Unbeaten superstar Frankel will line up against no more than six opponents when returning to action in Saturday's Group 1 Lockinge Stakes over a mile at Newbury. Two of those are pacemakers -- his own, Bullet Train, and Aidan O'Brien's Windsor Palace, who hopes to set the stage for stablemate Excelebration, the presumptive second choice behind Frankel's odds-on favoritism.
Albaugh Family Stable's Cozzetti went out after the renovation break and galloped 1 1/2 miles under exercise rider Mary Doser Thursday morning at Pimlico Race Course. The gray colt flew in from Louisville on Wednesday.
Team Valor International and Mark Ford's Went the Day Well galloped a mile, stood in the starting gate and galloped another mile at Pimlico Race Course Thursday morning. Fourth in the Kentucky Derby, he joins Derby also-rans Creative Cause, Daddy Nose Best and Optimizer in the Preakness.
Jockey Mario Gutierrez proved again Thursday morning that he could handle himself on stage. The Kentucky Derby-winning rider showed confidence and a good sense of humor during a news conference for Saturday's Preakness outside the stakes barn at Pimlico Race Course.
Kentucky Derby runner-up Bodemeister made his first visit to the main track at Pimlico Thursday morning, galloping 1 1/2 miles under exercise rider George Alvarez after the renovation break.
<i><b><font face="Arial" size="4">HANDICAPPING INSIGHTS</font></b></i>
Evan Hammonds and Jason Shandler handicap the Preakness Stakes track-side at Pimlico. Evan successfully picked I'll Have Another to win the Kentucky Derby; will he be correct this time?
The Kentucky Derby journey for Take Charge Indy ended with the three-year-old dark bay son of A.P. Indy finishing 19th of 20 in the Run for the Roses, but his connections are hoping to get right back on the Derby trail with Positively, a two-year-old son of Distorted Humor who is scheduled to make his career debut in Friday's <a target="_blank" href="http://www.brisnet.com/edgeped/positivelydebut5-18.html"> 6TH race</a> at Churchill Downs.
Owner Mike Repole was on hand Wednesday to witness the return of his Grade 1 Travers star Stay Thirsty in the $88,200 <a target="_blank" href="http://www.brisnet.com/edgeped/vanlandingham12.pdf"> Vanlandingham Stakes</a> at Belmont Park, but didn't get to visit the winner's circle with his colt after Trickmeister wired the race by 1 3/4 lengths.
Leading rider titles at such diverse locations as Minnesota's Canterbury Park, Washington's Emerald Downs and Arizona's Turf Paradise are in his past, but at 32 years old, jockey Seth Martinez will be hanging his tack full-time at Arlington for only the second time in his career.
The Turfway Aftercare Program has written its first checks, sending funds to four racehorse adoption groups in April and May.
Churchill Downs joins racing fans in celebrating the bid by I'll Have Another, winner of the 138th Kentucky Derby, to win the Preakness Stakes with an action-packed weekend of excitement headed by Saturday's simulcast of the second jewel of the Triple Crown and a giveaway of a commemorative print of the Derby 138 winner.
<b><i><font face="Arial" size="4">PREAKNESS DRAW </font></i> </b><i> <b><font face="Arial" size="4">THEY SAID IT</font></b></i>
Grade 2 winners Casino Host and Smart Bid are top contenders in Saturday's Grade 2, $300,000 Dixie Stakes, one of six stakes races on the Preakness undercard at Pimlico. The 1 1/8-mile affair will feature a field of 11 turf horses.
Zazu was knocked out of Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic contention after developing inflammation in her shoulder last fall, but has been given plenty of time to recover and prepare for her four-year-old debut, which will finally come in Saturday's renamed <a target="_blank" href="http://www.brisnet.com/edgeped/marjorieeverette12.html"> Marjorie L. Everett Handicap</a> at Hollywood Park.
On Wednesday, the New York Racing Association (NYRA) responded to criticism about its Monday appointment of Ellen McCalin as president and Kenneth Handal as secretary by issuing the following statement:
Trainer Doug O'Neill said Wednesday that a horse will win the elusive Triple Crown again and that I'll Have Another might be the right horse in the right situation to complete the sweep.
Regular rider Julien Leparoux will return to the saddle for Daddy Nose Best's attempt in Saturday's Preakness Stakes at Pimlico.
Fillies and mares, both equine and human, will be in the spotlight for the third consecutive year on Friday as The People's Pink Party takes over Pimlico Race Course.
