Awesomemundo recovered from a poor start and gamely outdueled Love and Pride in a spirited stretch duel to win the $100,000 Allaire DuPont Distaff Stakes (gr. III) by a head May 19 at Pimlico Race Course.
As of 11 a.m. EDT Saturday, Bodemeister remained the heavy betting favorite for the Preakness Stakes (gr. I), sitting at odds of 9-5 while Kentucky Derby (gr. I) winner I'll Have Another is the 3-1 second choice.
Though I'll Have Another ran him down in deep stretch in the Kentucky Derby at Churchill, all signs point to Bodemeister being the one to beat in Preakness 137 at Pimlico Race Course May 19.
Jason Shandler makes his picks for the Preakness, in his final Triple Crown Talk blog. read blog
Stall 40 at Pimlico, usually reserved for the Kentucky Derby winner, is instead occupied by New York-bred Zetterholm, who comes into the Preakness with as little fanfare as any starter in the 11-horse field.
Evan Hammonds and Jason Shandler handicap the Preakness Stakes track-side at Pimlico. Evan successfully picked I'll Have Another to win the Kentucky Derby; will he be correct this time? watch video
Bittersweet is probably the best way to express my feelings on the following news: I will be leaving The Blood-Horse on May 22, just after my coverage of the Preakness. read blog
Following a bullet work May 7, trainer Larry Jones had Mark Valeski ready to go in the Peter Pan. After a stalking trip while wide into the lane he put away pacesetter Right to Vote for his first stakes victory May 12.
Jason Shandler and Tom LaMarra handicap the Peter Pan Stakes and quickly review the Kentucky Derby. watch video
Because of their presence on the Triple Crown trail, Mark Valeski and The Lumber Guy are favored, but Waterford Stable's Summer Front has the potential to be one of the brightest 3-year-old stars in the country.
The top four finishers all ran winning type races. read blog
After a thrilling stretch duel with champion Amazombie, Mike Lauffer and Bill Cubbedge's Shackleford inched clear in deep stretch to win the $441,600 Churchill Downs Stakes (gr. II) May 5.
Last year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (gr. IIT) winner Stephanie's Kitten returned to the Churchill Downs turf course and put in another dominating performance, setting a stakes record in the Edgewood Stakes.
William S. and Graydon Patterson's Juanita overtook heavily favored Plum Pretty in upper stretch and ran off to a 16-1 upset under Ramon Dominguez in the $327,000 La Troienne (gr. II) May 4 at Churchill Downs.
Who is Jason picking in the Oaks and the Derby? read blog
There is no true standout in the 2012 Kentucky Derby, but despite it being a wide-open affair, that shouldn't be mistaken for inconsistency. A record nine Derby starters return from last year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile.
Despite being undefeated and with powerful connections, Gemologist is not garnering all the attention one might expect entering the May 5 Kentucky Derby.
Silver Max and Howe Great, two of the expected favorites for the $200,000 American Turf (gr. IIT), drew the outside posts in an overflow field May 4 at Churchill Downs.
They might not win, but they could hit the board at long odds read blog
Stonestreet Stables' Hierro broke his maiden over the Churchill Downs main track as a juvenile and returned a winner under the Twin Spires April 28 in the $200,000 The Cliff's Edge Derby Trial (gr. III).
He only defeated three horses in a scratched-filled edition of the $142,500 Westchester Stakes (gr. III), but To Honor and Serve could not have looked any better in his season debut April 28 at Belmont Park.
Phipps Stable's homebred Point of Entry shook clear at the top of the stretch and glided to a 1 1/2-length victory under John Velazquez in the $150,000 Elkhorn (gr. IIT) on closing day at Keeneland April 27.
Upperline, runner-up in her last two stakes tries, found another gear in the late stages to win the $150,000 Grey Goose Bewitch (gr. IIIT) by 1 1/2 lengths April 26 at Keeneland.
Pros and cons for each of the top 20 Kentucky Derby contenders. read blog
Led by Zayat Stable's talented but lightly raced Paynter, a field of 11 sophomores was entered in the $200,000 The Cliff's Edge Derby Trial (gr. III) on opening night of the Churchill Downs spring meet April 28.
