Commanding Curve is making his owners’ dreams reality as he’s ready to go postward in the 140th Kentucky Derby on Saturday at Churchill Downs.

In a bittersweet twist of events earlier this week, WPT’s Ring Weekend was declared out of Kentucky Derby consideration after trainer Graham Motion reported he was running a fever and had a high white blood cell count. The defection assured Commanding Curve a spot in the starting gate as he moved into 20th in the official points standings.

Commanding Curve is making his owners’ dreams reality as he’s ready to go postward in the 140th Kentucky Derby on Saturday at Churchill Downs.

In a bittersweet twist of events earlier this week, WPT’s Ring Weekend was declared out of Kentucky Derby consideration after trainer Graham Motion reported he was running a fever and had a high white blood cell count. The defection assured Commanding Curve a spot in the starting gate as he moved into 20th in the official points standings.

We would have loved to run both horses in the Run for the Roses, but the Racing Gods didn’t have it in the cards this year. Ring Weekend is now under consideration for the second jewel of the Triple Crown, the May 17 Preakness Stakes.

Commanding Curve’s trainer Dallas Stewart has tremendous faith in the 3-year-old son of Master Command. He had a troubled trip in the Louisiana Derby (G2), but still came running late and showed he can handle adversity.

“He’s a big, strong colt who I think will get the distance — he has staying power,” said Stewart who worked with trainer D. Wayne Lukas to prepare Winning Colors for her Derby win in 1988. “He’s only had two races this year, but that was by design. I love the fact that he broke his maiden going a mile and a sixteenth over this surface last year.”

Purchased by Terry Finley at the 2013 April OBS Sale 2-year-old in Training Sale, most of Commanding Curve’s 20 Partners are making the trip to Louisville to watch their horse run in America’s most prestigious horse race.

“He hasn’t run over the top this year, which I think helps our chances of winning the Derby,” said WPT president Terry Finley. “Dallas and I decided to only run twice before May 3 so that if lucky enough to get to the Derby, we had a fresh horse. A lot of his peers have really been pressed on over the past several weeks. We think this horse is setup to peak at the right time.

“We’re very fortunate to have a great group of people involved with Commanding Curve. I’m really looking forward to spending time with his Partners this week — I know for many of them just running in the Kentucky Derby is a dream come true.”

Shaun Bridgmohan has the call on Commanding Curve in the Kentucky Derby. He breaks from post 17 in the field of 20.