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The crowd at Churchill Downs has established Smarty Jones as the Kentucky Derby (gr. I) favorite. In the advance wagering at 2:30 p.m.--with post time at 6:04--Smarty Jones is the 4-1 choice.
Friday, April 30, 2004With the serious works out of the way, it was time to get a different perspective on things. The starting gate is a hotbed of activity, as you get to see many of the Derby horses close up and observe how they're acting, how they're looking, and how they handle the gate. It's also a great vantage point to watch the gallops.
Thursday, April 29, 2004When trainer Michael Dickinson shipped Winchell Thoroughbred's Tapit from his Tapeta Farm in Maryland to Churchill Downs on Wednesday for Saturday's Kentucky Derby (gr. I), the conditioner brought a little bit of his farm with him.
Thursday, April 29, 2004The works have all but wound down, there's one more day of anxiety left for Bob Baffert before he and Jerry Bailey are officially united, and only Tapit remains of those missing in action. Starting tomorrow, the focus will be on gallops, as well as a pair of blowouts, to see just who's looking super out there.
Tuesday, April 27, 2004Ronald Winchell's Wood Memorial winner (gr. I) Tapit breezed five furlongs on the grass in 1:00.60 with jockey Ramon Dominguez in the saddle at Tapeta Farm in North East, Md.
Wednesday, April 21, 2004With scattered showers and predictions of heavy rains in the afternoon, what little activity there was on the track this morning came early. In addition to the arrival of Florida Derby (gr. I) winner Friends Lake at 9:40, there was a mini buzz about the possible addition of the top-class filly Ashado to the Kentucky Derby (gr. I) field.
Wednesday, April 21, 2004Arkansas Derby (gr. II) winner Smarty Jones took up residence on the Keeneland backstretch Wednesday following a van ride from Oaklawn Park. Trainer John Servis said Smarty Jones will van over to Churchill Downs on April 23, and will remain there until the Kentucky Derby (gr. I).
Wednesday, April 14, 2004Wood Memorial Stakes (gr. I) winner Tapit is by a horse that ran fourth in the Kentucky Derby (gr. I) and out of a mare by a horse that won the Kentucky Derby.
Wednesday, April 14, 2004OK, so who's in the Kentucky Derby (gr. I), and who's out? Who will be the favorite? Who really are the fast horses and who are the slow horses? Who's going to ride whom? Oh, yes, who's going to win? The answer to all these questions: Who knows?
Tuesday, April 13, 2004By Ray Paulick -- This year's Derby promises to be especially interesting because with all but a couple of the major preps in the books, there is no clear-cut favorite.
Tuesday, April 13, 2004Saturday's big afternoon of Kentucky Derby (gr. I) preps will kick off with the $750,000 Wood Memorial (gr. I), as 11 3-year-olds, headed by Value Plus, Master David, and Eddington, try to earn a starting berth in the 130th Run for the Roses.
Thursday, April 08, 2004Winchell Thoroughbreds' Tapit, who finished sixth in the Florida Derby (gr. I) in his 3-year-old debut, worked a mile in 1:47 2/5 at his home base of Tapeta Farm in North East, Md., in preparation for next Saturday's Wood Memorial (gr. I).
Saturday, April 03, 2004The $750,000 Santa Anita Derby (gr. I) April 3 is shaping up as one of the most competitive races of the year, with Wimbledon, Lion Heart, St Averil, and Imperialism all battling for West Coast supremacy among the 3-year-olds.
Wednesday, March 17, 2004By Dick Downey -- Six facts lead us to choose THE CLIFF'S EDGE in Saturday's Florida Derby.
Friday, March 12, 2004Fountain of Youth (gr. II) winner Read the Footnotes heads a field of 10 in Saturday's $1 million Florida Derby (gr. I), with four horses entering the picture at the 11th hour following last week's defection of Master David.
Wednesday, March 10, 2004Undefeated Tapit had his final prep for Saturday's Florida Derby (gr. I), breezing five furlongs in 1:07 Monday at trainer Michael Dickinson's Tapeta Farm, finishing the work uphill and into a stiff head wind.
Monday, March 08, 2004The "NPZ" saddlecloths of Nick Zito whizzed by one after another Saturday morning, as Zito sent out virtually his entire 3-year-old force for five-furlong breezes at Palm Meadows training center, in preparation for their upcoming preps.
Saturday, March 06, 2004The lineup for the March 13 Florida Derby (gr. I) has gained another stakes-winning contender as Tapit's connections have announced they will enter the colt for the race.
