The chances of Sea The Stars being withdrawn from Sunday's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (Fr-I) due to soft ground appear slim to none, as the weather forecast calls for little or no rain through next Tuesday.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Ken and Sarah Ramsey's Furthest Land, claimed for $35,000 less than a year ago, paid big dividends for his connections Sept. 26 as he ran down Dubious Miss in the final strides to win the $200,000 Kentucky Cup Classic (gr. II) by a neck at Turfway Park.
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Jason, Tom, and Les Instone from twinspires preview the Kentucky Cup Classic (gr. II), September 26 at Turfway Park.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
WinStar Farm's homebred Hold Me Back, who scored his biggest victory in the Lane's End Stakes (gr. II) earlier this year at Turfway Park, returns to the Florence, Ky., racetrack as the one to beat in the $200,000 Kentucky Cup Classic (gr. II) Sept. 26.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
After the Thoroughbred racing information website Equibase discovered that Hold Me Back's running line in the chart of the 2009 Kentucky Derby (gr. I) was inaccurate, the company reported it had corrected its error and redistributed the chart.
Thursday, September 03, 2009
Summer Bird secured his place atop the 3-year-old male division with his resounding victory in the slop in the $1-million Shadwell Travers Stakes.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Enjoying the attention a day after Summer Bird's decisive 3 1/2-length win in the Shadwell Travers Stakes (gr. I) at Saratoga Aug. 29, trainer Tim Ice was entertaining the possibility of reaching his ultimate goal, the Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I), without a race over Santa Anita's synthetic track.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Summer Bird continued his meteoric rise to the top of the nation's 3-year-old ranks, as he rolled through the slop for an easy 3 1/2-length score in the $1-million Shadwell Travers (gr. I) Aug. 29 at Saratoga.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
A pair of quarter cracks may have kept Quality Road out of the Kentucky Derby (gr. I), but nearly four months later the record-setting 3-year-old will get his shot at the next best thing -- the Mid-Summer Derby.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) winner Mine That Bird breezed Aug. 25 at Saratoga for the first time since undergoing minor throat surgery last week and the next 24 hours should determine whether he will run in $1 million Shadwell Travers (gr. I).
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) winner Mine That Bird turned in his final workout for the Aug. 29 Shadwell Travers Stakes (gr. I) when he breezed a half-mile in :49.76 over the fast main track at Saratoga on Aug. 25.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Edward P. Evans' Quality Road put in his final breeze before the Aug. 29, grade I, $1-million Shadwell Travers at Saratoga Race Course, covering five furlongs over the muddy main track in :59.68, fourth fastest of 24 at the distance on the morning of Aug. 24.
Monday, August 24, 2009
This year's Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) is such an odd concoction of grass and synthetic horses and undistinguished older dirt horses it's difficult to make a worthwhile list of potential starters.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
In a carbon copy of last month's Colonial Turf Cup (gr. IIT), Battle of Hastings dug in late to head Straight Story to win the $750,000 Virginia Derby (gr. IIT) on the Colonial Downs turf July 18.
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Colonial Downs will hold the post position draw for the 12th running of the $750,000 Virginia Derby (gr. IIT) July 18 and an impressive list of probable starters is taking shape.
Wednesday, July 08, 2009
To start, this is as tough a Derby as I have ever had to decipher, with a case to be made for at least dozen of the horses. I will break the race down in several categories and then put it all together and come up with something that resembles a wagering strategy.
Friday, May 01, 2009
The big day is almost here. No, not the Derby; having to make selections, which will be in Friday's column. These selections are based primarily on observations over the past eight days, and it's going to be particularly difficult this year. In the meantime, he are a few late odds and ends.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Following Monday's flurry of workouts, it was all about I Want Revenge on Tuesday, as the likely Kentucky Derby favorite had the center stage all to himself.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
There's lots to catch up on, with several works of interest over the weekend and a star-studded array of works this morning, which unfortunately were played out against a horrific backdrop.
Monday, April 27, 2009
D. Wayne Lukas, the dean of Kentucky Derby trainers with four winners from 42 previous starters, expressed confidence in Flying Private following the colt's four-furlong work in :47 2/5 April 27.
Monday, April 27, 2009
As the sun rose over Churchill Downs April 26, WinStar Farm's Hold Me Back posted a solid workout as he continues to prepare for the May 2 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I).
Sunday, April 26, 2009
WinStar Farm's Hold Me Back, winner of the Lane's End Stakes (gr. II) and second in the Toyota Blue Grass (gr. I), is scheduled to leave Keeneland on April 24 for Churchill Downs in preparation for his next start in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I).
