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Pure Fun, Cerro Head Coolmore Lexington

The April 20 Coolmore Lexington (gr. III) offers 20 points and a potential place in the Kentucky Derby (gr. I) starting gate, but not all contenders in the last-minute prep will aim for the first Saturday in May.

Pure Fun to Challenge Males in Lexington

Magdalena Racing's Pure Fun, seeking to secure enough points to get into the May 3 Kentucky Oaks (gr. I), is set to challenge males in the April 20 Coolmore Lexington Stakes (gr. III) at Keeneland.

Verrazano Gallops, Others Settle In

Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands contender Verrazano galloped at Churchill Downs the morning of April 15 as trainer Todd Pletcher outlined the training regimen for the colt and his other probable Derby starters.

Ciao Bella Luna Shines Brightest in Beaumont

After showing little in two prior stakes attempts this year, Ciao Bella Luna relished a return to a synthetic surface April 14 at Keeneland, capturing the $150,000 Beaumont Stakes Presented by Keeneland Select (gr. IIT).

Pletcher's Kentucky Oaks Trio on Worktab

Dreaming of Julia, 21 3/4-length winner of the Gulfstream Park Oaks (gr. II), led a trio of Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) contenders worked by trainer Todd Pletcher at Churchill Downs the morning of April 14.

Churchill Adds Tents to Banned Items

Churchill Downs has added pop-up and other patron tents and metal poles and stakes to its list of items that cannot be carried by patrons into the track for this year's Kentucky Derby and Oaks.

Renee's Titan Takes Aim at Beaumont Stakes

Last year's Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) winning connections will try to recreate some more magic in the blue grass when Zillah Reddam's Renee's Titan starts in the Beaumont Stakes at Keeneland.

Rose to Gold Keeps Rolling in Fantasy Romp

Unlikely Rose to Gold stamped her ticket for the Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) with another dominating performance at Oaklawn Park April 10, splashing her way to a front-running 4 1/2-length victory in the $400,000 Fantasy Stakes.

Dreaming of Julia Represents Namesake Well

Barbara Banke's Dreaming of Julia, named after her daughter, has certainly made her presence known along the Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) trail.

KY Oaks Contenders Arrive at Churchill

Gulfstream Oaks (gr. II)winner Dreaming of Julia and undefeated Unlimited Budget arrived April 8 at 6:50 p.m. EDT at Churchill Downs, where they will continue their preparations for the May 3 Kentucky Oaks (gr. I).

Featured Horse Profile: Beholder

Santa Anita Oaks was her third grade I win.

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Beholder Punches Ticket to Kentucky Oaks

Spendthrift Farm's Beholder easily defeated five foes in the Santa Anita Oaks and will move on to contest the Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) as one of the top choices.

Second Chance Pays for Emollient in Ashland

Juddmonte Farms homebred Emollient established a clear lead early and then opened up on her dozen rivals in the stretch to register an easy victory in the $500,000 Central Bank Ashland Stakes (gr. I) April 6 at Keeneland.

Close Hatches Gets Determined Gazelle Score

Close Hatches led at every pole, repelled Princess of Sylmar in deep stretch, and drew away to keep her unbeaten record intact, registering her first stakes score in the $250,000 Gazelle Stakes (gr. II) April 6 at Aqueduct.

Fantasy Stakes Next for Upstart Rose to Gold

Rags to riches story Rose to Gold, front-running winner of the Honeybee Stakes (gr. III) last month, returns to Oaklawn Park April 10 for the $400,000 Fantasy Stakes (gr. III).

Unlimited Budget's Family Runs Deep

Ocala Stud may no longer own undefeated Fair Grounds Oaks (gr. II) winner Unlimited Budget, but the farm's association with the Kentucky Oaks (gr. I)-bound filly's family goes back nearly 60 years.

Spring in the Air Heads Full Ashland Field

John Oxley's grade I winner Spring in the Air will face a full field of 13 rivals in the $500,000 Central Bank Ashland (gr. I) for 3-year-old fillies going 1 1/16 miles on the main track at Keeneland April 6.