Wednesday, March 03, 2004Almost all of the leading contenders for the Visa Triple Crown Challenge, including trainer Nick Zito's highly regarded twosome of Birdstone and Eurosilver, are among 157 nominees to Keeneland's $750,000, Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (gr. I). The 1 1/8-mile race for 3-year-olds will be run on Saturday, April 10, three weeks before the Kentucky Derby (gr. I). It will be televised live on NBC from 4:30-6 p.m. (ET).
Wednesday, March 03, 2004Tapit worked in-between races Wednesday afternoon at Laurel Park, drilling seven-furlongs under jockey Ramon Dominguez in 1:29.70.
Wednesday, February 25, 2004Winchell Thoroughbreds' Tapit, winner of the Laurel Futurity (gr. III), shipped to Laurel Wednesday afternoon where he worked seven furlongs between races in 1:29 3/5 in company with two other horses trained by Michael Dickinson.
Wednesday, February 25, 2004Trainer Michael Dickinson has notified Laurel Park officials that he plans to work his Triple Crown candidate Tapit between races on Wednesday.
Sunday, February 22, 2004Read the Footnotes, Minister Eric, and Tapit top a record roster of 140 Early Bird nominees for the Rebel and Arkansas Derby (gr. II) at Oaklawn Park. The Rebel and Arkansas Derby are the first two legs of Oaklawn's $5-million three race bonus with the Kentucky Derby (gr. I) being the final leg.
Thursday, February 19, 2004Even with the injury to Second of June, it's refreshing to finally have a weekend that held true to form and helped put several pieces of the puzzle together rather than creating more confusion, as has often been the case in recent years.
Monday, February 16, 2004Kentucky Derby fans backed such promising young stars as Eurosilver, Lion Heart, Action This Day and Read the Footnotes, but the heavy favorite at the end of four days of wagering in Pool 1 of Churchill Downs' 2004 Kentucky Derby Future Wager was the "mutuel field."
Sunday, February 15, 2004Caifornia-based colts Lion Heart and Master David emerged from the second day of wagering in pool 1 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager as the most fancied of 23 individual horses listed for the May 1 Derby.
Friday, February 13, 2004A $30,000 wager on the mutuel field – all 3-year-olds other than the 23 assigned to the pool – by an unidentified patron enlivened the early minutes of the first of four days of betting in Pool 1 of Churchill Downs' 2004 Kentucky Derby Future Wager.
Thursday, February 12, 2004After the defection of Tapit last week, graded stakes winner Mr. Jester will provide the star power for Sunday's $150,000 Risen Star Stakes (gr. III) at Fair Grounds.
Monday, February 09, 2004Tapit, winner of the Laurel Futurity (gr. III) and one of the leading contenders for the Kentucky Derby (gr. I), will miss the Feb. 15 Risen Star Stakes (gr. III) due to weather interruption and a shin that trainer Michael Dickinson says is less than 100%.
Wednesday, February 04, 2004Owner Michael Gill's offer of $3 million for Winchell Thoroughbreds' classics hopeful Tapit was refused.
Thursday, January 22, 2004Laurel Futurity (gr. III) winner Tapit had his first work since arriving at Palm Meadows training center, breezing an easy 7 furlongs in 1:30 3/5 Tuesday. Trainer Michael Dickinson still has not finalized plans as to when Tapit will make his 3-year-old debut.
Tuesday, January 20, 2004The electricity that once rippled throughout Gulfstream Park each winter has moved north to Palm Meadows training center in Boynton Beach, where many of the country's top 3-year-olds prepare in style for their arduous journey to Churchill Downs.
Tuesday, January 20, 2004If you have an unraced 2-year-old, you have only a couple of weeks to avoid the dreaded curse of Apollo. Meanwhile, there were several interesting winners across the country in recent weeks, and last year's Hopeful (gr. I) winner, Silver Wagon, was defeated in his return.
Thursday, December 18, 2003If you have an unraced 2-year-old, you have only a couple of weeks to avoid the dreaded curse of Apollo. Meanwhile, there were several interesting winners across the country in recent weeks, and last year's Hopeful (gr. I) winner, Silver Wagon, was defeated in his return.
Thursday, December 18, 2003This is the sixth in a series of early looks at next year's potential Derby horses. When the major stables ship south for the winter to embark on the Derby trail, they're going to find some strong resistence from the local forces.
Tuesday, November 18, 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, 2003Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC's Tapit, jumped from a debut maiden score a month ago to trounce a field of 2-year-olds in Saturday's $100,000 Laurel Futurity (gr. III).
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