Vinery Stables' and Fox Hill Farm's Friesan Fire, who was diagnosed with a pair of leg injuries after the Preakness (gr. I), is back in training and targeting a comeback later this fall. Who his trainer will be, however, is unclear at this time.
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Friesan Fire, the favorite in this year's Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), is recuperating from surgery at Vinery near Lexington.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Vinery Stables' and Fox Hill Farm's Friesan Fire, who was made the favorite for this year's Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) after three consecutive graded stakes wins this spring, has been sidelined for a couple of months due to an injury.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Trainer Larry Jones, who has been winning Monmouth stakes on a regular basis the past two years, said May 24 that the $1 million Haskell Invitational (gr. I) Aug. 2 is the main objective this summer for Vinery Stables and Fox Hill Farm's Friesan Fire.
Monday, May 25, 2009
With slightly more than two hours until post for the middle jewel of the Triple Crown, the filly Rachel Alexandra is the 2-1 favorite. Four other horses are single-digit odds.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
If the payoffs for the daily double involving the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (gr. II) and Preakness (gr. I) are any indication, the filly Rachel Alexandra will be the big favorite for the middle leg of the Triple Crown.
Friday, May 15, 2009
Tom Ludt was sitting on top of the world. It was the morning of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), and after I Want Revenge was scratched, Friesan Fire became the new favorite in the classic. Ludt is the general manager of Tom Simon's Vinery, which owns Friesan Fire in partnership with Rick Porter's Fox Hill Stable.
Friday, May 15, 2009
A field of 13 is set to line the gates at Pimlico Race Course May 16 for the 1 3/16-mile classic. It is shaping up to be one of the most intriguing Preakness Stakes in recent memory.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
The week leading up to the May 2 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), Ahmed Zayat, owner of Pioneerof the Nile, was hit in the head by bird droppings. The owner saw it as a positive and believed his colt had a good chance in the Derby; little did he know what was to come.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Insight into the pedigrees of this year's Preakness contenders is only a click away. This easy-to-read report includes pedigree analyses from Alan Porter, Avalyn Hunter, and Tom Hall. Order your copy today and separate the contenders from the pretenders.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) winner Rachel Alexandra drew post 13 and was installed as the solid 8-5 morning-line favorite for the $1-million Preakness Stakes (gr. I) May 16 at Pimlico.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Following a workout at Pimlico Racecourse on Tuesday, May 12, trainer Larry Jones reported that Friesan Fire is fit and ready for the May 16 Preakness Stakes (gr. I).
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Friesan Fire, who grabbed his quarter and suffered a several cuts while finishing 18th in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), will ship down to Pimlico next Monday from Delaware Park and will work on Tuesday under jockey Gabriel Saez to determine whether the colt will run in the Preakness Stakes (gr. I).
Thursday, May 07, 2009
On a cool, wet May 3 morning in the barn area of Churchill Downs, the owners and trainer of Mine That Bird were basking in the limelight while still trying to absorb what had transpired the previous day when the 3-year-old gelding posted a stunning 6 3/4-length victory over Pioneerof the Nile in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I).
Sunday, May 03, 2009
With three hours to post and more than $10 million in the win pool, Friesan Fire is the 7-2 favorite for the May 2 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I).
Saturday, May 02, 2009
Kentucky Derby day 135 dawned with a steady, sometimes heavy rain, and a temperature of 53 degrees in Louisville, Ky., on the morning of May 2.
Saturday, May 02, 2009
In the early on-track wagering on the May 2 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), Friesan Fire is the 9-2 favorite.
Friday, May 01, 2009
The big day is almost here. No, not the Derby; having to make selections, which will be in Friday's column. These selections are based primarily on observations over the past eight days, and it's going to be particularly difficult this year. In the meantime, he are a few late odds and ends.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
The Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) isn't just about the horse. This edition boasts an unusually fertile crop of human-interest stories in the connections behind the horses.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
I Want Revenge, runaway winner of the Gotham Stakes (gr. I) and a determined victor in the April 4 Wood Memorial (gr. I), has been made the 3-1 morning line favorite for the May 2 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I). The son of Stephen Got Even will break from post 13 in a full field of 20.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
A.P. Indy was the leading sire at the 2007 Keeneland September yearling sale based on the average price of $858,043 brought by 23 of his offspring. But Friesan Fire, who is by the 1992 Horse of the Year, got lost in the crowd and was bought back for $725,000 by the Vinery's Dr. Tom Simon, who bred the colt in the name of Grapestock.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
The Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) isn't just about the horse. This edition boasts an unusually fertile crop of human-interest stories in the connections behind the horses.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
There's lots to catch up on, with several works of interest over the weekend and a star-studded array of works this morning, which unfortunately were played out against a horrific backdrop.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Friesan Fire burned up the track April 27 at Churchill Downs, working five furlongs in a blazing :57 4/5 during his final serious move before the May 2 Kentucky Derby Presented By Yum! Brands (gr. I). Wearing red and white blinkers and carrying jockey Gabriel Saez, the 3-year-old son of A.P. Indy turned in splits of :11 1/5, :22 1/5, :33 3/5, and 45:1/5. Friesan Fire galloped out six furlongs in 1:14.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Monday morning at Churchill Downs was a busy day for horses getting in their final preparations for Saturday's Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I).
Monday, April 27, 2009
Trainer Gary Stute went "old school" April 25 at Churchill Downs, working his Arkansas Derby (gr. II) winner Papa Clem seven furlongs in 1:29 1/5. The trainer, the son and nephew of the legendary training brothers of Mel and Warren Stute (respectively), may give his colt a quarter-mile blowout a day or two before the May 2 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I).
