Jerome starts Derby preps at Big A for 2024

By NY Hot List Staff | January 4, 2024

Forget the cold temperatures, thoughts of spring will be in bloom Saturday at Aqueduct when the Jerome Stakes will be contested. The first of four New York prep races for the Kentucky Derby this year, the mile Jerome will offer 10-5-3-2-1 points to top five finishers. Which, in a field of five, means everyone will come away with at least a point and a couple of connections might be encouraged to stay on the New York Road to the Kentucky Derby a little longer.

The $150,000 Jerome at Aqueduct, Saturday, Race 3, 1:19 pm EST.

(4) El Grande O is the leading money winner in the field and one of two stakes winners. Last seen at the end of October he won a NY-bred stakes race going the one-turn mile on the Aqueduct track. In two open company stakes races he was second in the Skidmore at Saratoga and then sixth in the Champagne (G1). He has tactical speed which should be ideal for this one turn mile. (1) Drum Roll Please is the one coming from the barn of Brad Cox which is very good at spreading out their 3-year-olds in these early Derby points races. He was third in the Remsen (G2) going longer a month ago. (2) Khanate is an interesting horse from the Pletcher barn and Calumet Farm. He was a 10-length winner of a restricted by sales price, maiden special weight at Keeneland and then was sixth in an allowance where the third-place horse came back to win the Smarty Jones at Oaklawn last weekend. (5) Regalo is the late runner that could get a fast and contentious pace to set up his closing move.

The rest of the NY Hot List picks and the Special Saturday Pick 3 are available free of charge at this website.