Down to the wire in The Championship Series
Medina Spirit and Essential Quality are among the horses looking to qualify for the Kentucky Derby this weekend as three major 100-40-20-10 point contests are set for April 3.
Wood Memorial snapshot
There are four other prep race winners in the Wood field, but they are all in 10-4-2-1 contests. Risk Taking, the early favorite at 2/1, Brooklyn Strong, Capo Kane and Candy Man Rocket will all need to finish no worse than third to have any chance of running at Churchill Downs on the first Saturday in May.
Can Essential Quality be beaten?
Keeneland Racecourse is the site of the $800,000 Blue Grass Stakes. The clear favorite at 1/2 odds in the early line is the unbeaten Essential Quality, who was last seen winning the Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park on February 27.
Two other horses in the field at the Blue Grass have prep race wins, but Hidden Stash is second to Essential Quality with 22 points without a prep victory. Keepmeinmind and Hush of a Storm are the winners in the field, but it's doubtful any of them will be able to stay with the favorite.
Without Life Is Good, it's all Medina Spirit
The only entry in the Santa Anita Derby with any prep wins to their credit is 9/5 favorite Medina Spirit out of Bob Baffert's deep stable of horses. He won the Robert B. Lewis Stakes on January 30 and has 34 qualifying points.