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Devon Lane Filly, Songandaprayer Colt Post Fastest Times in Barretts Workouts

River's Prayer, a daughter of Devon Lane, worked an eighth of a mile in 9.80 seconds to post the fastest time during Monday's workouts in preparation for the March 15 Barretts Sale of selected 2-year-olds in training.

Arch Filly Breaks 10-Second Barrier In Fasig-Tipton Sale Workout

A bay filly by Arch breezed an eighth of a mile on grass in :9 4/5 Sunday at Calder Race Course in preparation for the Fasig-Tipton Florida select sale of 2-year-olds in training.

Songandaprayer Colts Tops at OBSC Open Session

A yearling colt by Songandaprayer consigned by Wesfield Sales (Robert and Saronda Smith), agent, was bought by M.S.T.S. for $52,000 to top the first of two open sessions of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's 2005 Winter Mixed Sale.

Songandaprayer Moves to Hartley/De Renzo, Walmac South

Fountain of Youth (gr. I) winner and Florida's leading first crop yearling sales sire of 2004, Songandaprayer, has relocated to Hartley/De Renzo, Walmac South from Marablue Farm for the 2005 season.

New Sires of 2002--Part II

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Songandaprayer to Stand at Marablue in Florida

Songandaprayer, whose big win came in the Fountain of Youth Stakes (gr. I) at Gulfstream Park, will enter stud next year at A. Douglas Henderson's Marablue Farm near Reddick, Fla.

City Zip Wins Jersey Shore; Songandaprayer Third

City Zip, whose greatest career achievements have come in sprint races, celebrated the Fourth of July Wednesday at Monmouth Park by rolling to victory in the six-furlong Jersey Shore Breeders' Cup Stakes (gr. III) before a holiday crowd of 21,403.

Songandaprayer Returns in Jersey Shore

Songandaprayer will face City Zip as the 122-pound co-highweight in Wednesday's Jersey Shore Breeders' Cup Stakes (gr. III), the third race on Monmouth Park's 10-race holiday card. The six-furlong sprint marks the first race for Songandaprayer since finishing 13th in the Kentucky Derby (gr. I).

Derby Also-Rans (Cont.)

Continued from part 1

Nothing But Net: Hurley, Pitino Put in Time at Track

Famous faces will be aplenty in Louisville as the Derby nears, but former NBA player Bobby Hurley will be a familiar one by Saturday. Monday morning he was stationed outside Songandaprayer's stall at Churchill Downs, looking like he just came off the hardwood.

Steve Haskin's Derby Report: A Wind, a Songandaprayer

It was a tale of two works at Churchill Downs this morning. The formula was something we see many times prior to the Kentucky Derby: two horses with similar running styles come off the same race, have two completely contrasting works, and both their trainers are ecstatic. It was a perfect example how different horses need different types of works. The beaming smiles on the faces of trainers Dave Hofmans and John Dowd told the story following Millennium Wind's five-furlong work in 1:01 3/5 and Songandaprayer's deceiving :59 drill over the same distance.

Songandaprayer, Millennium Wind Work Toward Derby 127

Fountain of Youth Stakes (gr. I) winner Songandaprayer turned in his final workout for the Kentucky Derby (gr. I) on Thursday when he worked five-eighths of a mile in :59 at Churchill Downs. Millennium Wind was timed in 1:01 3/5 for his five furlong workout.

Graded Stakes Earnings for Leading Kentucky Derby Contenders

Leading Derby contender graded stakes earnings

Keeneland Report: Pincay, the Millennium Man

One week before the Blue Grass Stakes (gr. I), Laffit Pincay Jr. sat comfortably in a rocking chair half a continent away from Keeneland in the Santa Anita Park jocks' room. Asked to pick his biggest thrill in racing, Pincay could be forgiven if he tussled awhile with the question. After all, there have been 35 years of memories: the ascension to all-time leading rider; induction into the Hall of Fame; six Eclipse Awards; seven wins on one card; historic stakes wins on horses like Affirmed and John Henry. Yet his answer came before the question had time to dry--his win aboard Swale in the 1984 Kentucky Derby (gr. I).

Steve Haskin's Derby Top 20 (Cont.)

