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Kentucky Derby News Minute 5/5/2012

Eric Mitchell presents the early news of Derby Day, including the weather and track conditions, an update on Javier Castellano, and the races on tap today. Sponsored by Three Chimneys Farm.

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Silver Max Captures Eventful American Turf

Silver Max took the lead soon after the start and was never headed as he staved off a couple of late challengers to win the American Turf Stakes (gr. IIT) at Churchill Downs May 4.

Leparoux and 'Rags' a Strong Union

Julien Leparoux has put the Fla Derby behind him and is looking ahead with Union Rags

Dayatthespa Never Looks Back in Appalachian

Favored Dayatthespa spoiled the Keeneland return of Somali Lemonade with a dominating front-running victory in the $100,000 Appalachian Stakes (gr. IIIT) by 2 3/4 lengths on the turf April 19.

Surprise Entry Caixa Eletronica Wins Classic

Last-minute entry Caixa Eletronica made good on his trip from New York to win the $1 million Charles Town Classic (gr. II) at Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races the evening of April 14.

Shakertown: Perfect Officer Nips Great Mills

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.

Haskin's Derby Trail: Riders on the Storm

This year's Kentucky Derby contenders are so evenly matched, there is a good possibility the winner will be determined by who gets the best trip and/or the best ride.

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Gemologist Holds Off Alpha in Thrilling Wood

WinStar Farm's Gemologist will head to the Kentucky Derby undefeated and one of the favorites after he held off a surging Alpha to win the $1 million Wood Memorial in thrilling fashion April 7 at Aqueduct.

Broadway's Alibi Makes It Look Easy in Comely

Just as she did in her last start, E. Paul Robsham's homebred Broadway's Alibi went wire-to-wire, this time scoring by 3 1/2 lengths in the $250,000 Comely (gr. III) and perhaps punched her ticket to the May 4 Kentucky Oaks.

Grace Hall Gallops Away in Gulfstream Oaks

Favored Grace Hall stamped herself as the likely favorite for the Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) when she romped to a 6 1/2-length victory in the $300,000 Gulfstream Oaks (gr. II) March 31 at Gulfstream Park.

Appleton: Corporate Jungle Wins Stakes Debut

Favored Corporate Jungle took over in upper stretch and held Trend at bay win in winning the $100,000 Appleton Stakes (gr. IIIT) in his stakes debut March 31 at Gulfstream Park.

Castellano Sets Gulfstream Season Win Mark

Jockey Javier Castellano broke the record for most wins during a Gulfstream meet March 17 when he won his 98th race of the season.

Gemologist Sparkles in Gulfstream Triumph

Undefeated Gemologist got his 3-year-old campaign underway in sharp fashion at Gulfstream Park March 16, pulling away from grade I winner Currency Swap to win an allowance race by seven lengths.

Brilliant Result for Zagora in Hillsborough

Zagora's great turn of foot delivered a win in the Hillsborough Stakes, just 3/5ths of a second off the Tampa Bay Downs track record for 1 1/8 miles on the turf.

Impressive Soldat Wins Comeback Race on Turf

It's easy to see why his connections want to keep Soldat on turf after last year's Triple Crown contender scored an impressive comeback victory at Gulfstream Park March 4.

Simmard Breaks Through in Mac Diarmida

Fresh after a three-month layoff, Simmard won a terrific stretch duel with favored Newsdad by a nose in the $150,000 Mac Diarmida Stakes (gr. IIT) on the Gulfstream Park turf Feb. 26.

El Padrino Edges Mark Valeski in Risen Star

El Padrino, the highly-touted 3-year-old from the barn of Todd Pletcher, proved he was worthy of the hype Feb. 25 at Fair Grounds when he outdueled Mark Valeski by a nose to win the $300,000 Risen Star (gr. II).

Javier Castellano Registers 3,000th Victory

Jockey Javier Castellano rode the 3,000th winner of his career Feb. 24 at Gulfstream Park, guiding Virtuously to a late-closing victory in the sixth race.

From 'Rags' to Pletcher Riches

What went into Javier Castellano's decision to drop Union Rags?

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Union Rags Breezes for Fountain of Youth

One day after losing his regular rider for his 2012 debut in the Fountain of Youth Stakes (gr. II), Union Rags was out on the track at Palm Meadows for a five-furlong breeze in 1:03.08 Feb. 13.

Algorithms Derails Champ Hansen in Holy Bull

Algorithms overtook juvenile champion Hansen approaching mid-stretch en route to an easy victory in the $400,000 Holy Bull Stakes (gr. III) at Gulfstream Park, handing the odds-on favorite the first defeat of his career.

Boys At Tosconova Takes Gulfstream Allowance

Boys At Tosconova, a grade I winner at 2, appeared ready to rejoin the stakes ranks Jan. 27 with a game triumph over the filly Groupie Doll in the $51,000 allowance feature at Gulfstream Park.

Dayatthespa Takes it Easy in Sweetest Chant

Back on firm ground for her first start of 2012, favored Dayatthespa swept to a 1 3/4-length win in the $100,000 Sweetest Chant Stakes on the Gulfstream Park turf Jan. 22.

Dominguez Repeats As Top Jock

Ramon Dominguez dwarfed his 2010 numbers en route to winning a second consecutive Eclipse Award.

Silver Medallion Rallies in Ft. Lauderdale

Silver Medallion continued to show his affinity for the turf, rallying five-wide around the final turn to win his second graded stakes in a row by a neck in the $100,000 Ft. Lauderdale (gr. IIIT) Jan. 14 at Gulfstream Park.

Discreet Dancer Impressive in Gulfstream Test

Discreet Dancer, who set a track record for 5 1/2 furlongs at Gulfstream Park winning his debut by 9 3/4 lengths on Dec. 3, confirmed that promise Jan. 7 as he drew clear to score by 5 1/2 lengths in an allowance test.

