Tale of Ekati, winner last year of the Wood Memorial Stakes (gr. I), has been sent to John Phillips' Darby Dan Farm near Lexington.
Thursday, May 07, 2009
George and Lori Hall's West Side Bernie got a tour of Churchill Downs' main track April 25, and drilled a half-mile in an easy :48 1/5. Trainer Kelly John Breen gave rider Stewart Elliott a leg up on the son of Bernstein just after the track reopened at 8:30 a.m. following the renovation break.
Saturday, April 25, 2009
HRTV's weekly series analyzing the pursuit of the Triple Crown. This week's edition includes previews of the Arkansas Derby and Blues Grass Stakes, and recaps of the Wood Memorial, Santa Anita Derby, and Illinois Derby.
Friday, April 10, 2009
MAHUBAH'S CORNER, by Avalyn Hunter
Leading Kentucky Derby candidate I Want Revenge is an outcross within 5 generations, partially due to the Argentinian breeding of his dam, but also because of Stephen Got Even's unusual pedigree. Wednesday, April 08, 2009
It's not quite the Sunshine Millions, but this year's Kentucky Derby (gr. I) is looking like a regional battle between California- and Florida-based horses, who at this point appear on their way to occupying the top four favorite roles in the Run for the Roses.
Monday, April 06, 2009
Despite his troubled trip in the nine-furlong Wood Memorial (gr. I) at Aqueduct April 4, IEAH Stables and David J. Lanzman's I Want Revenge was feeling no ill effects the morning of April 5.
Sunday, April 05, 2009
Despite missing the break, then being caught in traffic at the top of the lane, I Want Revenge split horses in mid-stretch and went on to win the $750,000 Wood Memorial (gr. I) in remarkable fashion April 4 at Aqueduct.
Saturday, April 04, 2009
Featuring previews of the Santa Anita Derby (including words from Bob Baffert and Julio Canani), Wood Memorial, and Illinois Derby, and recaps of the Florida Derby and the UAE Derby. Plus, updates on Charitable Man and Dunkirk.
Friday, April 03, 2009
Triple Crown Talk blog, with host Jason Shandler, analyzes the Wood Memorial, and the Santa Anita and Illinois Derbies. Plus, join Jason and Dick Downey from the TheDowneyProfile.com for a live chat at noon Eastern on April 4.
Thursday, April 02, 2009
Jason, Suzanne, and the Wizard analyze the Wood Memorial (gr. I) and the Santa Anita Derby.
Thursday, April 02, 2009
The Grade I Wood Memorial looks like a two-horse race, and of course one of them has to be outside the other. On Saturday, Imperial Council gets that advantage as he and Edgar Prado will have their sights set on I Want Revenge and Joe Talamo.
Thursday, April 02, 2009
A field of eight was drawn for the 1 1/8-mile main track test, which is the final Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands prep for 3-year-olds in New York.
Wednesday, April 01, 2009
Mr. Fantasy, third in the Gotham Stakes (gr. III), will not run in the Wood Memorial (gr. I) as originally planned, and will point for the one-mile Withers Stakes (gr. III) April 25, said Terry Finley, president of West Point Thoroughbreds
Thursday, March 26, 2009
The top three finishers from the Gotham Stakes (gr. III), headed by runaway winner I Want Revenge, are among the probable starters for the 85th running of the $750,000 Wood Memorial (gr. I) for 3-year-olds going 1 1/8 miles at Aqueduct on April 4.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Dogwood Stable's Lime Rickey, graded stakes-placed on the turf, will attempt to get on the Kentucky Derby trail when he tries the dirt for the first time in the grade I, $750,000 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct on April 4.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
I Want Revenge, a leading Triple Crown candidate by virtue of his 8 1/2-length victory in the Gotham Stakes (gr. III) at Aqueduct on March 7, worked a bullet five furlongs on March 22 on the Cushion Track at Hollywood Park in :58.20.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
West Point Thoroughbreds' president Terry Finley said Mr. Fantasy, who finished third in the Gotham Stakes (gr. III), would most likely run in the $750,000 Wood Memorial (gr. I) on April 4 for his next start. The $500,000 Illinois Derby (gr. II) had also been considered for the son of E Dubai.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
War Pass, last year's unbeaten champion 2-year-old male and multiple grade I winner who was injured in April of this year, has been retired to stud to William S. Farish's Lane's End Farm near Versailles, Ky.
