Trainer Bill Mott, the all-time victory leader at Churchill Downs, can add another to his dazzling total under the Twin Spires when he saddles David Garner's probable favorite Cool Conductor to face 10 3-year-old rivals in Sunday's inaugural $150,000-added Commonwealth Turf.
Friday, November 12, 2004British jockey Kieren Fallon will fly into Louisville, Ky. Thursday and plans to ride two horses for Team Valor in stakes at Churchill Downs this weekend.
Wednesday, November 10, 2004Undefeated Smarty Jones showed an impressive turn of foot coming out of the final turn and held the closing Borrego off through the stretch for a comfortable 1 1/2-length win in the $1 million Arkansas Derby (gr. II) at Oaklawn Park Saturday.
Saturday, April 10, 2004You can go over Value Plus, Eddington, Master David, Tapit, Lion Heart, Preachinatthebar, The Cliff's Edge, Action This Day, Smarty Jones, Borrego, and Purge all you want and you'll still likely come away confused. So, why not follow the trend this year and start looking at some bombs this weekend.
Friday, April 09, 2004Undefeated Smarty Jones, who is expected to go off a solid favorite in Saturday's $1 million Arkansas Derby (gr. II), will break from the outside post position in the 11-horse field that was drawn Wednesday.
Wednesday, April 07, 2004Team Valor's Tiger Hunt, who has not started since his fourth-place finish in the Bessemer Trust Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I), will make his 3-year-old debut in Saturday's one-mile Northern Spur Stakes at Oaklawn Park, and if he should run a big race, he may still be pointed for the Kentucky Derby (gr. I).
Tuesday, April 06, 2004With plenty of down time left before the flood of Kentucky Derby (gr. I) preps begin on April 3, this is a good opportunity to continue looking for new angles, new faces, and a new perspective on the Derby picture.
Friday, March 26, 2004A field of 11, including shippers from Florida and California, was entered for Sunday's $600,000 Louisiana Derby (gr. II), with the William S. Farish entry of Gradepoint and Breakaway heading a strong local contingent.
Friday, March 05, 2004We've been reading about the same cast of characters for a long time, and no one has really jumped to the head of the class. The second wave, however, has been building in intensity, but is it too late to cause any damage on the first Saturday in May?
Thursday, March 04, 2004Team Valor's pair of Tiger Hunt and Shadowland worked sharply Sunday morning for their respective engagements in the Rebel Stakes (gr. III) and Louisiana Derby (gr. II).
Sunday, February 22, 2004Fire Slam put all questions about his health to rest Saturday by storming home a two-length winner in the $100,000 Lecomte Stakes (gr. III) at Fair Grounds.
Saturday, January 24, 2004The road to the Louisiana Derby (gr. II) begins Saturday at Fair Grounds as a field of seven 3-year-olds meet in the grade III $100,000 Lecomte Stakes.
Thursday, January 22, 2004This is the 11th in a series of early looks and next year's potential Kentucky Derby horses. The market is heating up for young, unproven colts, while new talent is unveiled at Hollywood Park and Fair Grounds.
Monday, December 08, 2003This is the fifth in a series of early looks at next year's potential Derby horses. The new-look Team Valor is thinking Derby with Tiger Hunt and two European imports. In Maryland, Michael Dickinson embarks on his first Derby adventure with a pair of talented colts.
Sunday, November 16, 2003