O Besos Reminiscent of Past KY Derby Exotics Crashers

Since Churchill Downs went to a points-qualifying system for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) in 2013, seven of the race's eight winners entered the Derby with 100 points or more. The exception was Country House, who was elevated to first upon the disqualification of Maximum Security for interference in 2019. Had Maximum Security stayed up, every Derby winner since 2013 would have been in six-figure points territory. This year, seven horses have reached the 100-point threshold, earned with top-four finishes in designated preps: Essential Quality, 140; Hot Rod Charlie, 110; Super Stock, 109; Like the King, 104; Known Agenda, 102; Rock Your World, 100; and Bourbonic, 100. Like the King would not have registered such a high tally in prior years, having earned his points on the synthetic surface at Turfway Park, mainly in winning the Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3), a race that received a points hike this year. Although high-point horses have been highly successful in the Derby, low-point horses have regularly crashed the gimmicks. In a few recent examples, Mr. Big News (0 points) ran third last year at 46-1 odds, Country House (50) was 65-1 during his effort in the slop in 2019, and 85-1 Instilled Regard (29) took fourth in the superfecta in 2018. Additionally, Lookin At Lee (2017), Commanding Curve (2014), and Golden Soul (2013) closed for second in the Derby with relatively skimpy point totals. What about this year? Which 3-year-olds fit this profile? O Besos. With just 25 points, he was not officially in the field as of April 15, though he stands a good chance to make the cutoff. Historically there are defections in the weeks leading up to the Derby, a likely scenario again this year. John Fradkin, co-owner of Rombauer, tweeted late April 14 that plans call for his colt, one of those in front of O Besos on the Kentucky Derby Leaderboard, to run in the Preakness Stakes (G1) and the Belmont Stakes (G1), and trainer Chad Brown has suggested he will run only one of his two possible Derby starters, Highly Motivated and Crowded Trade. Both were on the Leaderboard the morning of April 15, though Churchill Downs lists them as simply "possible starters," along with Rombauer and Concert Tour. A deep closer, O Besos rallied to grab third in the Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby (G2), a head behind runner-up Midnight Bourbon. The Bernard Racing, Tagg Team Racing, and West Point Thoroughbreds-owned colt has since twice worked at Churchill Downs, most recently posting a five-furlong move April 13 in 1:00 3/5 with a strong finish and gallop out under encouragement. Other solid finishers relatively low on the points scale include Dynamic One (40) and Hidden Stash (32). The former was a wide second in the Wood Memorial Stakes Presented by Resorts World Casino (G2), while the latter is a winner at Churchill Downs who was third in the Sam F. Davis Stakes (G3), second in the Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby (G2), and fourth in the Toyota Blue Grass (G2). Get Her Number and King Fury, both with 20 points, also merit attention if they gain entry.