Friday, September 05, 2008
Tale of Ekati turned in a super-sharp work for the June 7 Belmont Stakes (gr.I) when he sped four furlongs in 46.84 seconds over Belmont Park's main track May 20. The move was the fastest of 37 works at the distance, on a track listed as fast before a steady rain began falling later in the morning.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Fresh off being named the 2007 champion juvenile male by the New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Preakness Stakes (gr. I) hopeful Giant Moon will be looking to get back to his winning ways in the second leg of the Triple Crown.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Well, we're down to our final two major preps, the Toyota Blue Grass (gr. I) and Arkansas Derby (gr. II), with the Coolmore Lexington (gr. II) and Holy Bull (gr. III) thrown in for good measure. The question right now is: what did we learn from last Saturday's preps?
Monday, April 07, 2008
HRTV's originally produced weekly show on top Derby prospects and the road to the Triple Crown. This week's episode includes an update on the Kentucky Derby Future Wager, a recap of the Florida Derby, an interview with Eoin Harty, trainer of Colonel John; and previews of the Wood Memorial, Illinois Derby, and Santa Anita Derby.
Friday, April 04, 2008
Before I looked twice at the past performances, I was concerned that trainer Nick Zito ordered the final Wood Memorial workout for War Pass nine days before the grade I race. But then I realized the trainer was following a pattern familiar to him and his horse.
Friday, April 04, 2008
Nick Zito has not lost faith in War Pass. True, the colt has questions to answer after finishing last as the 1-20 choice in the Tampa Bay Derby (gr. III). But the trainer saw his 2007 juvenile champ at his best during a five-race winning streak that carried over into this season, and he's hoping that side is revealed again when the son of Cherokee Run heads a field of 10 in Aqueduct's $750,000 Wood Memorial (gr. I).
Thursday, April 03, 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
Robert LaPenta's Cool Coal Man, a major contender for the May 3 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), prepped for a planned run in the April 12 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (gr. I) at Keeneland with a sharp half-mile work at Churchill Downs April 3.
Thursday, April 03, 2008
NBC will present live coverage of a pair of grade I preps for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) when it airs the Santa Anita Derby and Wood Memorial live Saturday, April 5, from 5-6 p.m. ET.
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
Trainer Todd Pletcher sent out two of his charges for works March 30 on the fast training track at Belmont Park. Both Stonerside Stable's Texas Wildcatter and Peachtree Stable's Spurrier are nominated to the April 5 Wood Memorial (gr. I) for 3-year-olds at nine furlongs on Aqueduct's main track.
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Judging from his half-mile breeze in a bullet :47 2/5 Thursday, perhaps the reports of War Pass' demise have been greatly exaggerated. The 2-year-old champ's work was the fastest of 11 at the distance.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Complications with travel arrangements could keep the undefeated Denis of Cork from coming to New York for the $750,000 Wood Memorial (gr.I) at Aqueduct April 5. Denis of Cork's trainer, David Carroll, said the other option for the winner of the Southwest Stakes (gr.III) is the $500,000 Illinois Derby (gr.II) at Hawthorne Race Course April 5.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Robert Evans' Elysium Fields, runner-up in last month's $350,000 Fountain of Youth Stakes (gr. II), worked March 12 at Gulfstream Park in preparation for the $1 million Florida Derby (gr. I) Mar. 29.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Denis of Cork, the undefeated winner of the Southwest Stakes (gr. III) who was expected to vie for favoritism in Saturday's Rebel Stakes (gr. III), will not run in the race, and instead will await either the April 5 Wood Memorial (gr. I) or Illinois Derby (gr. II) the same day.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Trainer Michael Matz said that Gotham winner Visionaire appears to have come out of his March 8 Gotham Stakes (gr. III) victory in good shape, and will ship back to Palm Meadows in Florida March 11.
