Southern Rhythm Favored in Jim Beam

Four geldings will get a chance at Turfway Park today to earn a start in the Kentucky Derby, a race a gelding hasn’t won since 1929.

Two of them, Polar Expedition and Powis Castle, are the second and third morning-line betting choices, respectively, for the 1 1/8-mile Jim Beam. The other two are longshots Dynafleet and Sir Walter Lyzalot.

The 3-1 early pick in the field of 11 3-year-olds, all of whom are nominated for the Triple Crown races, is the colt Southern Rhythm, winner of his three starts this year, including the 1-mile Southwest on March 12 at Oaklawn Park.

Canaveral, a highly regarded colt, will make his stakes debut Sunday in the 1 1/8-mile Flamingo at Hialeah. The Derby nominee, unbeaten in three starts, all this year, will oppose nine other 3-year-olds.

Polar Expedition will be trying to rebound in the Jim Beam from a third-place finish in the Southwest. That loss ended a streak of five stakes victories, four of them last year.

Powis Castle won the 6 1/2-furlong Turfway Park Prevue on Dec. 11 in his last start as a 2-year-old. In his only start this year, he finished second, a length behind Tabasco Cat, in the 1-mile San Rafael at Santa Anita on April 6.

Canaveral won a seven-furlong maiden race by 8 3/4 lengths at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 7. He then won two 1 1/16-mile allowance races at Gulfstream, by 1 3/4 lengths on Feb. 9 and by 8 1/2 lengths on March 16.

Also today, Oaklawn’s 1 1/16-mile Rebel drew a dozen 3-year-olds, nine of them nominated to the Triple Crown.