Horse Racing at The Downey Profile® Kentucky Derby and Triple Crown Coverage
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Brethren, who was upset in the Grade III Tampa Bay Derby by a pair of horses whose odds totaled 129-1, breezed today ahead at what looks to be a continuing goal of running in the Grade I Arkansas Derby.
Todd Pletcher said today he might add blinkers to Stay Thirsty for the Grade I Florida Derby following a workout that was timed in 1:01.60 (6/26) while inside of company.
Touted as the more immature of two stablemates, Animal Kingdom won the Grade III Vinery Racing Spiral Stakes after Crimson China finished second in the lesser-regarded Rushway one race earlier at Turfway Park.
A controlling interest in impressive Oaklawn maiden winner Truman's Commander has been sold to Robert LaPenta, and he's heading to South Florida--with the idea that he'll return to Hot Springs for the Grade I Arkansas Derby.
Trainer Richard Dutrow said today that the Swale remains his first choice for Grade II Hutcheson winner Flashpoint’s next start. But he could be overruled.
The Grade II Vinery Racing Spiral Stakes could set up with a traditional handicapping scenario: Early contested speed followed by stalkers with a chance to win. On paper anyway, this is a tough race, but the winner will have the earnings to make the Kentucky Derby.
Mucho Macho Man galloped once around the track this morning under regular exercise rider Mike Heera immediately after the track renovation break. The bay horse is very large, seventeen hands and growing.
Dialed In put in a half-mile workout in thick fog today at Gulfstream Park, and when he was finished, Nick Zito was happy with what he saw on his stopwatch.
Astrology finally makes his 2011 debut in Sunday's Grade III Sunland Derby at Sunland Park, New Mexico. The winner will take home half the $800,000 purse.
Left is not exactly a horse in the headlines, but that could change on Saturday. Trainer Al Stall, Jr. has never finished out of the money with any horse he has started in a Louisiana Derby.
Preachintothedevil and Decisive Moment have both recovered from minor ailments, and Twinspired seeks to turn things around for two-time winner Mike Maker in the Grade III Vinery Racing Spiral Stakes.
There are some really interesting comments in today's notes about the Group 2 UAE Derby. Trainer Herman Brown is brutally honest about Sweet Ducky's chances in the race, and Mike de Kock believes the fillies are the best of the lot.
It's hard to believe that when this Saturday comes and goes, only six weeks will remain to the Kentucky Derby. Time flies when you're having fun. So here we go--where will the contenders and pretenders be running for the next three weeks? Here are next-races plans for 57 horses on our lists and a few others.
Edgar Prado flew from South Florida to New Orleans to work Machen for trainer Neil Howard yesterday morning in advance of Saturday’s $1 million Grade II Louisiana Derby.
The field for the Grade III Vinery Racing Spiral Stakes at Turfway Park this Saturday has attracted an overflow crowd of hopefuls, as many as 18, so there are are a half-dozen or so that will be left out and may run in the Rushaway instead.
According to his new trainer, Sweet Ducky, purchased recently by Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov, could use the $2 million, Group 2 UAE Derby as a prep for the Kentucky Derby five weeks later, depending how he handles his assignment Saturday.
Your NCAA tournament sheet may be down the drain, but there's still time to win the Road to the Roses contest. This is the first day of the supplemental draft, and here are the official rules:
Mucho Macho Man has been installed as the 9-5 morning line favorite for Saturday’s Grade II Louisiana Derby, for 98 years the showcase race of New Orleans and worth $1 million this year.
After scratching from the Grade II Rebel Stakes Saturday, Elite Alex worked today at Oaklawn Park with jockey Calvin Borel aboard. Elite Alex drew post 12 in the 13-horse Louisiana Derby, which is run at 1 1/8th mile.
There was the usual level of happiness and disappointment the day after The Factor rolled to win the Grade II Rebel Stakes. Most importantly, the horses are fine.
Rogue Romance, who was assured a berth in the Kentucky Derby due to his high graded stakes earnings, will miss the Run for the Roses with a fracture in his left forefoot.
After drawing an outside post for the Grade II Rebel, trainer Tim Ritchey scratched Elite Alex today and will enter him instead in next Saturday's Grade II Louisiana Derby. Calvin Borel retains the mount.
