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Triple Crown Talk: Post Derby Thoughts

Kentucky Derby 137 has come and gone, and before we move on to the Preakness let's take a few moments to dissect the race. I have several observations, but let's start out with the winner.

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Haskin's Derby Recap: Kingdom Come

It was an odd journey that made sense in the end.

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Graham Motion: 'Yesterday Was Surreal'

The morning after saddling Animal Kingdom to win the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), trainer Graham Motion was still trying to absorb the overwhelming feelings associated with winning America's biggest race.

Daveron, Straight Story Win Belmont Stakes

Daveron and Straight Story captured a pair of grade III turf events that highlighted the Kentucky Derby Day card before 11,051 at Belmont Park May 7.

Animal Kingdom Roars to Derby Victory

Team Valor International's homebred Animal Kingdom roared down the stretch to win the 137th Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I). Nehro was second; Mucho Macho Man third.

Animal Kingdom a Team Valor Derby Product

Barry Irwin had faith in the horse he bred and is being rewarded with a chance to participate in the first leg of the Triple Crown.

Toby's Corner Out of Derby Consideration

Son of Bellamy Road off in his left rear; was to ship to Churchill Downs from his base at the Fair Hill Training Center in Maryland later today.

Toby's Corner Works; Anthony's Cross Out

Toby's Corner, one of two Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) contenders for trainer Graham Motion, worked at the Fair Hill Training Center in Maryland the morning of Sunday, May 1.

R Heat Lightning Leads Kentucky Oaks Work Tab

R Heat Lightning, the likely favorite in the May 6 Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) for trainer Todd Pletcher, put in her final drill prior to the race April 30, working a half-mile in :48 1/5 at Churchill Downs.

Animal Kingdom Has Good First Work on Dirt

Trainer Graham Motion said the colt worked six furlongs in 1:13 and handled the surface well.

TOBA to Conduct Ownership Seminar

The Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association will conduct a Thoroughbred Ownership Seminar Thursday, May 5, at the Kentucky Derby Museum in Louisville.

Animal Kingdom Work Not Ideal

Animal Kingdom's Kentucky Derby (gr. I) work at Keeneland April 23 'didn't go as planned' in the eyes of trainer Graham Motion, as the colt was clocked in 1:02.80 for five furlongs.

Pluck Out 60 Days With Cannon Bone Bruising

Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (gr. IIT) winner Pluck will be turned out in a paddock for the next 60 days as a result of bruising on both of of his hind cannon bones.

Toby's Corner Posts Wood Stunner; 'Mo Third

Less than a month away, the Kentucky Derby was turned upside down when favored Uncle Mo was defeated by Toby's Corner, who passed Arthur's Tale in the final strides to post a shocking upset in the Wood Memorial (gr. I).

Can Toby Get Close Enough to Mo?

Toby's Corner needs at least a good second in the Wood Memorial to get in the Derby

Ky. Derby Trail: Man in Motion

Rising star Graham Motion has 3 on Derby Trail.

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Summer Soiree Bought by Team Valor

Summer Soiree, who romped by 10 3/4 lengths in the March 26 Bourbonette Oaks (gr. III) at Turfway Park, has been bought by Team Valor International and will be pointed to the May 6 Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) at Churchill Downs.

Smart Bid Gets Gavel Call in Muniz Memorial

Smart Bid prevailed for the first time since November 2009 in a four-horse photo finish to the $396,000 Mervin H. Muniz Memorial Handicap (gr. IIT) March 26 on the Fair Grounds turf.

Animal Kingdom All Tiger in Vinery Spiral S.

Animal Kingdom took the overland route to a possible start in the Kentucky Derby (gr. I) when he drew off late for a 2 3/4-length win in the $500,000 Vinery Racing Spiral Stakes (gr. III) at Turfway Park March 26

2011 Spiral Proving Popular With Trainers

Officials at Turfway Park reported March 21 that as many as 18 runners are being pointed toward the March 26 Vinery Racing Spiral Stakes (gr. III).

La Luna de Miel Shines Brightest in Orchid

German-bred filly La Luna de Miel, making just her second start in the United States, collared Giants Play at the sixteenth pole and held on to win the $150,000 Orchid Stakes (gr. IIIT) on the Gulfstream Park grass March 20.

Dynamic Holiday Wins 4th Straight in 'Bride

Dynamic Holiday shifted off the rail in upper stretch and surged to her fourth consecutive victory in the $150,000 Herecomesthebride Stakes (gr. IIIT) on the Gulfstream Park turf March 13.

Pluck Has No Luck in Tampa Bay Return

Pluck, making his first start since winning last year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (gr. IIT), failed to fire in an allowance race at Tampa Bay Downs March 12 and finished fourth as the 3-10 favorite.

Dynamic Holiday Heads Herecomesthebride Cast

Dynamic Holiday brings a three-race winning streak for trainer Graham Motion into the $150,000 Herecomesthebride Stakes (gr. IIIT) on the Gulfstream Park turf March 13.

Pluck Bypassing Palm Beach for TB Allowance

Pluck, last year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (gr. IIT) winner for Team Valor, will begin his 3-year-old season in a $30,000 allowance race on turf at Tampa Bay Downs March 12.

Dominguez Caps Huge Day on Silver Reunion

Silver Reunion responded well from a lengthy layoff, going wire-to-wire to take the $125,000 Endeavour Stakes (gr. IIIT) Feb. 12 at Tampa Bay Downs

Brethren Dazzles in Sam F. Davis Romp

Brethren remained unbeaten in three starts and did so in scintillating fashion, drawing off to a four length victory in the Sam F. Davis Stakes (gr. III).

