Uncaptured Posted as Blue Grass Favorite

Mark Casse-trained Uncaptured is the early 7-2 favorite for this Saturday’s $750K G1 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland. The 3-year-old colt most recently finished 2^nd beaten 1 ½ lengths by Black Onyx in the Grade III Spiral Stakes at Turfway, and has won 6 out of 8 starts. This Ontario-bred thoroughbred broke his maiden last year at Woodbine, and he has won more than $600,000, highlighted by a victory in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes last November at Churchill. Uncaptured will break from post position #7 in the Blue Grass Stakes Saturday.

Java’s War and Rydilluc expected to challenge

Following Uncaptured, Java’s War and Rydilluc are 4-1 co-second favorites. Java’s War, with two wins in six life-time starts, most recently came from off the pace to finish second by three lengths to Kentucky Derby favorite Verrazano in the G II Tampa Bay Derby. Rydilluc is 3-for-4 in his career, although only his most recent race, the G III Palm Beach Stakes, came in graded stakes company. Java’s War and Rydilluc will break from posts #4 and #13, respectively.

Key Kentucky Derby qualifying points up for grabs

The rest of the field, from the inside post out, includes Dynamic Sky, My Name is Michael, Undrafted, Palace Malice, Channel Isle, Charming Kitten, Tesseron, Footbridge, Balance the Books, West Hills Giant and Fear the Kitten. Besides a share of the purse, the runners will be trying to claim important points toward qualifying for this year’s Kentucky Derby, with 100 points going to the winner, 40 for 2^nd, 20 for 3^rd and 10 for 4^th. With 20 spots up for grabs in the Run for the Roses, Uncaptured sits 14th in the standings, while Java’s War sits 16th overall.