Mike Walker and Lou Sutterfield's Amie's Dini, a major contender for the Grade 1, $1 million Kentucky Oaks, visited the muddy Churchill Downs track on a cold, damp Saturday morning for a 1 7/8-mile gallop during the 15-minute training period reserved for Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks contenders.
Friday's Grade 3, $100,000 Doubledogdare Stakes turned into a battle royale down the lane at Keeneland as Pachattack and Kathmanblu hooked up rounding the turn to duel all the way to the wire. Making her first start since being purchased by Flaxman Holdings for $1.2 million at Fasig-Tipton's November Sale last year, Pachattack began earning back her sell price when gutting out the neck victory under jockey Rajiv Maragh.
Rather than worry about the prospects of a cold, damp weekend in Kentucky, trainer Michael Matz opted to work Kentucky Derby contender Union Rags on Friday morning at Keeneland.
On Fire Baby, a leading contender for the Grade 1, $1 million Kentucky Oaks, breezed seven furlongs on the fast main track at Churchill Downs Friday morning in 1:26 4/5 for trainer Gary Hartlage.
It's been a somewhat eventful road to the Kentucky Derby for Grade 3 Withers Stakes hero Alpha.
The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) announced Friday that the purse for January's 14th annual Daily Racing Form/NTRA National Handicapping Championship (NHC) at Treasure Island Las Vegas has been guaranteed at a minimum of $1.5 million.
Michael Matz talks about Union Rags' work at Keeneland on April 20, 2012. Watch Video
I'll Have Another, who established himself as a top Kentucky Derby contender with a game win over Creative Cause in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby, breezed six furlongs in 1:13 3/5 over the Hollywood Park's Cushion Track Thursday morning.
A longtime horse racing fan from New York has won a chance to place a life-changing $100,000 win bet in the 138th running of the Kentucky Derby on May 5.
The Chad Brown trainee had both tactical and recency advantages over Somali Lemonade, the 8-5 second choice, who had not run since her sixth in the November 4 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. Dayatthespa had likewise run below par in that same Breeders' Cup race, finishing ninth on unsuitably rain-softened ground, but had the benefit of two strong stakes wins under her belt this campaign.
A number of contenders for the 138th running of the $2 million Kentucky Derby continued their preparations for the first Saturday in May on a picture-perfect Thursday morning at Churchill Downs.
On Fire Baby and Summer Applause will continue their preparations for the Grade 1, $1 million Kentucky Oaks with breezes beneath the Twin Spires on Friday morning.
HANDICAPPING INSIGHTS
Wise Dan concluded 2011 in smashing fashion, posting big wins in the Grade 2 Fayette Stakes and Grade 1 Clark Handicap, and the Charles Lopresti-trained gelding will look to make it three straight when opening his five-year-old season in Sunday's Grade 3, $150,000 Ben Ali Stakes at Keeneland. The versatile chestnut tops a field of seven in the 1 1/8-mile test over the Polytrack.
Peachtree Stable's undefeated Princess Arabella, who would have been a major contender in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks, has been retired due to injury. Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert revealed the news on HRTV Thursday.
Grade 2 Rebel Stakes winner Secret Circle is out of the Kentucky Derby with a sesamoid injury, according to the Blood-Horse. The Bob Baffert pupil was most recently a distant runner-up to stablemate Bodemeister in last Saturday's Grade 1 Arkansas Derby.
Tom and Jason handicap the Coolmore Lexington Stakes at Keeneland this week. watch video
Richard L. Hamilton, a former steward and longtime racing official for the New York Racing Association (NYRA), died Wednesday night at St. Peter's Hospital in Albany, New York after suffering a heart attack. He was 76 years old.
Churchill Downs has launched an enhanced free Kentucky Derby 138 mobile application for select smartphones and tablets that run the iPhone and Android operating systems.
Kent Desormeaux is looking at a chance to make some major Kentucky Derby history on May 5 and he has high praise for the horse that may take him there -- Grade 1 Blue Grass winner Dullahan.
The Larry Jones-trained trio of Havre de Grace, Mark Valeski and Believe You Can arrived at Barn 35 at Churchill Downs in good order at 5 p.m. (EST) Tuesday night and all three visited the track Wednesday morning to gallop a mile.
Bluegrass Hall LLC's homebred Optimizer, most recently ninth in the Grade 1, $1 million Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park, is still being pointed to the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 5, according to trainer D. Wayne Lukas.
While trainer Bob Baffert has yet to fully commit Castaway to the Kentucky Derby on May 5, the white-haired conditioner has given every indication the Street Sense colt will wheel back off the two-week break if he captures Saturday's 31st running of the Grade 3, $200,000 Lexington Stakes at Keeneland.
