After several days of consideration, trainer Todd Pletcher and owner John Greathouse decided on Monday to enter Devil May Care in the May 1 Kentucky Derby (G1), where she will attempt to become only the fourth filly in history to win the Run for the Roses. Post positions for the Derby will be drawn on Wednesday.

There were several factors which led to the daughter of Malibu Moon going in the Derby instead of the Oaks, according to Greathouse and Pletcher.

“She is training great,” Pletcher said. “We know she is a very talented filly and will relish the longer distances...She acts like she wants to run beyond a mile and an eighth. That is the main reason. We’ve worked her with a number of our colts who are being considered (for the Derby) and she has
worked as well or better than most of them.”

Greathouse said that Devil Mare Care's five furlong workout at Churchill Downs on Saturday morning helped seal the deal. “I caught her in :59 4/5 and I think Todd caught her in 1:00. She galloped out good. She did it pretty easy.”

Pletcher and Greathouse both also noted that being able to get John Velazquez to ride the filly also swayed them. Velazquez was scheduled to ride Derby favorite Eskendereya, also trained by Pletcher, but the colt was removed from Derby consideration after developing filling in his leg this past weekend.

Devil May Care comes into the Kentucky Derby off a victory in the Grade 2 Bonnie Miss S. at Gulfstream Park. She earned a 100 Beyer Speed Figure for the 2 3/4-length score, making her one of only three horses in the Derby field with a triple-digit Beyer.