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Songandaprayer Works; Accident Disrupts Keeneland Training Regimen

Devil Eleven Stable and D J Stable's Fountain of Youth (gr. I) winner Songandaprayer worked five furlongs in a quick :59 2/5 at Keeneland Racecourse Friday morning in preparation for the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (gr. I). The workout by the bay colt with the distinctive blaze was held up for more than an hour when Keeneland's main track was closed due to a training accident.

Haskin's Derby Top 20 (Cont.)

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Haskin's Derby Top 20: March 26 Update (Cont.)

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Monarchos, Point Given Head List of Blue Grass Stakes Nominations

John Oxley's Florida Derby (gr. I) winner Monarchos and The Thoroughbred Corp.'s San Felipe (gr. II) winner Point Given head the list of 109 nominations to the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (gr. I). The 1 1/8-mile event will be televised live on ESPN April 14 from Keeneland Race Course.

Haskin's Derby Top 20 -- March 19 (Cont.)

Continued from part 1

Ranked in preference order, with horse/ trainer/breeding

Click on horse's name to access Contender Page

Haskin's Derby Top Contenders (Cont.)

Continued from part 1

Haskin's Derby Report: Impressive Win By Monarchos

Now, we're not one to indulge in hyperbole, but the fact is, Monarchos was a million lengths the best in Saturday's Florida Derby. OK, so we will indulge once in a while. After all the waiting, listening to nothing but faint rumblings, the smoldering volcano finally has erupted. Although metaphoric cataclysms on the Derby trail normally signify uplifting events, such as Monarchos' explosive display, that is not true when mentioning Sunday's Louisiana Derby. This was more like an earthquake that nearly swallowed up favorites Dollar Bill and Hero's Tribute.

Gulfstream Park Report: Monarchos Makes History With THE Move

It will go down in Florida Derby (gr. I) history as "The Move." As a dozen tightly-bunched 3-year-olds jostled for position nearing the far turn in the golden anniversary edition of the Florida Derby, one horse was running by the rest of the field with electrifying ease. THE horse, making THE move, was Monarchos.

Wide-Open Florida Derby Draws Field of 13

For a million-dollar purse, and with no clear-cut favorite, it's no surprise that 13 horses passed the entry box for Saturday's grade I Florida Derby. The likely choices will be Songandaprayer, Monarchos, and Outofthebox. The only real surprises in the field are California invader Trailthefox, last year's Arlington-Washington Futurity winner who was supposed to stay in sprint races, and the Nick Zito-trained It's So Simple, an impressive allowance winner at the meet whom Zito called "the best kept secret on the backstretch."

Haskin's Kentucky Derby Top 20--March 6 Update

Ranked in preference order, with horse/ trainer/breeding

Click on horse's name to access Contender Page

Florida Derby Update: Songandaprayer Works; New Jock for City Zip

Fountain of Youth Stakes winner Songandaprayer was on the track for a serious seven-furlong trial on Thursday. With jockey Edgar Prado in the saddle, Songandaprayer was clocked in 1:23 4/5 handily and is on schedule for his appearance in the $1 million Florida Derby for 3-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles here on March 10. Songandaprayer went in fractions of :36 1/5 for three furlongs, :47 4/5 for the half-mile, :59 4/5 for five furlongs, 1:23 4/5 for seven furlongs and galloped out a mile in 1:38 3/5.

Florida Derby Field Taking Shape; 7-8 Likely Starters

With the final major preview event in the books, the field for Gulfstream Park's $1 million Florida Derby (gr. I) on March 10 is starting to take shape. The top three finishers in last week's grade I Fountain of Youth Stakes – Songandaprayer, Outofthebox and City Zip – are expected to top a field of eight or nine in the 50th anniversary running of the Florida Derby, centerpiece of the winter meeting for 3-year-olds.

Here and There

Bits and pieces from around the industry

SONGANDAPRAYER

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Steve Haskin's Kentucky Derby Top 20--Week 5

Ranked in preference order, with horse/ trainer/breeding

Click on horse's name to access Contender Page

Haskin's Report: Hero's Tribute, Dollar Bill Are Impressive

Last year, the Fountain of Youth Stakes, despite being won convincingly by High Yield, was upstaged by an allowance race, won by a powerful, classy-looking colt named Fusaichi Pegasus. This year, the Fountain of Youth Stakes, despite being won convincingly by Songandaprayer, was upstaged by an allowance race, won by a powerful, classy-looking colt named Hero's Tribute. Also impressive this weekend was the professional-like performance of Dollar Bill, who did everything the right way in winning Sunday's Risen Star Stakes in his 3-year-old debut.

