Good Magic has 13 opponents

Eclipse Award champion Good Magic was installed as the 2-1 morning-line favorite in a full and eclectic field for the Grade 2, $1 million Blue Grass Stakes on Tuesday, when Keeneland’s marquee Saturday card was drawn.

Good Magic landed post 11 under regular rider Jose Ortiz for the Blue Grass, which has a field of 14 3-year-olds plus one also-eligible. The race is one of the final major preps for the Kentucky Derby, offering qualifying points on 100-40-20-10 scale.

With preference determined by graded stakes wins and then by earnings, Determinant was excluded from the main body of the field and is expected to instead start in the Grade 3 Transylvania Stakes on Friday on the Keeneland turf. Citing a “terrible draw” for Machismo, owner Ron Paolucci is exploring other options for his colt, which would further reduce the field.

The Blue Grass also drew the top two finishers from the Tampa Bay Derby, Quip and Flameaway; Blended Citizen, who won the Jeff Ruby on Polytrack at Turfway; juvenile Grade 1 winners Free Drop Billy and Sporting Chance; Coolmore co-owned Marconi, with Ryan Moore named to ride; and a number of shippers, including Kanthaka.

Good Magic won his maiden in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Del Mar and subsequently was voted divisional champion over Bolt d’Oro. In his first start this year, he finished third in the Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream in early February. Good Magic arrived at Keeneland from his winter base in Florida on Monday.

“The post is slightly disappointing, but he’s training very well,” trainer Chad Brown said in a text to Keeneland staff following the draw.

Free Drop Billy drew just inside of the favorite in post 10. Keeneland linemaker Mike Battaglia made him the second choice in the Blue Grass at 5-1, owing largely to a Grade 1 victory in Keeneland’s Breeders’ Futurity last fall. Since then, he has finished ninth in the BC Juvenile, second in the Holy Bull to subsequent Florida Derby winner Audible, and third in the Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct.

“He’s training great,” trainer Dale Romans said. “He came back really well first time out. [The Gotham], he just got in trouble the whole way around. We still need some points, so we need him to come over here and run big. He likes this racetrack.”

From the rail out, the main field for the Blue Grass consists of Zing Zang, Sporting Chance, California Night, Kanthaka, Quip, Marconi, Blended Citizen, Gotta Go, Tiz Mischief, Free Drop Billy, Good Magic, Flameaway, Machismo, and Arawak.

While the Blue Grass drew an overflow cast, only six entered to face Monomoy Girl in the Grade 1, $500,000 Ashland Stakes, which awards points toward the Kentucky Oaks on the same 100-40-20-10 basis. A winner of four of five starts, Monomoy Girl comes off a victory in the Grade 2 Rachel Alexandra at the Fair Grounds. Trainer Brad Cox opted to wait for the Ashland rather than continuing on to the Fair Grounds Oaks, “because this race is Grade 1 and offers more money.”

Monomoy Girl, made 4-5 on the morning line, landed the rail under regular rider Florent Geroux. Just to her outside is Eskimo Kisses, installed as the second choice off a rallying runner-up effort in the Fair Grounds Oaks. After those two, the field consists of Patrona Margarita, C. S. Incharge, Andina Del Sur, Ipanema Beach, and Tyfosha.

The Ashland and Blue Grass are races 9 and 10, respectively, on Saturday’s 11-race card. They cap an all-stakes pick five that includes the Grade 1, $300,000 Madison, Grade 2, $200,000 Shakertown, and Grade 3, $250,000 Commonwealth.