Toby's Corner Overcomes Mud to Win Whirlaway

Toby's Corner, in his stakes debut for trainer Graham Motion, collared J J's Lucky Train in the final furlong and drew off to a two-length win in the $98,000 Whirlaway Stakes on the inner track at rainy Aqueduct Feb. 5.

Toocleverforwords Has Final Say in 'Betty

Making her graded stakes debut, Toocleverforwords caught longshot Joanie's Catch mid-stretch and bounded home for a one-length victory in the $100,000 Stage Door Betty Handicap (gr. III) on New Year's Day at Calder.

Gypsy's Warning Rallies to Score Matriarch

After missing narrowly in her last two grade I attempts, Gypsy's Warning broke through by rallying to win the $250,000 Matriarch (gr. IT) Nov. 26 at Hollywood Park.

Mrs. Revere: Aruna Stays Perfect in U.S.

Aruna remained unbeaten in three starts in the United States, wearing down Wild Mia in the stretch to take the $199,675 Mrs. Revere (gr. IIT) for 3-year-old fillies Nov. 20 on the Churchill Downs turf.

Team Valor Sends All Horses to Trainer Motion

Team Valor International will purchase a barn at Fair Hill Training Center in northeast Maryland and turn all of its horses over to trainer Graham Motion effective immediately.

Shared Account Pulls 46-1 Shocker in F&M Turf

Shared Account pulled off the biggest upset in the history of the Emirates Airline Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (gr. IT), out-finishing heavy favorite Midday in a thrilling stretch drive to win at odds of 46-1.

Garden City: Check the Label Gets Grade I Win

Check the Label, under a patient ride from Ramon Dominguez, came from off the pace and pulled away in the stretch to win the $250,000 Garden City Stakes (gr. IT) Sept. 18 at Belmont Park for her fourth straight victory.

Va. Oaks: Check the Label Impresses Again

Brereton Jones' homebred Check the Label took over approaching the sixteenth-pole and drew clear to win the $150,000 Virginia Oaks (gr. IIIT) by 2 3/4 lengths July 17 at Colonial Downs.

Shared Account Wears 'em Down in All Along

Shared Account, the 2-1 choice, finally ran down pacesetter Tizaqueena after chasing her through the stretch, posting a one-length victory in the $150,000 All Along Stakes (gr. IIIT) June 19 at Colonial Downs.

Gypsy's Warning Has Last Word in Eatontown

Making her first start in the United States, South African mare Gypsy's Warning caught favored Maram in the final stride to post a 7-1 upset in the $147,000 Eatontown Handicap (gr. IIIT) on the Monmouth Park turf May 31.

Check the Label Weaves Way to Sands Point Win

Check the Label burst through an opening between horses in a crowded stretch to win the $150,000 Sands Point Stakes (gr. IIT) over the Belmont Park inner turf course May 31.

William D. Schaefer Field Runs Deep in Talent

The 1 1/16-mile William Donald Schaefer, which often serves as a prep race for the Stephen Foster Handicap (gr. I) at Churchill June 12, is the eighth race on the card and is slated for 2:57 p.m.

Check the Label Captures Appalachian Stakes

Check the Label took over from odds-on favorite Rose Catherine approaching the eighth-pole and pulled clear under Julien Leparoux for a three-quarters of a length victory in the $100,000 Appalachian Stakes (gr. IIIT).

Eightyfiveinafifty Gets a Chance at Two Turns

There is no disputing the fact that Eightyfiveinafifty is fast, but the colt will get a chance to show how far he can carry his speed when he faces five 3-year-olds in the $100,000 Whirlaway Stakes Feb. 6 at Aqueduct.

Six Try to Make the Grade in Santa Ysabel

Six 3-year-old fillies shoot for their initial graded stakes win in the $100,000 Santa Ysabel Stakes (gr. III) at Santa Anita Jan. 10.

Haskin: Greatest Training Achievements

Steve Haskin ranks the greatest training achievements for the years 2000 - 2009, both for a trainer with an individual horse and overall.

Who's #1?

Juvenile Fillies Turf Tough to Decipher

Lillie Langtry is the most accomplished horse in the field of the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.

Caprice Faces 10 in Rood & Riddle Dowager

German-bred mare Caprice, third in last year's Rood & Riddle Dowager at Keeneland, returns for the $125,000 turf event as one of the favorites for owner Sven A. Hanson's NP Bloodstock.

Better Talk Now Retired Due to Injury

Better Talk Now, winner of the 2004 John Deere Breeders' Cup Turf (gr. IT), has been retired from racing due to an injury sustained in the suspensory ligament of his left hind leg.

Cherokee Artist Shows Skill in Presque Mile

Cherokee Artist posted the first stakes win of his career in fine style when he captured the $249,500 Presque Isle Mile on the evening of Sept. 13 in Erie, Pa.

Rachel May Send Asiatic Boy to Del Mar

As soon as trainer Kiaran McLaughlin found out Rachel Alexandra would be running in the Woodward Stakes (gr. I) Sept. 5 he quickly contacted the owner of his Woodward hopeful Asiatic Boy, about the possibility of heading to California.

Shared Account Game in Lake Placid Victory

Sagamore Farm's Shared Account gamely held off a determined Keertana under a light rain to win the 26th running of the $150,000 Lake Placid Stakes (gr. IIT) at Saratoga Race Course on Aug. 21.

Sword Dancer: Grand Couturier Eyes 3 in a Row

Marc Keller's Grand Couturier has only won three of the 14 stakes he has attempted in this country, but the 6-year-old horse sure knows how to pick his spots. All three of the scores have been in grade I races, including two in the prestigious Sword Dancer Invitational Stakes (gr. IT) at Saratoga.