After a mid-week report that there were only five horses listed by the Fair Grounds racing office at probable for the Grade II Louisiana Derby, it now looks like 13 will be entered tomorrow. They are:
Getting to March with a leading 3-year-old prospect is not new for owner Phil Lebherz. It's getting through May that's been difficult. Lebherz is one of several partners sending Sway Away into action in today's Grade II Rebel Stakes.
These are the probables for the Group 2 UAE Derby on March 26. All fields will be finalized at the declaration stage on Monday, and the post position draw will be on Wednesday.
The Grade II Rebel Stakes is, frankly, a difficult race to predict. But that doesn't mean we won't try. Let's start out with some numbers. If you didn't like numbers, you wouldn't be reading this in the first place.
A number of local contenders and two California invaders will start in the 1 1/16-mile, Grade II Rebel Stakes, and at the finish line they'll know whether the future might lead to Louisville in seven weeks. Thirteen have been entered.
WinStar Farm’s Cal Nation and Estate of Edward P. Evans’ Dance City have shown considerable promise--and will each have solid support in Saturday’s entry-level allowance going one mile at Gulfstream Park.
Sweet Ducky and Gourmet Dinner were both part of Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 2 this past weekend, yet we learned early this week that one is almost certainly off the Derby Trail and the other may be.
As the list of contenders for the Kentucky Derby begins to shrink, but with a lot of hopefuls still gunning for the first Saturday in May, here are next-race plans for 53 horse on our lists.
With Premier Pegasus putting himself into the Triple Crown picture with his win in the Grade II San Felipe, he is fine the next day, according to his owner/breeder/trainer.
How the race was run turned out to be pretty simple, but the result of the Grade II Tampa Bay Derby was unpredictable and yielded a $2 exacta worth $2,194.20 topped by local hero Watch Me Go.
The opening day of the second pool of Churchill Downs’ 2011 Kentucky Derby Future Wager was a tale of two very different horses as unbeaten champion Uncle Mo emerged over the inexperienced Runflatout, a winner in his only career start, as a narrow choice to win the Kentucky Derby.
A three-race win streak for Premier Pegasus ended on Feb. 20 when he finished third behind The Factor and Sway Away in the Grade II San Vicente Stakes. Alonso Quinonez hopes to get back on track start another winning streak in the Grade II San Felipe Stakes when they stretch out to two turns.
Todd Pletcher understands that expectations for Uncle Mo far exceed winning the Timely Writer and says that's exactly where he wants to be now. Will his horse be the next main focus of the public's attention to Thoroughbred racing?
They say it's a minor heel bruise, and it will take Rogue Romance out of the Grade II Louisiana Derby. Rogue Romance finished third in the Grade II Risen Star last month.
My impression of the last Derby Trail prep race at Tampa Bay Downs was that Brethren was much the best, and I don't see much reason to change that view in Saturday's Grade II Tampa Bay Derby.
Derby Trail handicappers really have their work cut out for them in this fray. You have your up-and-coming speedballs, graded stakes winners, and more than just a few whose time is now for those graded bucks. So who is the now horse at this distance, on this surface, and at this level?
Grade I winners Jaycito and Comma to the Top are among 10 heading to the last local step to the Grade I Santa Anita Derby, but they face competition waiting to step up.
It's a highly anticipated debut, but the race that's hosting it would hardly be noticed but for the presence of Uncle Mo. He'll face five in the Timely Writer Stakes going a one-turn mile at Gulfstream Park.
Horse Racing Radio Network (HRRN) announced today it has reached an agreement with all three Triple Crown racetracks for HRRN to provide the national radio broadcast of the 2011 Triple Crown.
This Saturday, TwinSpires.com starts the engine on its new handicapping tournament that features multiple weekly contests and a $100,000 first-place prize later this year.
Positive Response broke well from post 6, took the lead entering the first turn and improved from there to win the John Battaglia Memorial Stakes by a commanding margin.
Stay Thirsty gave owner Mike Repole what he wanted--a win in the Grade III Gotham Stakes. And he made enough doing it to virtually assure him a spot in the Kentucky Derby.
