Photographs of stakes-winning graduates typically adorn Niall Brennan's shedrows at 2-year-olds in training sales. With the latest crop of stakes horses emerging, this season will be no exception for the Florida consignor.
Top Billing breezed a half-mile in :50 2/5 Feb. 17 at Payson Park in Indiantown, Fla., in preparation for his stakes debut in the Besilu Stables Fountain of Youth Stakes (gr. II) at Gulfstream Park.
Lee and Susan Searing already have one formidable West Coast contender for the Triple Crown trail in Candy Boy. After winning the San Vicente Stakes (gr. II) in handy style with Kobe's Back, they have a second as well.
Tamarando and Dance With Fate, the one-two finishers in the El Camino Real Derby (gr. III) Feb. 15 at Golden Gate Fields, exited the race in good order and will likely make their next starts in Kentucky.
Trainer Dale Romans said he is leaning toward running Medal Count in the $400,000 Besilu Stables Fountain of Youth Stakes (gr. II) at Gulfstream Park Feb. 22.
Commissioner, on a two-race win streak as he approaches his stakes debut in the upcoming $400,000 Besilu Stables Fountain of Youth (gr. II), put in his final breeze for the race the morning of Feb. 16 at Palm Meadows.
There's a lot of early speed in the Southwest Stakes, but not much of it late, so the race should come down to which one of the early first flight lasts the longest.
Back on a synthetic surface he seems to prefer, Tamarando closed from last on the far turn to register a half-length triumph over Dance With Fate in the $200,000 El Camino Real Derby (gr. III) at Golden Gate Fields Feb. 15.
Early Besilu Stables Florida Derby (gr. I) favorite Cairo Prince breezed a half mile in :48.75 the morning of Feb. 15 at the Palm Meadows training facility.
Hopeful Stakes (gr. I) winner Strong Mandate returns to action for the first time since the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) in the $300,000 Southwest Stakes (gr. III) Feb. 17 at Oaklawn Park.
Wildcat Red will have a new rider in Luis Saez for his next scheduled start in the $400,000 Besilu Stables Fountain of Youth Stakes (gr. II) at Gulfstream Park Feb. 22.
PORTER ON PEDIGREES
Eleven years after Funny Cide became the first New York-bred to win the Kentucky Derby (gr. I), two more horses bred in the Empire State stamped themselves as legitimate classic prospects.
In a race that could have Triple Crown implications, Bayern, ridden by Gary Stevens for trainer Bob Baffert, stretched out to a mile and overwhelmed a $58,000 allowance test for 3-year-olds, winning by 15 lengths.
Following a 2-year-old season that ended disappointingly, Kobe's Back returns to action in the $200,000 San Vicente Stakes (gr. II) Feb. 16 in his debut on dirt at Santa Anita Park.
Trainers Steve Asmussen and Chris Hartman slipped in a pair of final workouts for their Southwest Stakes (gr. III) hopefuls between the first and second races on the program at Oaklawn Park Feb. 13.
Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer lost his leading candidate for the $200,000 El Camino Real Derby (gr. I) Feb. 15 when his undefeated colt Exit Stage Left sustained a training injury. But he had a good back-up plan.
Larry Collmus reacts to his new position as Churchill Downs announcer, and talks about calling the Kentucky Derby.
Some stakes will have new names and larger purses at Belmont Park this year as the New York Racing Association plans several big days of racing at the spring/summer meet.
Todd Pletcher-conditioned Commissioner is training forwardly for his scheduled stakes debut in the $400,000 Besilu Stables Fountain of Youth (gr. II) at Gulfstream Park Feb. 22.
Larry Collmus will become the seventh track announcer at Churchill Downs when the spring meet opens this year at the Louisville track, replacing Mark Johnson.
In "A Midsummer Night's Dream," Puck, also known as Robin Goodfellow, was an impish character who was always causing mischief. read blog
Almost Famous will make his next start in the Feb. 22 Fountain of Youth (gr. II); Honor Code returns to tab; Cairo Prince expected to breeze Feb. 15 while prepping for the Florida Derby (gr. I).
Connections of many horses have firmed up plans since last week, and other events have transpired, so let's see where they're going next on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. This survey covers over 90 horses.
