Colt will be re-X-rayed after two months.
Monday, April 28, 2008
Cool Coal Man, who ran ninth in the April 12 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (gr. I), worked a half mile in :47 2/5 under exercise rider Megan Smillie at Churchill Downs April 24.
Thursday, April 24, 2008In spite of the shocking news of the Triple Crown trail-ending injury to 2007 juvenile champion male War Pass and the apparent decision to forego the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) for a run in the Preakness Stakes (gr. I) by the connections of Coolmore Lexington Stakes (gr. II) winner Behindatthebar, a 20-horse field is still being predicted for the 134th Run for the Roses May 3 at Churchill Downs.
Monday, April 21, 2008
Robert LaPenta's War Pass, the champion 2-year-old of 2007 and winner of the $2 million Bessemer Trust Breeders' Cup Juvenile (Grade I) at Monmouth Park, has suffered a leg injury that has knocked the colt out of the $2 million guaranteed Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI).
Saturday, April 19, 2008
The Blue Grass Stakes News Minute plus interviews from the Toyota Blue Grass (gr. I) dinner held on April 10, 2008. Includes interviews with Michael Matz, trainer of Visionaire, Edgar Prado, jockey for Monba, Robert LaPenta, owner of Cool Coal Man and Stevil and more.
Friday, April 11, 2008
Robert LaPenta jokingly discusses his Blue Grass Stakes strategy during a preview dinner at Keeneland April 10.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Robert LaPenta's War Pass has drawn post position number five in the $750,000 Wood Memorial (gr. I), an April 5 prep for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) that has drawn a field of 10 3-year-old contenders.
Thursday, April 03, 2008
With the final Derby preps approaching, there is no more room for error. It's time to earn your way into the Run for the Roses or pack up and go home. The three graded stakes this weekend, the grade I Santa Anita Derby and Wood Memorial and grade II Illinois Derby, offer intriguing plot lines that will make or break aspiring Derby hopefuls.
Wednesday, April 02, 2008
HRTV's originally produced weekly show on top Derby prospects and the road to the Triple Crown. This week's episode includes an interview with Robert LaPenta, owner of War Pass and Cool Coal Man, a detailed analysis of the San Felipe Stakes, a look at the Graded Earnings List, and a preview of the Lane's End Stakes (gr. II).
Friday, March 21, 2008
Bob LaPenta and Nick Zito have always taken pride in their honesty, and with the nightmare of War Pass' shocking performance in the Tampa Bay Derby (gr. II) still causing them sleepless nights, LaPenta feels the need to address his comment after the race that the colt had a fever earlier in the week.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008By Dan Liebman - It leaves a bad taste in the collective mouths of the betting public when it believes it has been misled.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
So, the undefeated 2-year-old champion, sent off at 1-20 in the Tampa Bay Derby (gr. III), had a fever the week before the race and the public was unaware of it. There is nothing that can be said here that won't be said in the weeks to come by those who bet War Pass, including the bridge jumpers, and those who had invested in him emotionally.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Juvenile champion War Pass was impressive in his 3-year-old debut Feb. 24 at Gulfstream Park, looking sharp in a one-mile allowance race against four overmatched foes.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Three-year-olds around the country continue to get "zapped" by the Derby trail's three-headed monster. You know, zap, as in Nick Zito, Steve Asmussen, and Todd Pletcher.
Monday, February 18, 2008
Silver Edition, a colt by Silver Deputy and the main Kentucky Derby hopeful for Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas, takes on six challengers in the Swale Stakes (gr. II) Feb. 2 at Gulfstream Park.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
War Pass, undefeated winner of the Bessemer Trust Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I), received the high weight assignment of 127 pounds on the 2007 Experimental Free Handicap.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
War Pass capped off his perfect season Jan. 21 with championship honors as the leading 2-year-old male.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Once more, War Pass has proven that no one can run with him. Robert LaPenta's undefeated colt set a fast pace on a sloppy Monmouth Park strip and took command early on the far turn, finishing up nicely to register a 4 3/4-length in the $2 million Bessemer Trust Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) Oct. 27.
Saturday, October 27, 2007Four of the seven horses that will contest Saturday's Belmont Stakes have owners from the New York metropolitan area, giving a distinct local feel to the Big Apple's big race.
Friday, June 08, 2007As post positions were drawn Wednesday for Saturday's Belmont Stakes (gr. I), the field finally settled in at seven runners after a few horsemen decided that the Belmont would be, then wouldn't be, a fine race in which to run their horses.
Wednesday, June 06, 2007Seek Gold, 91-1 upset winner of the Stephen Foster Handicap (gr. I) in his last start, arrived at Hollywood Park from Louisville on Wednesday afternoon with a new giant to slay – Lava Man in Saturday's Hollywood Gold Cup (gr. I).
Thursday, July 06, 2006The morning after Seek Gold's stunning upset in the Stephen Foster Handicap (gr. I) was, in the words of trainer Ron Moquett, "surreal."