Rees, Novak Win 2011 Media Eclipse Awards

Turf writers Claire Novak and Jennie Reese won Media Eclipse Awards for 2011, it was announced Dec. 28 by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, Daily Racing Form, and the National Turf Writers And Broadcasters.

Trickmeister Remains Unbeaten in Comeback Win

Undefeated Trickmeister, making his first start in nearly 16 months, showed little rust Dec. 17 at Gulfstream Park, winning the $60,000 Harlan's Holiday Stakes by 5 1/4 lengths for his fifth consecutive triumph.

Sugar Swirl: Classy Pomeroys Pistol Too Good

Pomeroys Pistol began her season winning a graded stakes at Gulfstream Park and ended her season by doing the same, as she bounded away for a two-length win in the $100,000 Sugar Swirl (gr. III) on Dec. 10.

Casablanca Smile Wires La Prevoyante

After 11 months off, the 5-year-old mare was back at Calder Casino & Race Course for the same race, and this time she wired the field in the 1 1/2-mile turf race.

Silver Medallion Grabs Gold in Tropical Turf

Black Rock Stables' Silver Medallion pulled clear in the stretch and coasted home for an easy 1 3/4-length win in the $100,000 Tropical Turf Handicap (gr. IIIT) on closing day at Calder Casino & Race Course.

Unbeaten Gemologist Scores KY Jockey Club

WinStar Farm and Todd Pletcher, who won the Kentucky Jockey Club in 2009 with Super Saver before sending him off to win the Kentucky Derby, completed the first part of the double again with Gemologist Nov. 26 at Churchill.

Buckleupbuttercup Captures Chilukki by Head

Buckleupbuttercup got up in the final strides to win the $167,400 Chilukki Stakes (gr. II) by a head over May Day Rose to complete the Breeders' Cup World Championships day card Nov. 5 at Churchill Downs.

Castellano Wins Riding Title at Belmont

Jockey Javier Castellano won his first riding title since 2007 on the New York Racing Association circuit when he edged Ramon Dominguez by two victories at the conclusion of Belmont Park's fall meet.

Pletcher's Classic Pair Drill at CD

Mike Repole's pair of Uncle Mo and Stay Thirsty get in their final tune-ups at Churchill Downs for the Nov. 5 Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I). Both colts went five furlongs.

No Way to Bottle Up Union Rags in Champagne

Unbeaten Union Rags, forced to wait for room in traffic, slipped past pacesetter Right to Vote on the outside in mid-stretch and drew off to capture the $300,000 Champagne Stakes in dominating style at Belmont Park Oct. 8.

Pomeroys Pistol Wins Gallant Bloom With Ease

Pomeroys Pistol is likely headed to the Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (gr. I) after an emphatic four-length win in the $150,000 Foxwoods Gallant Bloom Handicap (gr. II) at Belmont Park Sept. 24.

Talkin' Horses with Javier Castellano

The September 20 edition of Talkin' Horse featuring Jockey Javier Castellano has now been archived. Castellano answers questions about Winter Memories, Stay Thirsty, Ghostzapper, and more.

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Winter Memories Gets Grade I in Garden City

Behind a wall of horses with nowhere to go, Winter Memories somehow found a way out, passing the entire field inside the sixteenth pole to win the Garden City Stakes (gr. IT) in unbelievable fashion Sept. 17 at Belmont Park.

Ask the Moon Weaves Way to Personal Ensign

While racing erratically through the lane, front-running Ask the Moon captured the Personal Ensign Invitational Stakes Sept. 3 for her second grade I stakes win in a row at Saratoga this summer.

Saratoga Diary: Limbo

Racing returns to a normal schedule for the final week

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Hilda's Passion Shows Her Heels in Ballerina

Front-running Hilda's Passion became a grade I winner with a romping triumph in the $250,000 Ballerina Stakes (gr. I) at Saratoga Aug. 27.

Union Rags Romps in Sloppy Saratoga Special

Javier Castellano described Union Rags as "unbelievable" following the Three Chimneys Saratoga Special Stakes (gr. II) Aug. 15 in upstate New York.

Stay Thirsty Dominates Jim Dandy

Stay Thirsty finally grabbed his breakthrough win July 30 at Saratoga when he turned in a dominating performance in the $500,000 Jim Dandy (gr. II).

Zagora Zaps Diana Field

Zagora earned her first United States win in five starts when she charged home on the outside to tally convincingly in the $500,000 Diana Stakes (gr. IT) on the Saratoga turf July 30.

Belmont Title for Dominguez; Trainer Race Tie

The jockey and trainer title chases for the Belmont Park spring/summer meet came down to the final two races on closing day, July 17, with Ramon Dominguez holding off a challenge by Javier Castellano to be leading jockey.

Right One Lives up to Name in Jaipur

French import Right One lived up to his name as made a late run from the rear and got up in the last jump to nip Yield Bogey in the $100,000 Jaipur Stakes (gr. III) at Belmont Park July 16.

Her Smile Skims Rail, Wins Prioress

Well beaten in her last two tries, Bobby Flay's Her Smile became a grade I winner July 4 when she rallied from last to score in the $250,000 Prioress Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Belmont Park.

C.S. Silk Smooth in Just a Game Upset

C.S. Silk spurted away from her eight rivals to score a 12-1 upset in the $400,000 Foxwoods Just a Game Stakes (gr. IT) on the Belmont Stakes (gr. I) undercard June 11.

MMM, Stay Thirsty Post Strong Belmont Moves

Mucho Macho Man posted a bullet five-furlong work in :59.57 June 5 over the main track at Belmont Park with jockey Ramon Dominguez aboard. Stay Thirsty covered the same distance in 1:00.45.