Beholder Faces Five in Santa Anita Oaks

Two-year-old filly champion of 2012 Beholder will be the heavy favorite when she faces five foes in the April 6 Santa Anita Oaks for Spendthrift Farm and Richard Mandella.

Princess of Sylmar One to Watch in Gazelle

King of Prussia Stable's impressive Princess of Sylmar takes a step up into graded company April 6 in the $250,000 Gazelle Stakes (gr. II) at Aqueduct Racetrack, facing a talented field of sophomore fillies.

Unlimited Budget Takes Fair Grounds Oaks

Unlimited Budget continues to show limitless potential as the undefeated Street Sense filly appears poised for the Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) after a clear victory in the $500,000 Fair Grounds Oaks (gr. II).

Dreaming of Julia Devastates Gulfstream Oaks

Stonestreet Stables' homebred Dreaming of Julia left her connections dreaming of victory in the Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) when she devastated the $300,000 Gulfstream Oaks (gr. II) March 30 at Gulfstream Park by 21 3/4 lengths.

Beholder Works 7 Panels for Santa Anita Oaks

Champion 2-year-old filly Beholder worked seven furlongs in company on a fast main track at Santa Anita Park March 29 as she closes in on her next scheduled start in the Santa Anita Oaks (gr. I).

Unlimited Budget, Flashy Gray Head FG Oaks

Undefeated Unlimited Budget and Honeybee Stakes runner-up Flashy Gray head a quality field that includes grade I winner So Many Ways in the $500,000 Fair Grounds Oaks (gr. II) March 30 at Fair Grounds Race Course.

Live Lively, Dreaming of Julia Clash Again

She couldn't catch Live Lively in her seasonal debut five weeks earlier, but Dreaming of Julia figures to be much tighter for their next engagement in the $300,000 Gulfstream Park Oaks (gr. II) March 30 at Gulfstream Park.

Midnight Lucky Looks Mighty in Sunland Oaks

Trainer Bob Baffert grabbed his fifth win in the $200,000 Sunland Park Oaks when short-price favorite Midnight Lucky left the field behind on the far turn en route to an eight-length win March 24 in New Mexico.

Live Lively Puts in Gulfstream Oaks Breeze

Live Lively, expected to be one of the favorites for the $300,000 Gulfstream Park Oaks (gr. II) following two impressive wins at the meet, breezed a half-mile in :49.78 on the morning of March 24 at Palm Meadows.

Silsita Just Up in Bourbonette Nail-Biter

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Tanourin Stable's Silsita upset heavily favored Pure Fun and survived a stretch duel with 31-1 shot Marathon Lady to take the $100,000 Fathead Bourbonette Oaks at Turfway Park March 23.

Baffert Seeks to Add to Sunland Oaks Success

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert will be seeking to add to his four victories in the Sunland Park Oaks when he sends impressive maiden winner Midnight Lucky in the $200,000 race March 24 at Sunland Park Racetrack & Casino.

Pure Fun Tops Full Field in Bourbonette Oaks

Pure Fun, winner of the Hollywood Starlet (gr. I) in December, gets her season started in the $100,000 Fathead Bourbonette Oaks (gr. III) as the 8-5 favorite in a field of a dozen 3-year-old fillies March 23 at Turfway Park.

Champion Beholder Tops 134 Ashland Nominees

A total of 134 fillies, led by champion Beholder, have been nominated to Keeneland's $500,000 Central Bank Ashland Stakes (gr. I), scheduled for Saturday, April 6.

Rose to Gold Stings Flashy Gray in Honeybee

Rose to Gold put away heavily favored Flashy Gray in the stretch for a gate-to-wire triumph under Calvin Borel in the $150,000 Honeybee Stakes (gr. III) March 9 at Oaklawn Park.

Flashy Gray Makes Stakes Debut in Honeybee

Flashy Gray, the 6-1 favorite in the recent Kentucky Oaks Future Wager pool, makes her stakes and two-turn debut in the $150,000 Honeybee Stakes (gr. III) March 9 at Oaklawn Park.

Kentucky Oaks Draws 120 Nominees

A total of 120 fillies have been entered for the 139th running of Kentucky Oaks (gr. I), an increase of 27.7% compared with 2012 following the early nomination phase.