Sunday, March 09, 2008
The 139th running of the June 9 Belmont Stakes (gr. I), the third and final leg of horse racing's Triple Crown, could pick up a starter or two at the conclusion of Sunday's Peter Pan Stakes (gr. II) for 3-year-olds at Belmont Park.
Friday, May 18, 2007
In a year filled with synthetic surface preps and extended layoffs between races, most of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) contenders are looking to break some kind of trend.
Wednesday, May 02, 2007
We had a little bit of everything this week, with Nobiz Like Shobiz back to his winning ways; the deja vu-like return of Team Giacomo; and some shifts in the Todd Pletcher power structure. So, with links to Funny Cide and Giacomo providing a sense of recent history, the Kentucky Derby trail heads into its final big weekend of preps.
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Before the $750,000 Wood Memorial (gr. I), Barclay Tagg worried that the lack of pace in the six-horse field would prevent Nobiz Like Shobiz from sitting behind horses. It turned out exactly that way, yet Nobiz overcame a paceless race and more to win the 83rd Wood by half a length and place himself among the favorites for next month's Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I).
Saturday, April 07, 2007
With a field of six likely for the Wood Memorial, will it turn into a match race between Any Given Saturday and Nobiz Like Shobiz? Things could get tricky here.
Thursday, April 05, 2007
A field of seven was entered Wednesday for Saturday's $750,000 Wood Memorial (gr. I), with Any Given Saturday now Nobiz Like Shobiz' main foe in the nine-furlong race following the defection of Louisiana Derby (gr. II) winner Circular Quay.
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
Elizabeth Valando's 3-year-old homebred Nobiz Like Shobiz turned in his final workout at Gulfstream Park before heading north in a few days for his engagement in the $750,000 Wood Memorial (gr. I) at Aqueduct on Saturday.
Sunday, April 01, 2007
Trainer Shug McGaughey is surveying the stakes landscape in order to find the right spot for Triple Crown nominee Sightseeing, the Phipps Stable's homebred son of Pulpit seeking his first win of the season.
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
If trainer Todd Pletcher doesn't manage to win a spring 3-year-old Classic this year, it won't be for lack of trying. On the day he saddled Circular Quay for a convincing victory in the Louisiana Derby (gr. II), he was also taking the $200,000 Gotham (gr. III) with Cowtown Cat at Aqueduct Saturday.
Saturday, March 10, 2007
Bob and John, owned by Stonerside Stable, is set to receive the "Aiken, S.C., Trained Horse of the Year" award March 18 at the Aiken Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame and Museum. The public is invited to attend.
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
The 2007 New York Racing Association stakes schedule highlights the inaugural Breeders' Cup Challenge with Belmont and Saratoga each hosting challenge-day events. The powerhouse race days highlight NYRA's stakes schedule, which features 38 grade I races and nearly $33 million in stakes purses.
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
Keyed Entry, who finished third in the Wood Memorial (gr. I), will ship to Churchill Downs Monday, and if he trains to the satisfaction of trainer Todd Pletcher, will be pointed for the Kentucky Derby presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I).
Friday, April 14, 2006
Trainer Bob Baffert made his trip east with Bob and John pay off with an impressive 1 1/2-length victory in the $750,000 Wood Memorial (gr. I) for 3-year-olds at muddy Aqueduct Saturday.
Saturday, April 08, 2006
Keyed Entry, who was beaten just a neck in the Gotham Stakes (gr. III) at Aqueduct three weeks ago, could be the slight favorite among the nine entered today for Saturday's Wood Memorial (gr. I) at the same track.
Thursday, April 06, 2006
The stars were out in full force Sunday morning, as many of the leading Derby contenders tuned up for next Saturday's grade I Santa Anita Derby and Wood Memorial.
Sunday, April 02, 2006
Rafael Bejarano, who rides Flashy Bull in Saturday's Florida Derby (gr. I), has been named as the new rider for First Samurai, replacing Edgar Prado. First Samurai is scheduled to make his next start in the April 15 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (gr. I).
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