AQUEDUCT NOTEBOOK
KENTUCKY DERBY REPORT
Dede McGehee's St. John's River, who was narrowly defeated by Plum Pretty in last year's Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks, is being pointed to a return to the races after an eighth-month layoff in the Grade 2, $300,000 La Troienne, which is to be run on the Kentucky Oaks Day undercard on May 4.
Already blessed with the presence of champion Royal Delta in his barn, Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott also has another nice older mare in Arena Elvria, who will seek her sixth consecutive victory Saturday in the Grade 3, $200,000 Sixty Sails Handicap at Hawthorne.
After landing a one-two punch in last week's Grade 1 Arkansas Derby with Bodemeister and Secret Circle, Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert will attempt to do the same in Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 Jerome at Aqueduct with California shippers Stirred Up and Brigand. The one-mile Jerome, which will be run for the 142nd time, is the final graded stakes of the Aqueduct spring meet as racing in New York shifts to Belmont Park next weekend.
QIPCO British Champions Series, the Daily Telegraph and Racing Post have launched a brand new, free-to-enter fantasy game, with players having the opportunity to score points across all 35 races in the 2012 Series.
With 2 weeks to go, Jason Shandler asks who do you like in the Kentucky Derby? read blog
Keeneland President and CEO Nick Nicholson on Wednesday announced that effective September 1, he will retire from Keeneland Association after nearly 13 years at the helm. Bill Thomason, currently Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, has been selected by the Keeneland Trustees as successor to Nicholson.
Creative Cause, recording his first workout since a nose second in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby April 7, completed five furlongs in 1:01 1/5 over the Cushion Track at Hollywood Park on Tuesday. It was the 16th fastest of 37 works at the distance.
The top-two finishers in last Saturday's Grade 1, $1 million Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park arrived at Churchill Downs in good order Monday afternoon to continue their preparations for the 138th running of the $2 million Kentucky Derby, which is to be run beneath the Twin Spires on May 5.
Pachattack, a leading mare on synthetic surfaces in North America the past couple of seasons, get back to work Friday at Keeneland in the Grade 3, $100,000 Doubledogdare over 1 1/16 miles. The race will mark her first start for the Niarchos family's Flaxman Holdings, which purchased the six-year-old for $1.2 million at the Fasig-Tipton November Sale.
The Derby favorite could be as high as 6 or 7-1 this year. read blog
George Bolton and Stonestreet Stable purchased a colt.
Union Rags' defeat changed the complexion of the 2012 Kentucky Derby. read blog
Evan recaps the Florida Derby (gr. I) and the Louisiana Derby (gr. II). watch video
For the fourth consecutive year Keeneland is the top-rated racetrack under the Horseplayers Association of North America racetrack ratings system.
Jason and Tom handicap the Florida Derby and Louisiana Derby. watch video
Eden's Moon thrust herself into Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks consideration with a scintillating 11 1/2-length maiden win on January 8.
Simon Burgess talks with Patrick Shaw, trainer of Rocket Man, the 2011 Dubai Golden Shaheen winner, who returns to defend his title in 2012. Sponsored by AmWest Watch Video
The $1 million Louisiana Derby (gr. II) is the headliner on Fair Grounds' April 1 program, but the biggest names and most talented horses may be running on the undercard in the $400,000 New Orleans Handicap (gr. II).
With her bid for history in the Dubai World Cup (UAE-gr. I) only four days away, Royal Delta is feeling, as trainer Bill Mott put it with a delighted grin, 'sassy.' read blog
The Factor will face Rocket Man and several other of the world's top sprinters when he goes to the post in the $2-million Dubai Golden Shaheen Sponsored by Gulf News (UAE-I) at Meydan Racecourse March 31.
Providing a strong sense of deja vu, Team Valor International's Went the Day Well booked his ticket to the Kentucky Derby with a convincing victory in Saturday's Grade 3, $500,000 Viver Racing Spiral Stakes
Thoroughbred owners and trainers who wish to make their late-blooming three-year-olds eligible to compete in the 2012 Triple Crown series of classic American races have until Saturday to add their horses to the roster of late nominations to the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes.
America's contenders for the $27 million Dubai World Cup program, including champion Royal Delta and multiple grade I winner Game On Dude, have landed safely in Dubai and are in good health after the long flight from Florida.
With its lucrative $800,000 purse, the Grade 3 Sunland Derby is an attractive prep race for Kentucky Derby hopefuls lacking graded earnings, and three-year-olds from the barns of notable trainers Bob Baffert, Todd Pletcher and Steve Asmussen have shipped into the New Mexico track this year in search of a guaranteed berth to the Run for Roses. The 1 1/8-mile race gained notoriety in 2009 when producing Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird.
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