Sunday, June 18, 2006A field of eight older horses passed the entry box for Saturday's Gulfstream Park Handicap (gr. II) valued at $300,000. Suave and Sun King, grade II winners last season, are each looking for his first win of 2006.
Thursday, March 02, 2006Pies Prospect shattered the 1 1/16-mile track record at Tampa Bay Downs in Friday's featured ninth race with a clocking of 1:43.27. The old mark set on March 29, 1989 was held by Sunny Prospector of 1:43.40.
Friday, January 13, 2006Andromeda's Hero overpowered his stablemate Seek Gold with a big move on the far turn and sped to victory in the $100,000 Fred W. Hooper Handicap (gr. III) Saturday at Calder Race Course, his first win in 10 starts.
Saturday, December 17, 2005Trainer Nick Zito will send two of his 2005 Triple Crown contenders into action in Saturday's $500,000 Jim Dandy Stakes (gr. II) at Saratoga Race Course. Belmont Stakes (gr. I) runner-up Andromeda's Hero and barnmate Noble Causeway lead the field of six entered.
Thursday, July 28, 2005Trainer Nick Zito has had nine horses finish behind Afleet Alex this year, and will try him again with three more in Saturday's Belmont Stakes (gr. I). That in itself would certainly make the Preakness (gr. I) winner a thorn in Zito's side. But Zito and Alex have a history together that goes back a lot farther than this year's Triple Crown trail.
Tuesday, June 07, 2005Two of the five horses trainer Nick Zito is pointing toward the May 7 Kentucky Derby (gr. I) worked Thursday morning and the conditioner was pleased with how both 3-year-olds did.
Thursday, April 28, 2005Breeder/owner William S. Farish will be seeking his third-straight win in the Ben Ali Stakes (gr. III) Thursday at Keeneland Race Course with his 4-year-old colt Alumni Hall.
Tuesday, April 26, 2005Trainer Nick Zito said Robert V. LaPenta's Andromeda's Hero, third in the Arkansas Derby (gr. II), will stay away from the Kentucky Derby excitement (gr. I) at Churchill Downs until just before the race.
Monday, April 18, 2005Colts by Coronado's Quest and Unbridled's Song were among the standouts Monday during the first under tack show for the Keeneland April sale of 2-year-olds in training. They both worked a quarter mile in :20 3/5 seconds on a warm, partly sunny spring day in Central Kentucky.
Monday, April 11, 2005Sullivan Lane Stable and Vincent Scuderi's highweighted Classic Endeavor will carry Eclipse Award-winning rider John Velazquez and an impost of 118 pounds against a well-matched and familiar group of older horses in Saturday's Gulfstream Park Handicap (gr. II). The strong card features the prestigious Fountain of Youth Stakes (gr. II) and Bonnie Miss Stakes (gr. III) for the 3-year-old set.
Thursday, March 03, 2005Millionaire Peace Rules, whose retirement from racing was announced last week, will enter stud at Vinery's new Florida operation near Ocala.
Tuesday, October 05, 2004The last horse in the auction ring Sunday brought the top price of $320,000 during the sixth session of Keeneland's September yearling sale in Central Kentucky. Robert V. LaPenta's Whitehorse Stables purchased the Thunder Gulch colt, with a member of LaPenta's buying team, David Foye, signing the sale ticket.
Sunday, September 19, 2004Steve Haskin, senior correspondent for The Blood-Horse, reports the latest developments from Saratoga.
Thursday, August 19, 2004Medallist and The Cliff's Edge, the one-two finishers in the 1 1/16-mile Dwyer Stakes (gr. II) at Belmont on July 11 head a seven-horse field for Sunday's nine-furlong Jim Dandy Stakes (gr. II) for 3-year-olds at Saratoga.
Saturday, August 07, 2004Robert LaPenta's Pies Prospect became trainer Nick Zito's fifth 3-year-old colt to win a stakes this year, as he drew off to a 5 1/2-length victory in the $50,000 Floor Show Stakes at Delaware Park Tuesday.
Tuesday, June 22, 2004Robert LaPenta's The Cliff's Edge has been scratched from Saturday's Preakness Stakes (gr. I). The official word came from trainer Nick Zito Friday morning on the backside at Pimlico Racecourse.
Friday, May 14, 2004It could have been a recipe for disaster. But the Pulpit colt in Niall Brennan's consignment emerged unscathed, and now Hip No. 124 is one of horses people are talking about in Tuesday's Keeneland April sale of 2-year-olds in training.
Monday, April 12, 2004Trainer Nick Zito and jockey Jerry Bailey, the connections for even-money favorite Birdstone who drew the rail for the $500,000 Lane's End Stakes, will also join forces Saturday with El Prado Rob, who drew the rail for the Rushaway Stakes on the undercard.
Thursday, March 18, 2004Robert V. Lapenta has a successful racing stable, and he also wa the owner of the Fusaichi Pegasus colt that bought a world record price of $4.5 million for a 2-year-old in training.
Friday, February 27, 2004