<i><b><font face="Arial" size="4">BELMONT NOTEBOOK</font></b></i>
Grade 1 Arkansas Derby winner Bodemeister galloped 1 1/2 miles after the morning renovation break over a fast track Tuesday at Churchill Downs under exercise rider George Alvarez.
Rather than take I'll Have Another out to exercise on a wet track Tuesday morning, trainer Doug O'Neill opted to keep the Kentucky Derby winner under cover and out of the heavy rain falling at Pimlico, where he is set to run in Saturday's Preakness Stakes.
<i><b><font face="Arial" size="4">HOLLYWOOD PARK NOTEBOOK </font></b></i>
Wavertree Stables (Ciaran Dunne), agent, consigned the top two offerings at Monday's Barretts May Two-Year-Old in Training Sale in Pomona, California. Heading the leaderboard was a Master Command colt who sold for $300,000 to Brett Lindenbaum, agent, after touring the ring as Hip No. 9.
The New York Racing Association (NYRA) has hired Kenneth V. Handal as acting general counsel and chief ethics and compliance officer.
Monday morning brought significant developments regarding the Preakness field. While Bodemeister was confirmed for Saturday's middle jewel of the Triple Crown, Hansen, Hierro and Isn't He Clever all passed on a trip to Pimlico.
The Albaugh Family Stables LLC's Cozzetti indicated his readiness for Saturday's Preakness by working a bullet five furlongs in the Churchill Downs mud in :58 4/5 Monday.
The world's top-ranked horse, Frankel, makes his eagerly-anticipated reappearance in Saturday's Group 1 Lockinge Stakes at Newbury and is likely to be joined in the field by stablemate Bullet Train. He will act as pacemaker for Sir Henry Cecil's brilliant and unbeaten colt who confirmed his well being with a good piece of work at Newmarket on Saturday.
Trainer Aidan O'Brien on Monday paraded Group 1 Derby favorite Camelot at a media morning organized by Epsom Downs Racecourse and Investec at his Ballydoyle Stable in County Tipperary and is counting down the days until the premier classic on June 2. O'Brien is chasing a third Derby victory following success with Galileo (2001) and High Chaparral (2002).
Peter Fuller, who waged an unsuccessful four-year legal battle to get his homebred colt Dancer's Image re-instated as winner of the 1968 Kentucky Derby, has died. Bloodhorse.com reported that Fuller died Monday at age 89 after a lengthy illness.
Friday's Black-Eyed Susan undercard at Pimlico features a stellar edition of the Grade 3, $300,000 <a target="_blank" href="http://www.brisnet.com/edgeped/pimlicospecial12.html"> Pimlico Special Stakes</a> as well as three sprint stakes in the lead-up to Saturday's 137th running of the Preakness Stakes.
Hudson River Stable's Arcadius spearheaded a sweep of Saturday's Grade 1, $150,000 Iroquois Steeplechase for Hall of Fame trainer Jonathan Sheppard, but the elation soon turned to devastation at Percy Warner Park as the winner fatally collapsed.
Mamma Kimbo, In Lingerie and Oaks Lilly were all originally scheduled to contest the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks last Friday, but for various reasons none of the trio made it to the starting gate. Instead, they are part of a nine-strong field entered for the Grade 2, $300,000 <a target="_blank" href="http://www.brisnet.com/edgeped/blackeyedsusan12.html"> Black-Eyed Susan Stakes</a> scheduled for this Friday, one day prior to the Preakness Stakes, at Pimlico.
Edward R. Brown's Dhaamer looked like the horse to beat going into Sunday's $72,950 <a target="_blank" href="http://www.brisnet.com/edgeped/roundtable12.pdf">Round Table Stakes</a> at Hollywood Park, and the even-money favorite more than fulfilled expectations with a smashing 4 1/2-length victory. Under patient handling by new rider Joel Rosario, the Mike Mitchell trainee was anchored near the back of the pack before making rapid headway on the final turn, and blowing the race open down the stretch. The five-year-old gelding, who was making just his third American start, looms as an exciting new addition to the Southern California turf ranks.
John C. Oxley's Dixie Strike returned to winning form with an impressive rally up the rail to overtake Tu Endie Wei in Sunday's Grade 3, $279,833 <a target="_blank" href="http://www.brisnet.com/edgeped/selene12.pdf">Selene Stakes</a>, at Woodbine.
Already an internationally experienced rider that has practiced his trade in the United States, Saudi Arabia, and Dubai, jockey Luis Jurado announced Sunday that he will leave the Calder riding colony by month's end to embark on a three-month riding tour through Macau on the Chinese coast.
