El Kabeir Wins Gotham, Tops Derby Points Standings

Owned by Zayat Stables and trained by John Terranova, El Kabeir was victorious last Saturday in the $400,00 Gotham Stakes (G2) at Aqueduct, and remains the leader in the Road to the Derby points standings.

The son of Scat Daddy has now won four of his eight career starts with earnings of $678,892, and has amassed 75 points toward entry into the Run for the Roses, enough to assure a spot in the starting gate on the first Saturday of May.

His early betting odds for the Kentucky Derby dropped from 33-1 to 16-1 this week at Bovada. The colt is currently the fifth betting choice for the Derby.

The only horses at lower odds are Dortmund and American Pharoah at 8-1 and Carpe Diem and Texas Red at 12-1.

The colt picked up his first Derby points by winning the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) on Nov. 29 at Churchill Downs, and then won the Jerome Stakes (G3) on Jan. 3 in his first start as a three-year-old.

He tasted defeat in his next start in a runner up finish in the Withers Stakes (G2) on Feb. 2, settling for the runner up spot behind Far From Over, who is currently listed at betting odds of 20-1 at Bovada for the Kentucky Derby.

El Kabeir rallied from the back of the pack to take command in the stretch in the Gotham, holding on to win by 2 ¾ lengths with jockey Chuck Lopez aboard for the ride, returning his backers $4.60 as the betting favorite.

His final prep for the Kentucky Derby will come in the $1 million Wood Memorial (G1) at Aqueduct on April 4. Far From Over is also pointing toward the Wood.

International Star is currently second in the Derby points standings with 71. The colt is currently at early Derby odds of 20-1 at Bovada.

The colt is perfect in two starts this year, taking the Lecomte (G3) and Risen Star (G2), both at Fair Grounds. He will remain in New Orleans for his final prep, going in the $750,000 Louisiana Derby (G2) on March 28.

The lone Derby points race this weekend is Saturday’s $750,000 Rebel Stakes (G2) at Oaklawn Park. The race marks the three-year-old debut of American Pharoah, currently the co-favorite for the Kentucky Derby at 8-1 at Bovada along with his stablemate Dortmund.

Kentucky Derby Point Standings (as of March 11, 2015)

 

Rank

Horse

Trainer

Points

Non-Restricted Stakes Earnings

El Kabeir

John Terranova

75

$620,792

2

International Star

Mike Maker

71

$490,979

3

Dortmund

Bob Baffert

70

$630,000

4

Carpe Diem

Todd Pletcher

64

$870,000

5

Itsaknockout

Todd Pletcher

50

$240,560

6

Upstart

Rick Violette, Jr.

36

$615,680

7

War Story

Tom Amoss

24

$120,000

8

Far Right

Ron Moquette

22

$385,906

9

Ami's Flatter

Josie Carroll

20

$99,200

10

Prospect Park

Cliff Sise Jr. 

20

$80,000

11

Tiz Shea D

Bill Mott

20

$80,000

12

Mr. Z

D. Wayne Lukas

14

$518,326

13

Frosted

Kiaran McLaughlin

13

$176,200

14

Classy Class

Kiaran McLaughlin

13

$85,000

15

Texas Red

Keith Desormeaux

12

$1,176,000

16

Keen Ice

Dale Romans

12

$106,520

17

Ocho Ocho Ocho

Jim Cassidy

10

$660,250

18

American Pharoah

Bob Baffert

10

$360,000

19

Daredevil

Todd Pletcher

10

$339,600

20

Far From Over

Todd Pletcher

10

$150,000

21

Metaboss

Jeff Bonde

10

$126,000

22

Lucky Player

Steve Asmussen

10

$97,231

23

Bolo

Carla Gaines

10

$94,980

24

Divining Rod

Arnaud Delacour

10

$75,000

25

Frammento

Nick Zito

10

$42,000

26

Firing Line

Simon Callaghan

8

$130,000

27

Bold Conquest

Steve Asmussen

7

$87,176

28

Conquest Typhoon

Mark Casse

6

$335,827

29

Lord Nelson

Bob Baffert

6

$228,571

30

The Truth or Else

Kenny McPeek

6

$136,000

31

Rock Shandy

Peter Miller

6

$56,000

33

St. Joe Bay

Peter Miller

6

$43,000

34

Toasting Master

Dale Romans

5

$21,000

35

Danzig Moon

Mark Casse

5

$17,500

36

Bayerd

Steve Asmussen

4

$246,000

37

Imperia

Kiaran McLaughlin

4

$171,804

38

Cross the Line

Jerry Hollendorfer

4

$100,000

39

Nasa

John Servis

4

$40,000

40

Bluegrass Singer

Marcus Vitali

2

$118,945

41

Hashtag Bourbon

Kellyn Gorder

2

$74,117

42

Hollywood Critic

Barbara Minshall

2

$35,528

43

General Bellamy

Bill Mott

2

$25,000

44

Tiznow R J

Steve Asmussen

2

$24,000

45

Pioneerof the West

Mark Casse

2

$14,250

46

Private Prospect

Michael Campbell

1

$138,000

47

Danny Boy

Dale Romans

1

$59,544

48

Saratoga Heater

Al Stall, Jr.

1

$50,000

49

Bench Warrant

John Sadler

1

$42,000

50

Juan and Bina

Gustavo Delgado

1

$40,330

51

Tough Customer

Wayne Catalano

1

$25,000

52

Tencendur

George Weaver

1

$24,500

53

Another Lemon Drop

Phil Bauer

1

$20,000

54

Ackeret

Kiaran McLaughlin

1

$13,000

55

Harmonic

Jerry Hollendorfer

1

$12,000

56

Hero Ten All

Jeff Mullins

1

$9,250

57

Flashaway

John C. Oxley

1

$8,999