Mucho Macho Man breezed four furlongs at Gulfstream Park today under exercise rider Mike Heera, and trainer Kathy Ritvo said following the move that he was his old self.
J P's Gusto breezed today at Oaklawn Park as he prepares for the Grade II Rebel Stakes on March 19. Meanwhile, connections of Sway Away announced intentions to ship to the Rebel.
Turbulent Descent looked every bit the 2-5 favorite as she rolled into the stretch in the Grade I Las Virgenes Stakes on Feb. 5. But then she couldn’t hold off Zazu and suffered her first defeat in four races.
Willcox Inn, away from competition since finishing third in the Grade II Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, has been installed as the 5-2 morning line favorite for Saturday’s $60,000 Grindstone Stakes at Fair Grounds.
Awesome Feather, the 2-year-old filly champion 0f 2010, is among 117 fillies on the roster of early nominees to compete for a record $1 million purse offered for the 137th running of the Kentucky Oaks on May 6 at Churchill Downs.
Positive Response, shipping in from California, Blue Laser, coming from Florida, and WEBN Stakes winner Twinspired are among nine entered in the $100,000 John Battaglia Memorial Stakes at Turfway Park Saturday.
It's refreshing and unusual to hear an owner flat-out say in so many words that "we are here to win this race, and I'll be disappointed if we don't," but that's pretty much what Mike Repole said about this Saturday's Grade III Gotham Stakes. Should we ignore this obvious intent or jump on board?
A pair of stakes winners returning from layoffs--and a recent sharp allowance winner--are among a short field of five entered in Saturday’s Fred “Cappy” Capossela at Aqueduct.
Stay Thirsty and Toby's Corner head a field of nine for Saturday's 1 1/16-mile, Grade III Gotham Stakes. Stay Thirsty will make his 2011 debut for Uncle Mo owner/trainer combo Mike Repole and Todd Pletcher.
Many of the nation’s most talented three-year-olds, including champion Uncle Mo, Grade II Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth winner Soldat, Grade II San Vicente winner The Factor and Grade III Holy Bull winner Dialed In, are among the 162 horses nominated to Keeneland’s $750,000 Grade I Toyota Blue Grass Stakes slated for April 16.
Breeders’ Cup announced today that horse racing’s biggest live money handicapping tournament, the Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge , will be held this year on November 4-5 at Churchill Downs. In only its third year, the Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge will have a prize pool of up to $350,000 based on 125 players.
It feels like halftime in the 2001 Road to the Kentucky Derby. After last weekend, we culled numerous horses from our lists at The Downey Profile. Here are next-race plans--or a lack of a plan--for 65 horses still on our lists.
The Churchill Downs Inc. Foundation (“CDI Foundation”) today announced its first fund raising initiative, an online/e-mail auction of five 2011 Kentucky Derby and Oaks ticket packages.
We've profiled at least 120 horses at this point and have deleted several since our seasonal website opened Jan. 26. Over the weekend, we culled several from our lists and demoted a few--and we added a few newcomers.
It was a busy morning at Palm Meadows for trainer Todd Pletcher, with workouts from his stable led by Uncle Mo. The 2-year-old champ of 2010 worked five furlongs in a bullet 1:00.60 (1/27)....
Soldat emerged from the Grade II Fountain of Youth Stakes undefeated at Gulfstream Park and one of the presumptive favorites for the Grade I Florida Derby, should connections point in that direction.
Flashpoint upset Travelin Man in the Grade II Hutcheson Stakes in the second start for each colt, and the winner's trainer said the Grade I Florida Derby could be next.
Su Casa G Casa is the 2-1 top choice in the morning line for Saturday’s $60,000 Gentilly Stakes at Fair Grounds at 1 1/16 mile on the turf. Regular rider Carlos Gonzalez returns in the irons aboard the Bret Calhoun trainee.
Three Triple Crown hopefuls and a quartet of locally based runners will face off in Saturday’s $75,000 Miracle Wood Stakes at Laurel Park. The Miracle Wood goes at seven furlongs and will help shape springtime plans for many of these promising 3-year-olds.
It looks like at least a half dozen speedballs will be winging it on the front end in this year’s edition of the Grade II Hutcheson Stakes at Gulfstream Park. To speed or not to speed is always the question, but that doesn’t look like the answer today at seven furlongs. I think I found the one who’ll be sitting pretty and first to pounce all over the pretenders.