Stallion Keep Up, Gulfstream Park, Santa Anita Park, Australia, Parx, Sunland Park & Groupie Doll's final race. view slideshow
Steve Haskin adds a new horse to his Kentucky Derby Dozen, shuffles a little and removes one Kentucky Derby prep race winner completely. Read to find out who! read blog
Steve Haskin continues his new audio series One For the Roses with LeComte Stakes (gr. III) winner Vicar's in Trouble who is preparing for the Risen Star Stakes.
Evan Hammonds recaps the efforts of Candy Boy in the Robert B. Lewis Stakes, Blingo in the San Antonio Stakes, and Groupie Doll in the Hurricane Bertie Stakes. watch video
Lecomte Stakes (gr. III) winner Vicar's in Trouble breezed five furlongs in 1:00 3/5 the morning of Feb. 9 at Fair Grounds in preparation for the Risen Star Stakes (gr. II) on Louisiana Derby Preview Day Feb. 22.
There was no strong consensus for the top individual choice among six leading contenders in the Kentucky Derby Future Wager's second pool; it concluded Feb. 8, with the Shug McGaughey-trained Honor Code topping the list.
Candy Boy stamped himself as the top contender for the Santa Anita Derby (gr. I) when he overpowered a pair of well-regarded Bob Baffert trainees in winning the $200,000 Robert B. Lewis Stakes (gr. I) Feb. 8 at Santa Anita.
Exit Stage Left, the undefeated colt expected to be among the favorites in the upcoming $200,000 El Camino Real Derby (gr. III) was injured during training at Golden Gate Fields the morning of Feb. 8 and has been declared.
The nomination of a 3-year-old Thoroughbred to the 2014 Triple Crown races received via "late mail" has lifted the overall total for early nominations to the coveted three-race series of American classics to 414.
Place a $20 show bet on 19 prep races on the Road to the Kentucky Derby at TwinSpires.com for a chance to win $1 million. read blog
The Metropolitan Handicap (gr. I) and four other graded stakes will be added to the Belmont Stakes (gr. I) card in 2014 for a June 7 race day that will offer 10 stakes and $8 million in total purses.
In Maryland's efforts to comply with the Mid-Atlantic Uniform Medication and Drug Testing program, the Maryland Board of Public Works has approved a five-year contract with Truesdail Laboratories of Tustin, Calif.
MAHUBAH'S CORNER
Cairo Prince could have just the right balance of stamina and speed to be a successful contender in the Kentucky Derby.
Total purses for the 2014 Spring Meet stakes events reflect an increase of 2.7% from 2013.
Claire Novak and Frank Angst take another look at Kentucky Derby contenders in the Robert B. Lewis Stakes this weekend. Can Candy Boy hold up to Midnight Hawk? watch video
After Conquest Titan closed from last to finish second behind Cairo Prince in the Holy Bull (gr. II) at Gulfstream Park Jan. 25, trainer Mark Casse looked into his options for the son of Birdstone.
The Robert B. Lewis Stakes drew only seven entries, but that's consistent with the average field size for this race the last seven years. Let's take a look at who might win it.
The Maryland Jockey Club has announced that 2013 double Grammy Award winner Lorde will headline the 2014 Preakness InfieldFest concert.
Sham Stakes (gr. III) winner Midnight Hawk takes his next step on the Triple Crown trail for trainer Bob Baffert when he faces six other 3-year-olds in the $200,000 Robert B. Lewis Stakes (gr. II) Feb. 8 at Santa Anita Park.
Lenny Shulman and Steve Haskin talk about Verrazano going to Ireland, the Kentucky Derby Trail, including Vinceremos, the Derby Future Wager, Eblouissante, and more. Sponsored by Darby Dan Farm. Watch Video
One of the common misconceptions is that it is too early to wager on the Kentucky Derby. read blog
The New York Racing Association has released the logo for the 2014 Belmont Stakes (gr. I), which will be contested for the 146th time June 7 at Belmont Park.
Ron Mitchell talks with Churchill Down's John Asher about the 2014 Kentucky Derby.
TwinSpires.com, the official advance deposit wagering service for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), is offering its players an opportunity to win $1 million by betting Kentucky Derby qualifying races.
It's February, and that means many of last year's stars are close to making their 2014 debuts. Let's see what's next for over 60 horses trying to make the Kentucky Derby.
Steve Haskin already alters his number one position. How does Steve feel about his decision to do so? Read and find out. read blog
Churchill Downs oddsmaker Mike Battaglia ranks Cairo Prince, unbeaten champion Shared Belief, and Honor Code as the most attractive individual horses featured in this week's second pool of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager.