Flashy Gray Surprise Favorite in Oaks Future

The only Kentucky Oaks Future Wager of 2013 closed the evening of March 3 with Flashy Gray the 6-1 betting choice.

Champ Beholder Back in Form for 'Virgenes Win

Compromised by a throat ulcer in her first start of the year, the real Beholder showed up in the $250,000 Las Virgenes Stakes (gr. I) March 2 at Santa Anita Park, romping over seven 3-year-old filly opponents.

My Happy Face Hit with Virus, to Miss KY Oaks

My Happy Face, runner-up in the 2012 Frizette Stakes (gr. I) and winner of that year's Tempted Stakes (gr. III) at Aqueduct Racetrack, is off the Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) trail with a virus contracted at Gulfstream Park.

Beholder Tries to Make Amends in Las Virgenes

Champion filly Beholder will try to avenge her odds-on defeat to longshot Renee's Titan when they square off at Santa Anita Park in the $250,000 Las Virgenes Stakes (gr. I)

Bullet Workouts for Verrazano, Flashback

Many of the top contenders for this year's Triple Crown races, including champion 2-year-old male Shanghai Bobby, completed workouts on Monday morning in South Florida and Southern California.

Beholder Drills Sharply for Las Virgenes

Eclipse Award winner Beholder worked five furlongs on Santa Anita's fast main track Feb. 24 in :59 3/5 under regular rider Garrett Gomez in preparation for the upcoming Las Virgenes Stakes (gr. I) for 3-year-old fillies.

Unlimited Budget Scores Rich Win in 'Rachel

Repole Stables' favored Unlimited Budget kept her record perfect when she easily captured the Rachel Alexandra Stakes (gr. III) by 3 3/4 lengths over 20-1 shot Promise Me More at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots.

Live Lively Tops 'Julia in Davona Dale Theft

Live Lively got the jump on odds-on choice Dreaming of Julia in the $245,000 Davona Dale (gr. II) and never looked back while registering a front-running 1 1/2-length victory in her stakes debut Feb. 23 at Gulfstream Park.

Early KY Oaks Nominations Due Feb. 23

Nominations also close Saturday, Feb. 23 for the 28th running of the $500,000-added Woodford Reserve Turf Classic (gr. I )

Triple Crown Races to Air Again on HRRN

The Horse Racing Radio Network announced Feb. 20 it has reached an agreement with all three Triple Crown racetracks for HRRN to provide the national radio broadcast of the 2013 Triple Crown races.

Unlimited Budget Favored in Rachel Alexandra

Demoiselle Stakes (gr. II) victress Unlimited Budget has been pegged the 5-2 morning line favorite for the $200,000 Rachel Alexandra Stakes (gr. III) at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots Feb. 23, in her season debut.

Dreaming of Julia to Open Year in Davona Dale

In terms of previous accomplishments, grade I winner Dreaming of Julia towers over entries in the $250,000 Davona Dale Stakes (gr. II) Feb. 23 at Gulfstream Park, but several fillies who have flashed brilliance await.

Rachel Alexandra Goes for Short Walk

Doctors at Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington said Monday, Feb. 18, that 2009 Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra remains stable as she recovers from abdominal surgery performed Feb. 13 following foaling complications.

Rachel Alexandra Shows Some Progress

While showing signs of progress, Rachel Alexandra's condition remained serious at Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital Feb. 15, following surgery to repair a section of her small colon injured in the foaling a filly.

Stewards Disqualify Sign from Pocahontas Win

Kentucky Horse Racing Commission stewards have disqualified Sign from her victory in last season's Pocahontas Stakes (gr. II) at Churchill Downs following a positive test for methocarbamol (Robaxin).

Busher: Princess of Sylmar Continues Success

Princess of Sylmar made it four wins in a row as she pulled clear to a seven-length victory in the $98,000 Busher Stakes Feb. 2 at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Mac the Man, Allanah Take Turfway Stakes

Sherri Greenhill's Mac the Man and TK Stables' Allanah won the featured 3-year-olds stakes at Turfway Park Feb. 2 to give leading jockey Norberto Arroyo Jr. a riding double in the co-features.