The mutuel field completed the opening four-day pool of Churchill Downs' 2007 Kentucky Derby Future Wager as a strong favorite at odds of 5-2.
Sunday, February 11, 2007J. Paul Reddam's Southern California shipper Notional turned in an impressive effort in winning Saturday's $300,000 Risen Star (gr. III), a race marred by a fall that spoiled whatever chance the heavy favorite Circular Quay had of winning the 3-year-old test at Fair Grounds.
Saturday, February 10, 2007Individual stars such as juvenile champion Street Sense and Nobiz Like Shobiz continued to receive strong support, but the wagering interest that includes "all other 3-year-olds" remained the favorite at the mid-point of Pool 1 of Churchill Downs' 2007 Kentucky Derby Future Wager.
Saturday, February 10, 2007Individual stars such as juvenile champion Street Sense and Nobiz Like Shobiz continued to receive strong support, but the wagering interest that includes "all other 3-year-olds" remained the favorite at the mid-point of Pool 1 of Churchill Downs' 2007 Kentucky Derby Future Wager.
Saturday, February 10, 2007Now that we've got the first major coast-to-coast weekend out of the way, this is as good a time as any to look at the top contenders and see just how the Derby trail is shaping up.
Tuesday, February 06, 2007Grade I winner Circular Quay kicks off his 3-year-old campaign by heading a full field of 14 sophomores named to the $300,000 grade III Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds.
Monday, February 05, 2007With 2006 Eclipse Award and Breeders' Cup winners Street Sense and Dreaming of Anna headlining the list, a record 450 horses have been nominated early to Thoroughbred racing's 2007 Triple Crown.
Sunday, February 04, 2007Turf star English Channel and Triple Crown candidate Circular Quay, each a divisional Eclipse Award finalist last month, are expected to participate in Fair Grounds' five-stakes program Feb. 10.
Friday, February 02, 2007Street Sense, 10-length winner of the Bessemer Trust Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I), received the high weight assignment of 127 pounds on the 2006 Experimental Free Handicap, released today by The Jockey Club.
Thursday, January 25, 2007It comes as no surprise that trainer Todd Pletcher, a multiple record setter in 2006, will collect a third well-deserved Eclipse Award for his efforts.
Monday, January 22, 2007Turning for home in the Bessemer Trust Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I), Street Sense seemed to materialize on the lead from out of nowhere with a move so explosive, even the normally eagle-eyed race caller Trevor Denman missed it.
Monday, January 22, 2007Hold on to your hats. The Todd Pletcher and Doug O'Neill express trains are about to start rolling toward Louisville and should reach breakneck speed by early to mid-February. With Pletcher expanding to California this winter, and both trainers expected to make stops in New Orleans, we can expect some early collisions on the Derby trail.
Monday, January 22, 2007Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Street Sense tops Steve Haskin's first list of leading contenders for this year's May 5 Kentucky Derby.
Tuesday, January 16, 2007Ten graded or group stakes winners are among 107 "early bird" nominations for the 94th running of the $600,000 Louisiana Derby (gr. II) March 10 at Fair Grounds Race Course.
Thursday, December 21, 2006Circular Quay and Friendly Island, both second in Breeders' Cup World Championship races Nov. 4, head an 11-horse shipment of Todd Pletcher trainees that arrived at Hollywood Park from New York. The Thursday afternoon flight included six horses from the Christophe Clement stable as well.
Friday, November 10, 2006While trainer Todd Pletcher had a record number of Breeders' Cup World Championship runners, none of them were able to bring home the victory as his stable went 0-17 at Churchill Downs Nov. 4.
Saturday, November 04, 2006Tracking a hotly contested pace early, Street Sense came up the rail and ran away with the $1,832,000 Bessemer Trust Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) by 10 lengths at Churchill Downs Nov. 4.
Saturday, November 04, 2006At a Nov. 2 press conference next to the Churchill Downs paddock, trainer Todd Pletcher tried to explain the logistics of starting 17 horses on Breeders' Cup World Championship day Saturday.
Thursday, November 02, 2006Everyone had been saying the field for the Bessemer Trust Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) was evenly matched. Obviously Mike Battaglia, who makes the morning line at Churchill Downs, agreed.
Wednesday, November 01, 2006The "Todd Squad" was out in full force at Belmont Park on a windy Sunday morning. Twelve Todd Pletcher-trained horses had their final tune-ups for the Nov. 4 Breeders' Cup World Championships. Also working were Henny Hughes, Invasor, and Pine Island.
Sunday, October 29, 2006Working 14 horses in one morning is a major load for any trainer, but Todd Pletcher took that to another level Sunday when he put 14 Breeders' Cup horses through their paces with most of them turning in almost identical drills with machine-like precision.
Sunday, October 22, 2006Great Hunter, shipped east from California by trainer Doug O'Neill, won the Lane's End Breeders' Futurity (gr. I) Saturday at Keeneland, upsetting odds-on favorite and previously unbeaten Circular Quay.
Saturday, October 07, 2006Circular Quay, unbeaten in three starts, figures to be the heavy favorite in Saturday's Lane's End Breeders' Futurity (gr. I) at 1 1/16 miles at Keeneland.
Wednesday, October 04, 2006Todd Pletcher, the nation's reigning champion trainer, worked a number of his horses Sunday in preparation for grade I stakes appearances at Belmont Park Oct. 7.
Sunday, October 01, 2006The formidable two-ply entry from Todd Pletcher lived up to its favorite status Monday as Michael and Dorean Tabor's homebred Circular Quay defeated stablemate Scat Daddy by 4 1/4 lengths in the grade I, $250,000 Hopeful for 2-year-olds at Saratoga.
Monday, September 04, 2006Trainer Todd Pletcher has claimed his fifth consecutive Saratoga training title in 2006 and his sixth over the last eight years. But even with a wealth of top juveniles, he has yet to win the Hopeful (gr. I). Pletcher is hoping to end that streak Monday with Michael Tabor's Circular Quay or James Scatuorchio's Scat Daddy.
Saturday, September 02, 2006Scat Daddy and Circular Quay, a pair of trainer Todd Pletcher's "Toddlers," slated to run in Monday's $250,000 Hopeful (gr. I) for 2-year-olds at seven furlongs, both worked on the main track at Saratoga Thursday morning.
Thursday, August 31, 2006Unbeaten Circular Quay, the fifth winner of the day ridden by jockey Rafael Bejarano, shot through a narrow gap along the rail in deep stretch and drew off to a 1 ΒΌ-length victory in Saturday's $166,500 Bashford Manor (gr. III) for 2-year-olds at Churchill Downs.
Saturday, July 08, 2006Circular Quay, an easy winner for trainer Todd Pletcher in his lone start, and unbeaten Chace City, the Steve Asmussen-trained winner of the $125,000 Victoria Stakes at Canada's Woodbine, head a field of eight horses entered for Saturday's $150,000-added Bashford Manor Stakes (gr. III) at Churchill Downs.
Thursday, July 06, 2006