ROAD TO THE DERBY

SPIRAL STAKES

Long shots run 1-2

Fast and Accurate, sent off at 24-1 odds, won the Grade III $500,000 Spiral Stakes at Turfway Park in Florence, Ky., and earned 50 qualifying points into the May 6 Kentucky Derby, enough to assure him of a berth. Fast and Accurate is not a Triple Crown nominee. Owner Kendall Hansen said he would pay a $200,000 supplementary fee to compete.

Fast and Accurate, ridden by Tyler Gaffalione for trainer Mike Maker, returned $51 after finishing in 1:50.96 in leading a parade of long shots to the wire. Recent Oaklawn Park maiden winner Blueridge Traveler, a 35-1 shot, finished second, a half-length before Convict Pike. Kitten’s Cat, the 5-2 favorite, was fourth. Points were awarded on a 50-20-10-5 basis.

UAE DERBY

Thunder Snow wins

Thunder Snow beat Epicharis by a nose to win the UAE Derby on the Dubai World Cup undercard at Meydan Racecourse. The UAE Derby, run at 1 mile, 3/16ths offered 100 Kentucky Derby points to the winner, 40 to the runner-up, 20 for third and 10 for fourth. Epicharis, the Japan Road to the Derby winner, is seventh in the overall standings with 40.. Master Plan, trained by Todd Pletcher, earned 20 points for finishing third and Lancaster Bomber got 10 points for fourth.

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