In the week since Reddam Racing's I'll Have Another won the Kentucky Derby, trainer Doug O'Neill has been a gracious celebrity, taking part in many interviews, making appearances and posing for photos. Before his colt went to the track Sunday morning, O'Neill changed roles to a fan, happy to be able to chat with Ron Turcotte, Secretariat's jockey.
Sagamore Farm's Tiger Walk was shipped from Kevin Plank's nearby farm in Glyndon, Maryland, to Pimlico Race Course Sunday morning for a half-mile workout in preparation for Saturday's Preakness Stakes.
With more than an inch of rain in the Louisville, Kentucky, area and more coming down Sunday morning, trainer Dale Romans opted to postpone a work for Preakness Stakes contender Cozzetti and instead sent the colt out for a 1 1/2-mile gallop after the renovation break under exercise rider Romero Cordache.
Jockey Inez Karlsson, who became a mother for the first time last July, has decided to put her jockey career on hold -- at least for Arlington's 2012 season -- to pursue the rewards of motherhood.
Heart of Destiny, second in last October's Grade 1 Alcibiades and most recently fourth in the Grade 1 Ashland, both over Keeneland's Polytrack, heads a field of 14 fillies entered in Thursday's <a target="_blank" href="http://www.brisnet.com/edgeped/heartofdestinyalw.html"> 8TH race</a> at Churchill Downs and trainer Jimmy Baker is hopeful the race will set her up for the Grade 3 Regret Stakes on June 16 under the Twin Spires.
Stay Thirsty, who marked himself one of the leading three-year-olds of 2011 in winning the Grade 2 Jim Dandy and Grade 1 Travers at Saratoga Race Course, will make his four-year-old debut Thursday at Belmont Park in the $90,000 Vanlandingham, a 1 1/16-mile overnight stakes scheduled as the day's third race with an approximate post of 1:54 p.m. (EDT).
Klaravich Stables and William Lawrence's Currency Swap captured the $83,300 <a target="_blank" href="http://www.brisnet.com/edgeped/youandistakes12.pdf">You and I Stakes</a> at Belmont Park on Saturday in wire-to-wire fashion. Sent off as the nearly 3-2 favorite, the Teresa Pompay trainee completed the seven-furlong contest in 1:22 2/5, winning by three-quarters of a length over the fast dirt. Jockey Rajiv Maragh was aboard to guide the High Cotton three-year-old to his second stakes victory and first win of 2012.
Brereton Jones and trainer Larry Jones opted to bypass the Kentucky Derby with dual Grade 2-placed Mark Valeski and the move paid off as the Proud Citizen colt scored his first stakes win in Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 <a target="_blank" href="http://www.brisnet.com/edgeped/peterpan12.pdf">Peter Pan Stakes</a> at Belmont Park. Jockey Rosie Napravnik, who piloted the Jones duo's Believe You Can to victory in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks, was aboard as Mark Valeski finished nine furlongs on the fast track in 1:48 1/5.
In a reprise of the Grade 2 San Vicente earlier this year at Santa Anita, Karl Watson, Mike Pegram and Paul Weitman's Drill rallied to deny American Act in Saturday's Grade 3, $98,000 <a target="_blank" href="http://www.brisnet.com/edgeped/lazbarrera12.pdf">Lazaro Barrera Memorial Stakes</a> at Hollywood Park. The Bob Baffert trainee thus reaffirmed his status as a seven-furlong specialist, moving his record to three-for-three at that distance.
Dale Romans has been training horses for more than 25 years. He has saddled more than 1,500 winners, his runners have earned nearly $70 million and his long list of graded wins include such prestigious races as the Group 1 Dubai World Cup and Preakness Stakes.
First-time starter Aberfoyle Mill scored a front-running victory in Woodbine's 1ST race on Saturday, becoming the first North American winner sired by multiple Grade 1 star Street Boss.
On a sunny Saturday morning at Pimlico, trainer Doug O'Neill was very enthusiastic about Kentucky Derby winner I'll Have Another's chances of winning the middle jewel of the Triple Crown, next Saturday's $1 million Preakness Stakes.
Peachtree Stable's Mamma Kimbo, undefeated in two starts and winner of the Grade 2 Fantasy Stakes in her most recent outing, worked a bullet five furlongs at Churchill Downs in :59 3/5 in preparation for an anticipated start in Friday's Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan at Pimlico.
