News

  • Beholder stars in Santa Anita Oaks

    The stakes action on Santa Anita's Saturday card will kick off in the Grade 1, $300,000 Santa Anita Oaks, which will feature a rematch between champion juvenile filly Beholder and Fiftyshadesofhay.

  • Tough field set for Santa Anita Derby

    A contentious field of nine has been assembled to go nine furlongs in Saturday's Grade 1, $750,000 Santa Anita Derby, the West Coast's major prep for the May 4 Kentucky Derby. Whoever wins the race is guaranteed a spot in the starting gate under the Twin Spires via the 100 points awarded in the new Road to the Kentucky Derby points system.

  • Spring in the Air tops overflow field in Ashland

    Winner of the Grade 1 Alcibiades last October, Spring in the Air will return to Keeneland's Polytrack for Saturday's Grade 1 Ashland. The Mark Casse-trained filly is scheduled to face 13 rivals in the 76th running of the $500,000 event, which also drew two also-eligibles, and the 1 1/16-mile race will award points on a 100-40-20-10 scale toward qualification for the $1 million Kentucky Oaks on May 3.

  • Wood Memorial a battle of unbeatens in Verrazano, Vyjack

    In the unscientific polls that were the three Kentucky Derby Future Wagers, horseplayers across the country expressed the belief that Verrazano was the single individual wagering interest most likely to be draped with roses on the first Saturday in May. A confirmation of that opinion is four weeks away, but the lightly-raced colt can build on an already growing bandwagon of support with a victory in Saturday's Grade 1, $1 million Wood Memorial.

  • Princess of Sylmar tops Gazelle

    Reconstituted as a Kentucky Oaks prep this season following its demotion from Grade 1 to Grade 2 status, Saturday's $250,000 Gazelle at Aqueduct attracted a field of six to go 1 1/8 miles.

    Trainer Todd Pletcher will have the favorite in this one as Princess of Sylmar seeks to build on a resume that includes blowout wins in the Busanda and Busher in her last two starts over the inner dirt at the Big A.

  • Louisiana Derby Runner-Up Mylute Arrives at Churchill Downs to Prep for Kentucky Derby 139

    Mylute, who finished a neck behind Revolutionary in the Louisiana Derby (Grade II) after a thrilling stretch battle, passed through the Churchill Downs stable gate at 3:30 a.m. (all times Eastern) Tuesday morning after vanning from Fair Grounds and was bedded down in Stall 20 of Barn 29 for trainer Tom Amoss.

  • Shanghai Bobby off the trail

    Juvenile colt champion Shanghai Bobby will be given some time off following his fifth-place finish in Saturday's Grade 1 Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park and is no longer in consideration for the Kentucky Derby.

    From a physical standpoint, Shanghai Bobby appears to have come out of the Florida Derby in good shape. However, according to trainer Todd Pletcher, his energy level is not where he'd like for it to be.

  • Full field expected in Blue Grass

    A full gate of 14 three-year-olds likely will be the order of the day for the 89th running of the Grade 1 Blue Grass Stakes, the centerpiece of Keeneland's 16-day spring meet, to be run April 13.

    With 170 points available in the Kentucky Derby Championship Series with 100 points going to the winner, the Blue Grass represents one of the final major steps toward the starting gate for the 139th running of the Kentucky Derby on May 4. Second place is worth 40 points, with 20 for third and 10 for fourth.

  • Flashback to be favored on Santa Anita Derby morning line

    Flashback will be the favorite on Jon White's Santa Anita Derby morning line when those odds are issued following Wednesday's draw for post positions.

    "As soon as Hear the Ghost won the San Felipe, I immediately started to think about the morning line for the Santa Anita Derby," White said. "And my initial thought was, 'Well, it looks like Hear the Ghost is probably going to be the Santa Anita Derby favorite.'

  • Broker powers up for Santa Anita Derby

    Power Broker, one of three likely starters for Bob Baffert in Saturday's Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby, worked four furlongs in company Sunday morning in :47 2/5 for the West Coast's major stepping stone to the Kentucky Derby on May 4.

    Martin Garcia was aboard the Pulpit colt, who tied for the fourth-fastest work at the distance on Santa Anita's fast main track. Workmate Bank the Eight was clocked in :47 4/5.

  • Verrazano, Normandy Invasion record bullet moves ahead of Wood Memorial

    Undefeated Verrazano worked five furlongs in 1:01.17 Sunday morning over the fast dirt at Palm Meadows Training Center in Florida, completing his major preparations for an expected start in Saturday's Grade 1, $1 million Wood Memorial at Aqueduct.

