Photo:

Tim Sudduth / Eclipse Sportswire

In this biweekly series, racing analyst J. Keeler Johnson shares promising horses from his handicapping watch list, reviewing runners who have recently caught his eye and previewing horses scheduled to run back in the near future.

Entries

Saturday

Woodbine, race 7: Two watch list members are entered in the E. P. Taylor (G1) for fillies and mares racing 1 1/4 miles over the Woodbine lawn. They happen to be the two morning-line favorites: Moira (7-5) and Cinderella’s Dream (2-1).

Moira has experience on her side as she seeks her first Grade 1 win. The 5-year-old mare has been a top-tier competitor since 2022, when she won the Queen’s Plate and finished second by a neck (disqualified to eighth for interference) in the E. P. Taylor. Last year, she finished third in the E. P. Taylor and third again (beaten only 1 1/4 lengths) in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf. Fresh off a hard-fought victory in the Beverly D. (G2), Moira has every chance to nab the E. P. Taylor in her third appearance.

But Cinderella’s Dream is a formidable challenger. The 3-year-old Charlie Appleby trainee is 2-for-2 since arriving in North America, launching strong rallies to win the Belmont Oaks (G1) and Saratoga Oaks (G2) in succession. She’s retaining the services of Appleby’s top jockey William Buick and could certainly spring a mild upset even while taking on older rivals.

Churchill Downs, race 9: With 10 wins and six seconds from 17 starts, Skelly is a picture of consistency. He always sets the pace and looms as the horse to catch in the six-furlong Louisville Thoroughbred Society.

Victory isn’t a given for Skelly this Saturday; he was beaten to second place by Closethegame Sugar in the Aristides over this track and distance during the spring, and Closethegame Sugar is back for a rematch. Skelly subsequently lost again when second by 1 1/2 lengths in the Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap (G1) at Saratoga. But you can bet the 5-year-old gelding will be fighting hard to the finish line.

Churchill Downs, race 10: Owen Almighty, a stakes winner who has yet to taste defeat, is the 5-2 morning line favorite to win the Iroquois (G3). The one-mile contest serves as the first leg of the Road to the Kentucky Derby.

Owen Almighty romped in his debut sprinting at Churchill Downs, winning by 3 1/2 lengths. He was even more dominant in the Ellis Park Juvenile at Ellis Park, trouncing Bashford Manor winner Politicallycorrect by 4 3/4 lengths. Stretching out over one mile is a new challenge for the son of Speightstown, but that goes for most of the horses in the Iroquois, and Owen Almighty’s proven talent stamps him as the horse to beat.

Woodbine, race 10: My Boy Prince, runner-up in the King’s Plate on synthetic, is switching to turf for a foray against older rivals in the Woodbine Mile (G1). The field is fierce, with graded and group stakes winners Naval Power, Big Rock and Filo Di Arianna among the entries.

But My Boy Prince is talented in his own right. Competing on turf as a juvenile last year, he finished second in the Summer (G1) and third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1). Perhaps this Mark Casse trainee can exceed expectations while returning to grass.