Kentucky Derby Profile: Ethereal Road

A last minute defection of Un Ojo has opened the door for legendary trainer D. Wayne Lukas to send out Ethereal Road and JN Campbell isn't completely ruling out his chances...

There are HOF trainers, and then there is D. Wayne Lukas ... He is a living legend, and returns to Churchill Downs with both a Kentucky Oaks entry and now, a Derby entry. His colt by Quality Road, owned by Julie Gilbert and Aaron Sones, is in after Un Ojo scratched on Monday. Lukas is pleased to be in, because he would love to play spoiler.

This 3-yr-old made a splash in the Grade 2 Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn in late February, and it was an impressive late-turn-of-foot that he exhibited down the lane. Hi rival, Un Ojo, had more, but ending up 2nd was a strong statement. "Coach" then had to make the decision whether to enter his filly, Secret Oath, against the boys in the Arkansas Derby, or enter his colt ... In the end, she won out, and Gilbert and Sones' runner went to the Blue Grass Stakes (G2). I was hoping that Lukas would swoop in to Keeneland and grab the prize. He ran poorly against Chad Brown's Zandon, and the rest of the field, finishing a distant 7th. Then the wily trainer wheeled him back a week later in the Lexington S. (G3), which seemed like a poor plan to me.

The colt was 4th, grabbing a measly "Point." What is always interesting this time of year, is that you never know if you will make it in, or not, especially when your total is down so low. Once Lukas names a rider, it will be time to enter yet another KYD for the HOF-er. He last visited the Churchill Downs Winner's Circle in 1999 (Charismatic) ... can it happen again? I am not so sure ... but what we do know is that "Coach" will be ready, and he deserves respect and admiration. It’s the Derby … anything can happen.

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