  • Orb impresses McGaughey before, during and after Florida Derby

    Shug McGaughey made the trip to Payson Park Sunday morning to check on Orb, who was rather bright for a late-developing colt who had just outrun nine rivals to win the Grade 1 Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park late Saturday afternoon.

    "I'm kind of surprised how well he bounced out of his race, to tell you the truth," McGaughey said.

  • Plesa proud, and disappointed, following Itsmyluckyday's Florida Derby second

    Itsmyluckyday was "110 percent" Sunday morning back in his stall in trainer Eddie Plesa Jr.'s Calder barn following his game runner-up effort as the 8-5 favorite under jockey Elvis Trujillo in Saturday's Grade 1 Florida Derby.

    "I really wanted to win the Florida Derby," sighed Plesa, who trains Itsmyluckyday for the Trilogy Stable and his wife, Laurie. "I expected him to win and he didn't. Am I disappointed? Yes, but I'm also proud of him too. He's done everything we've asked.

  • Orb captures Florida Derby

    Stuart S. Janney III and Phipps Stable's homebred Orb bided his time in midpack before moving up on the outside of the dueling Merit Man and Itsmyluckyday in the lane of Saturday's Grade 1, $1 million Florida Derby to take command and draw off for a 2 3/4-length win.

    The Shug McGaughey trainee continued jockey John Velazquez's stellar afternoon at Gulfstream Park, handing his rider a fifth win on the day as he paid $7.80, $3.80 and $3.40 as the near 3-1 third choice.

  • Revolutionary wins Louisiana Derby battle

    WinStar Farm's Revolutionary gamely fended off a stretch challenge from 19-1 longshot Mylute to land the centennial running of the Grade 2, $1 million Louisiana Derby on Saturday, giving trainer Todd Pletcher a third graded stakes win on the day at Fair Grounds and fifth overall on what was a tremendous day for the multiple Eclipse Award-winning conditioner.

  • Unlimited Budget remains undefeated in Fair Grounds Oaks

    Repole Stable's Unlimited Budget was bet down to 4-5 favoritism over Flashy Gray and lived up to that status to hand trainer Todd Pletcher a second Oaks win Saturday when taking the Grade 2, $490,000 Fair Grounds Oaks by 1 3/4 lengths.

    Earlier on the day, Pletcher saddled Dreaming of Julia to victory in the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Oaks for owner/breeder Stonestreet Stables.

  • Dreaming of Julia dominates Gulfstream Park Oaks

    Stonestreet Stables' homebred Dreaming of Julia vied with Live Lively for favoritism in Saturday's Grade 2, $300,000 Gulfstream Park Oaks, but on track there was no challenge as the bay filly drew off to a devastating 21 3/4-length score over that rival to give John Velazquez his third win on the day.

  • Lines of Battle hands O'Brien second straight U.A.E. Derby

    Lines of Battle, one of only two American Triple Crown nominees in Saturday's Group 2, $2 million U.A.E. Derby, drove to a 1 1/2-length victory to earn 100 points toward the Kentucky Derby. Owned by breeder Joseph Allen in partnership with Coolmore principals Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith, the War Front colt gave Irish champion trainer Aidan O'Brien his second straight score in the classic.

  • Goldencents drills three-quarters ahead of Santa Anita Derby

    On a picture-perfect Friday morning, dual Grade 3 star Goldencents had his final major drill for the Grade 1, $750,000 Santa Anita Derby on April 6 when going six furlongs on the fast main dirt at the Arcadia, California, track in a bullet 1:14.

    It was the fastest of nine moves at the distance, the average time of which was 1:16 1/5. Exercise rider Jonny Garcia was aboard the bay son of Into Mischief, who looks to improve on his disappointing fourth-place finish last out in the Grade 2 San Felipe on March 9.

  • Verrazano, Vyjack top prospective Wood field

    Undefeated three-year-olds Verrazano and Vyjack are expected to head the field for the 89th running of the Grade 1, $1 million Wood Memorial on April 6, Aqueduct Racetrack's final major prep for the May 4 Kentucky Derby.

    Unraced as a two-year-old, Verrazano won his first two starts at Gulfstream Park by a combined margin of 24 lengths, and heads into the 1 1/8-mile Wood off a commanding three-length victory on March 9 in the Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby. Trained by Todd Pletcher, the More Than Ready colt will again have the services of Hall of Famer John Velazquez in the Wood.