The field for the Grade II Fountain of Youth Stakes could be divided into two camps, with four of the entries having a fair amount of starts under their belts and four having limited experience and thus more upside potential, at least in theory.
Good grief, it's not even Spring Break yet, and there are 19 horses on our lists entered in races on Saturday, and a handful more we have an eye on. Plus one today at Santa Anita. And we don't know about Sunday yet. Here's the rundown.
The first races on the Road to the Roses contest--the Grade II Fountain of Youth, the Grade II Hutcheson and the Borderland Derby--are this weekend. With that in mind, we bring you the current status and/or plans--or lack of plans--of 80 horses maintained on our lists.
Rebounding from a disappointing loss in the Smarty Jones Stakes, Archarcharch pulled an upset at 14-1 odds to win the Grade III Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park.
Clubhouse Ride will miss the Grade I Santa Anita Derby. On our Looking Good list at its inception this year, Clubhouse Ride has $210,000 in graded stakes earnings. He last raced in the Grade III Sham Stakes, finishing second to Tapizar.
Charity Night a the Tables: a Celebration of Community Giving will celebrate its tenth anniversary on Saturday, March 19 with eight Northern Kentucky non-profits in a splashy night of Monte Carlo gaming. The participating charities will back horses in the Grade II Vinery Racing Spiral Stakes the following Saturday.
The Grade III Southwest Stakes is full of unknown commodities, so unless the race is won by J P's Gusto, it's going to be a coming-out party on the Road to the Kentucky Derby.
Eibar Coa remained in good spirits and showed slight improvement overnight after undergoing surgery Saturday on his C4 vertebra, which was broken in a spill following the finish of Friday’s sixth race at Gulfstream Park.
Mucho Macho Man turned things around from a loss 20 days ago to win the Grade II Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds--and earn himself a trip to the Kentucky Derby.
The betting interest known as “All Others” has been favored in every opening pool of Churchill Downs’ Kentucky Derby Future Wager, and so far the results are no different this year. But Uncle Mo is making a challenge.
Colonel John, winner of the Grade I Santa Anita Derby and Grade I Travers Stakes at three, has several foals on the ground from his introductory crop at stud.
The Factor will be among nine 3-year-olds aiming to elevate their West Coast status on Sunday in Santa Anita’s Grade II, $150,000 San Vicente Stakes at seven furlongs.
Prior to their arrival in New Orleans by plane Wednesday, trainer Kathy Ritvo had expressed some concern about the shipment of Mucho Macho Man from Gulfstream Park. But today, Ritvo was all smiles today shortly after the colt completed his first local gallop.
Pants On Fire is in New Orleans for his second visit to Fair Grounds to compete in the Grade II Risen Star after finishing runner-up in the Grade III Lecomte and then shipping to Palm Meadows. His trainer says he's little less intense now.
In 2010, only two horses shipped over from South Florida to compete in the Grade II Risen Star Stakes, producing the winner, but this year there are five such shippers comprising half the field in what is a very difficult race to handicap.
Not too long ago, trainer Joe Petalino thought he was quietly approaching the Grade III Southwest Stakes with a horse who had fallen off the radar. That was until J P's Gusto joined his barn last week--now Brickyard Fast shares the spotlight.
Trainer Larry Jones said he was convinced by a bullet workout today at Oaklawn Park to enter Yankee Passion in Monday's $250,000 Grade III Southwest Stakes.
Mucho Macho Man and Rogue Romance boarded a Sallee van on the Gulfstream Park backstretch Wednesday morning for the first leg of a journey that included a flight from West Palm Beach to New Orleans. They arrived safely early this afternoon for a run in the Grade III Risen Star Stakes.
He's 9-2 and holding, at least until the betting starts on Friday. Uncle Mo is the strong individual favorite in the first of three betting pools in Churchill Downs’ 2011 Kentucky Derby Future Wager (“KDFW”). But the mutuel field, or “All Others”, is expected to again be the bettors’ choice when the Feb. 18-20 pool completes its run early Sunday evening. The field is set at 5-2 by oddsmaker Mike Battaglia.