Mutuel Field Favored in First Round of Derby Future Wager

After the first round of the 2001 Kentucky Derby Future Wager closed Sunday the mutuel field remained the 3-1 favorite in the betting with Point Given (7-1) the lowest priced individual horse. Dollar Bill, who won the Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds in the closing minutes of the bet, closed at 14-1, up from his 10-1 listing on the morning line.

Future Odds Plunge on Songandaprayer

The mutuel field remained the fans' favorite in Pool 1 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager, but an upset in the weekend's major Kentucky Derby prep race resulted in a shuffling of the odds on several Derby contenders heading into the final day of wagering in the pool. The biggest move of the day was made by Songandaprayer, the upset winner of the Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream Park. Songandaprayer opened Saturday's wagering as the longest shot in the field at 99-1, but the odds on that colt had dropped to 30-1 by the end of Saturday's betting

Top 3-year-olds to Clash in Wide-Open Fountain of Youth

One of the most intriguing Fountain of Youth Stakes in memory is set for this Saturday, as 11 top-class horses from all over the country converge on Gulfstream Park for the first major 3-year-old prep of the season. Favoritism will be up for grabs in this competitive 1 1/16-mile event, as a case can be made for several of the participants.

Probable Field of 10 For Fountain of Youth

Traffic will increase on the road to Gulfstream Park's $1 million Florida Derby (gr. I) next week as a field of 10, including some West Coast invaders, assembles for the grade I Fountain of Youth Stakes. The 1 1/16-mile Fountain on Saturday, Feb. 17, serves as the final major prep for the 50th anniversary running of the Florida Derby and the 3-year-old classics beyond.

The Road Ahead For Top Holy Bull Finishers

The grade 1 Fountain of Youth, to be run February 17 as the last major prep for the $1 million Florida Derby March 10, is the next scheduled stop on the agenda for grade 3 Holy Bull winner Radical Riley. Runner-up Bukcle Down Ben could also try the Fountain of Youth or may go directly into the Florida Derby off Saturay's effort.

Holy Bull! Longshot Wins; Songandaprayer Fifth

Radical Riley, a 15-1 shot, came from next to last to edge Buckle Down Ben by a head Saturday in the grade III, $100,000 Holy Bull Stakes for 3-year-olds at Gulfstream. Cee Dee, a 20-1 shot, was third, only half a length behind the first two. Master Planner, the 2-1 favorite, was fourth in a field of eight.

Undefeated Songandaprayer Stretches Out in Holy Bull

From Gulfstream Park
Songandaprayer, the $1 million unbeaten colt that is owned by former basketball star Bobby Hurley, is running in Saturday's $100,000 Holy Bull Stakes. The 1 1/16-mile test is the first two-turn race of the Florida Derby (gr. I) series. Songandaprayer broke his maiden with much ballyhoo when he won a five-furlong race at Monmouth Park on June 15. The bay colt underwent surgery to remove chips and came back to win the six furlong Huntington Stakes in the slop at Aqueduct on Nov. 26 in his last start.

Buckle Down Ben Favored in Holy Bull

Buckle Down Ben, third in the Remsen Stakes (gr. II), has been installed the 5-2 morning-line favorite among eight 3-year-olds entered in Saturday's $100,000 Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream Park. The 1 1/16 mile Holy Bull is one of the steppingstones to the $1 million Florida Derby (G1) on March 10. All four of Buckle Down Ben's races have been around two turns and he has won two them, including the Laurel Futurity (gr. III) at 1 1/8 miles in Maryland on Nov. 4.

Songandaprayer Returns With Huntington Win

Songandaprayer, a $1 million purchase who broke his maiden at Monmouth in his only other start, enjoyed a successful stakes debut Sunday by winning the $84,800 Huntington Stakes on a sloppy track at Aqueduct.

Duality Heads Sapling Field

Bashford Manor Stakes (gr. II) winner Duality heads a field of eight juveniles entered in the six-furlong $200,000 Sapling Stakes (gr. III) at Monmouth Park Saturday.