McCraken heads 12-horse Kentucky Jockey Club

Nov 25, 2016 by James Scully/Brisnet.com

Unbeaten in a pair of starts, McCraken will seek to accumulate points toward a possible Kentucky Derby berth when he lines up for Saturday’s $200,000 Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) at Churchill Downs. The Ian Wilkes-trained colt heads a field of 12 in the 1 1/16-mile race.

As part of the “Road to the Kentucky Derby” series, the Kentucky Jockey Club offers points on a 10-4-2-1 scale.

McCraken has been installed as the 7-2 morning line favorite with regular rider Brian Hernandez Jr. He’s made both starts under the Twin Spires, breaking his maiden by 2 ½ lengths in early October before rallying to score going away by a 3 ¾-length margin in the October 30 Street Sense.

The son of Ghostzapper also one of four individual interests in Pool 1 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager, which concludes its four-day run on Sunday at 6 p.m. (ET).

Joining McCraken in Pool 1 are Wild Shot, Just Move On and Uncontested.

Wild Shot is listed as the 4-1 second choice on the Kentucky Jockey Club morning line. An easy maiden winner at Churchill Downs in his second start for trainer Rusty Arnold, the Trappe Shot colt exits a respectable third in the Breeders’ Futurity (G1) to subsequent Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) winner and presumptive 2-year-old champion Classic Empire. Corey Lanerie picks up the mount on the front-running Wild Shot.

Just Move On and Uncontested come next on the morning line at 5-1. Just Move On, a son of Street Boss conditioned by Patrick Byrne, exits a sharp 2 ½-length allowance score at Churchill Downs and keeps the services of Declan Cannon. Uncontested will make his second career outing off an impressive six-length, wire-to-wire maiden victory at Keeneland. Channing Hill rides for Wayne Catalano.

Other runners of interest include Warrior’s Club, who broke his maiden recording a 2 ¾-length win in the restricted Spendthrift Stallion on the October 30 opening-day program at Churchill; Nashua (G2) and Grey (G2) runner-up Han Sense; and runaway turf maiden winner Total Tap, who just missed when trying the main track at Keeneland last time.

(McCraken photo courtesy of Coady)