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Regal Ransom sneaks onto the list as Godolphin confirms he will run in the Derby.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
On April 19, as light rain fell, Friesan Fire posted his final work at Keeneland before he heads to Churchill Downs for the May 2 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I).
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Friesan Fire, one of the top choices for the May 2 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), breezed five furlongs at Keeneland the morning of April 14.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Old Fashioned sustained a non-displaced slab fracture of his right knee during his second-place effort in the $1 million Arkansas Derby (gr. II) at Oaklawn Park April 11 and will miss the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I).
Sunday, April 12, 2009
I Want Revenge, who overcame a poor start and significant traffic concerns to win the Wood Memorial (gr. I) at Aqueduct April 4, emerged the favorite to win the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) as the third and final pool of Churchill Downs' Kentucky Derby Future Wager completed its four-day run.
Sunday, April 05, 2009
Edward P. Evans' Quality Road, winner of the Florida Derby (gr. I) for his third victory in four career races, remained the favorite to win the 135th running of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) on May 2 as the third and final pool of Churchill Downs' 2009 Kentucky Derby Future Wager reached its midway point on the evening of April 3.
Friday, April 03, 2009
Florida Derby (gr. I) winner Quality Road justified his status as the morning line choice for the third and final pool of Churchill Downs' 2009 Kentucky Derby Future Wager ("KDFW") when racing fans across North America made the Jimmy Jerkens-trained colt a tepid 5-1 favorite during the April 2 opening day of betting in the four-day pool.
Friday, April 03, 2009
Ruben Munoz, agent for jockey Gabriel Saez, will also handle the book for leading rider John Velazquez at the Keeneland meet that begins April 3.
Wednesday, April 01, 2009
Friesan Fire, whose Louisiana Derby (gr. II) romp cemented his status as one of the leading Triple Crown contenders, will most likely not have another race before the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), trainer Larry Jones said April 1.
Wednesday, April 01, 2009
Edward P. Evans' homebred Quality Road, winner of the Florida Derby (gr. I) and Fountain of Youth (gr. II), is the morning line favorite among 24 betting interests for the third and final pool of Churchill Downs' 2009 Kentucky Derby Future Wager, which opens four days of betting at racetracks and satellite wagering outlets April 2.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Join Trainer Larry Jones as he answers questions like: Tell about how your two leading Kentucky Derby contenders Old Fashioned and Friesan Fire are doing and what the plans are for them between now and the first Saturday in May.
Friday, March 27, 2009
In the metal-working technique called "brazing," two metals with disparate properties are joined by a third that is sufficiently similar to both to create an effective union.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
I Want Revenge retains the top spot, but a big win in the Louisiana Derby moved Friesan Fire up to number 3 in this week's Derby Dozen.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
As often happens on the Kentucky Derby trail, they fell like proverbial bowling pins last weekend, although two of the bigger names reinforced their strong position. Not all the vanquished will be taken off the trail, as some deserve another chance after racing on less than desirable surfaces, but they have put themselves in a desperate situation.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Cindy Jones, wife and assistant to trainer Larry Jones, said all three of the stable's horses who who ran at Fair Grounds March 14, including Louisiana Derby (gr. II) winner Friesan Fire, came out of their races well.
Monday, March 16, 2009
A weekend of upsets in important prep races for the May 2 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) convinced many racing fans to turn to the "all others" option as the mutuel field ended up as the lukewarm 9-2 favorite in the second of three pools in Churchill Downs' 2009 Kentucky Derby Future Wager.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Vinery Stables and Fox Hill Farm's Friesan Fire swept the Louisiana 3-year-old series and made a bold statement for the May 2 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) when overwhelming eight rivals to win the $600,000 Louisiana Derby (gr. II) by 7 1/4 lengths March 14 at Fair Grounds.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
A pair of unbeaten horses and the betting interest that represents "all others" drew the strongest fan support on the opening day of second of three pools in Churchill Downs' 2009 Kentucky Derby Future Wager.
Friday, March 13, 2009
This week, Jason, Evan, and the Wizard look at both the Louisiana Derby (gr. II) at Fair Grounds, and the San Felipe (gr. II) at Santa Anita. Both races are Saturday, March 14.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Triple Crown Talk blog, with host Jason Shandler, analyzes the Louisiana Derby.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Winner of the Jan. 10 LeComte (gr. III) and Feb. 7 Risen Star (gr. III), Friesan Fire will try to sweep the Louisiana series for 3-year-olds and stamp himself as one of the top Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) contenders in the nation. The son of A.P. Indy--Bollinger was installed as the 5-2 morning-line favorite.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Pool 2 of the 2009 Kentucky Derby Future Wager opens its four-day run on Thursday, March 12 and bettors will be able to wager on an exacta for the first time in the pool's 11-year history.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Friesan Fire, winner of the LeComte (gr. III) and Risen Star (gr. III), has been installed the 5-2 morning line choice in the 10-horse field that will contest the March 14, $600,000 Louisiana Derby (gr. II) at Fair Grounds.
Monday, March 09, 2009
Hosted by Lenny Shulman and Steve Haskin, "And They're Off" is a bi-monthly online video series sponsored by Darby Dan Farm. In this Mardi Gras edition, Lenny and Steve discuss Derby horses, including Dunkirk, Old Fashioned and Friesan Fire and older horses, including undefeated Rail Trip. Plus, the "And They're Off" Trivia contest announcement, and more.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009