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Regal Ransom sneaks onto the list as Godolphin confirms he will run in the Derby.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
We're getting close to judgment day -- finding that single horse or betting angle or most attractive overlay possibilities. Until the horses can be observed in the flesh starting next week, here are some of the most memorable moments on this year's Derby trail in one person's opinion that will help in finding potential overlays.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Like all quarters, General Quarters is a two-sided coin. So far, it's only come up heads, with the face of Tom McCarthy and his Cinderella story receiving all the press. But a flip of the coin to the tails side will reveal the faded and forgotten face of Mark Miller.
Monday, April 13, 2009
The connections of favored Hold Me Back were gracious in defeat following the $750,000 Blue Grass Stakes (gr. I) at Keeneland April 11 and looking forward to running their colt next in the Kentucky Derby Presented By Yum! Brands (gr. I) in three weeks. The 3-year-old son of Giant's Causeway finished second, 1 1/2 lengths behind the winning longshot, General Quarters, while carrying the colors of Bill Casner's and Kenny Troutt's WinStar Farm, which bred the colt in partnership with Haras Santa Maria de Araras.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Some thought General Quarters' Sam F. Davis (gr. III) win two starts back was a fluke. But the son of Sky Mesa proved them wrong by powering to a 1 1/2-length victory in the $750,000 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (gr. I) on April 11 at Keeneland, and he will now head to next month's Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) as a legitimate contender.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Triple Crown Talk blog, with host Jason Shandler, analyzes the Blue Grass and the Arkansas Derby. Plus, join Jason for a live chat at noon Eastern on April 11.
Thursday, April 09, 2009
Jason, Evan, and the Wizard analyze the Blue Grass Stakes (gr. I) and the Arkansas Derby (gr. II).
Thursday, April 09, 2009
Shadwell Stable's Mafaaz, who will make his U.S. debut in the $750,000 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (gr. I) on April 11, visited the starting gate April 9 at Keeneland and then galloped a mile and a quarter under exercise rider Miguel Moya.
Thursday, April 09, 2009
At Keeneland, it's often worthwhile to back those with Storm Cat in their pedigree, so Hold Me Back is in focus for the Grade I Toyota Blue Grass Stakes.
Thursday, April 09, 2009
WinStar Farm's Hold Me Back, winner of the Lane's End Stakes (gr. II) at Turfway Park, was installed as the moderate 3-1 morning-line favorite when 11 horses were entered for the April 11 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (gr. I) at Keeneland.
Wednesday, April 08, 2009
When Charitable Man goes to post in the $750,000 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (gr. I) on April 11, he will be making his first start since winning the Futurity (gr. II) at Belmont Park on Sept. 13.
Tuesday, April 07, 2009
Mr. and Mrs. William K. Warren Jr.'s undefeated Charitable Man completed his major work for the $750,000 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (gr. I) April 11 by working five furlongs in :59.60 under exercise rider Pat Correa April 5 at Keeneland in Lexington.
Sunday, April 05, 2009
Adele Dilschneider's Terrain put in his final major move for the $750,000 Toyota Blue Grass (gr. I) by working five furlongs in 1:01 at Keeneland on April 4 with exercise rider Keith Harris up.
Saturday, April 04, 2009
See story for startling revelation and other peeks into this year's Kentucky Derby crystal ball.
Wednesday, April 01, 2009
With his victory March 21 in the Lane's End Stakes (gr. II), WinStar Farm's homebred Hold Me Back answered one big question but raised three more. Whether he has the class to be competitive with this year's better 3-year-olds is no longer in doubt.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Lost in the overwhelming spectacle of the Kentucky Derby and the arduous road leading to Churchill Downs are the little-known ironies and twists of fate that get played out behind the scenes.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
WinStar Farm's homebred Hold Me Back overcame a poor break to win the $500,000 Lane's End Stakes (gr. II) at Turfway Park in his first start of 2009 for trainer Bill Mott March 21.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Because of successful juvenile campaigns, West Side Bernie and Bittel Road both already have enough graded earnings to ensure themselves a spot in the starting gate for the $2 million Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) May 2. But the connections of each colt will now get to see if they have legitimate contenders in their barns when they go to post in the $500,000 Lane's End Stakes (gr. II) March 21 at Turfway Park.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
While the grade I, $300,000 Cigar Mile is the premier feature on the Nov. 29 card at Aqueduct, 2-year-olds will also be in the spotlight with the 87th renewal of the Demoiselle (gr. II) for fillies and the 95th running of the Remsen (gr. II) for juvenile colts and geldings.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
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