Musketier, a 10-year-old veteran with 45 starts in his remarkable career, will bid for his third consecutive win in the $150,000 Elkhorn Stakes (gr. III) April 27 on closing day at Keeneland.
The speed-baller's presence could have a profound effect on Derby 138 read blog
The longest shot on the board at 70-1, All Squared Away pulled a massive upset in the $200,000 Coolmore Lexington (gr. III) when he overtook Hammers Terror late to win by 1 1/2 lengths April 21 at Keeneland.
The Lumber Guy enjoyed the cutback to a mile in the $200,000 Jerome (gr. II), as he fended off pressure all the way around the track to score by 2 3/4 lengths April 21 at Aqueduct Racetrack.
On a day that belonged the Julien Leparoux, it was Rajiv Maragh that was able to narrowly outduel his fellow rider in the Keeneland feature, as Pachattack defeated Kathmanblu by a neck in the $100,000 Doubledogdare.
Tom and Jason handicap the Coolmore Lexington Stakes at Keeneland this week. watch video
Wise Dan, a four-time stakes winner last season, will begin his 2012 campaign in the $150,000 Ben Ali (gr. III) April 22 at Keeneland.
Four-time stakes winner Secret Circle, most recently runner-up to stablemate Bodemeister in the Arkansas Derby (gr. I), will miss up to four months with a sesamoid injury, co-owner Mike Pegram confirmed April 19.
The Jerome drew a field of seven, four of them entering off failed Derby prep efforts. Trainer Bob Baffert, a two-time winner of this event, will send out of a pair including Sunland Derby third-place finisher Stirred Up.
Bob Baffert trainee Castaway is the most likely of the 11 horses entered in the April 21 Coolmore Lexington (gr. III) that, should he win, could find himself in the starting gate on May 5 at Churchill Downs.
With 2 weeks to go, Jason Shandler asks who do you like in the Kentucky Derby? read blog
Dullahan, with big strides down the center of the racetrack, ran down champion Hansen in the late stages to win the $750,000 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (gr. I) April 14 at Keeneland.
Perfect Officer needed the every inch of the short Keeneland stretch to run down pacesetter Great Mills, as the 6-year-old son of Officer won by a nose in an exciting finish of the $100,000 Shakertown (gr. IIIT) on April 14.
James Miller's Daisy Devine, allowed to get away with an easy lead under James Graham, went wire-to-wire in the $300,000 Jenny Wiley (gr. IT) April 14 at Keeneland.
Stuart Janney III's homebred Data Link came from off the pace to run down favored Turallure in the final jumps, capturing the $300,000 Maker's 46 Mile (gr. IT) at odds of 12-1 April 13 at Keeneland.
Analysis of the last 2 major Kentucky Derby preps: the Blue Grass and Arkansas Derby. read blog
Jockey Mike Smith will have the mount on Daddy Nose Best in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), according to assistant trainer Scott Blasi.
Union Rags recorded his first workout since the Florida Derby (gr. I) and his final move at Palm Meadows April 12, breezing four furlongs in :48 2/5. It was the second fastest work of 16 that morning.
Groupie Doll, who barely missed in the Lexus Raven Run (gr. II) last fall at Keeneland, broke through in a big way April 12 when she returned to Lexington to win the $300,000 Vinery Madison (gr. I) by three lengths.
Peachtree Stable's Sacristy, the only graded stakes winner in a field of six 3-year-old fillies, tops the $150,000 Beaumont Stakes (gr. II) April 15 at Keeneland.
Jason and Evan handicap the Blue Grass Stakes and Arkansas Derby this week. watch video
Hansen, the 6-5 morning-line choice in a field of 13 in the April 14 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes, could go to Louisville as the Kentucky Derby favorite with a win in the signature race at Keeneland.
About the only thing left for Chamberlain Bridge to do in his career is win the $100,000 Shakertown (gr. IIIT), a race he's been in three times but has yet to conquer.
Comedero and Right One are the only two graded stakes winners in the $175,000 Commonwealth (gr. II), but the Polytrack form of Bergerac and Plutonium also make them factors in an evenly-matched field of seven April 14.
Last year's Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) winner, Peachtree Stable's Plum Pretty, will carry top weight of 117 pounds in the 1 1/16-mile event for fillies and mares on the main track.
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