm on Saturday to keep that streak alive.
Disarm is the 7-2 co-second choice in the morning line for Saturday’s $400,000, Grade 3 Stonestreet Lexington at Keeneland. It’s the final prep race for the May 6 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs, offering a total of 40 points — 20 for first place, eight for second place, six for third place, four for fourth place and two for fifth place.
Disarm is the only horse in the Lexington field with a chance to qualify for the Kentucky Derby. Having earned 40 points for his runner-up finish in the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby on March 25, Disarm currently ranks No. 26 on the Kentucky Derby points list.
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Even a third-place finish Saturday would propel Disarm into the top 20.
David Fiske, racing manager for Disarm owner Winchell Thoroughbreds, wouldn’t commit to entering the horse in the Kentucky Derby if all goes well in the Lexington.
“I think if he gets some points on Saturday, it gives us the option to go in the Derby,” Fiske said. “At the moment, we don’t have the option.”
Disarm, a son of Gun Runner out of the Tapit mare Easy Tap, has a career record of 1-2-1 in four starts. He had an impressive 6 ¼-length maiden score in August at Saratoga and opened his 3-year-old campaign with a runner-up finish Feb. 19 in an allowance optional claiming race at Oaklawn Park.
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Then came the runner-up finish behind Kingsbarns in a Louisiana Derby that featured little pace.
“He’s been prominent in the barn since last year,” Fiske said. “He’s always been well-regarded. … We were cautiously optimistic about running him in (the Louisiana Derby). He pretty much did what we wanted him to do, other than win.”
Asmussen is the all-time winningest trainer in North America but has yet to win the Kentucky Derby. He’s had 24 starters since his first try in 2001 and just missed last year when Epicenter was passed by long shot Rich Strike in the final strides. He also finished second with Nehro in 2011 and Lookin At Lee in 2017.
First Mission, trained by Brad Cox, is the 3-1 favorite in the Lexington morning line. First Mission, a son of Street Sense, broke his maiden March 18 at Fair Grounds with a 6 ¾-length score in a maiden special weight.
Arabian Lion, trained by Bob Baffert, joins Disarm at 7-2 in the morning line. A son of Justify, Arabian Lion enters off a fourth-place finish in the Grade 3 Robert B. Lewis on Feb. 4 at Santa Anita Park.
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Post time: 5:16 p.m. Saturday at Keeneland in Lexington, Ky. Purse: $400,000. Grade: 3. Distance: 1 1/16 miles. TV: TVG. Kentucky Derby qualifying points: 20 for first place, 8 for second place, 6 for third place, 4 for fourth place, 2 for fifth place.
PP Horse, jockey, trainer, odds
1. Baseline Beater, Corey Lanerie, Neil Pessin, 20-1
2. Reinvest, Joe Talamo, Timothy Hamm, 30-1
3. Demolition Duke, Flavien Prat, Brad Cox, 6-1
4. Transect, Gerardo Corrales, Paulo Lobo, 30-1
5. First Mission, Luis Saez, Brad Cox, 3-1
6. Disarm, Jose Ortiz, Steve Asmussen, 7-2
7. Denington, Brian Hernandez Jr., Kenny McPeek, 20-1
8. Empirestrikesfast, Frankie Dettori, Bill Mott, 4-1
9. Prairie Hawk, John Velazquez, Saffie Joseph Jr., 15-1
10. Curly Larry and Mo, Rey Gutierrez, Caio Caramori, 50-1
11. Arabian Lion, Irad Ortiz Jr., Bob Baffert, 7-2
Jason Frakes: 502-582-4046; jfrakes@courier-journal.com; Twitter: @KentuckyDerbyCJ.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Stonestreet Lexington: Steve Asmussen's Kentucky Derby streak on line
