HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Few have questioned his ability. No one has questioned his desire. Many have questioned whether Shanghai Bobby, last year’s 2-year-old champion male, is a legitimate Kentucky Derby contender.
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Cot Campbell gave a number of reasons why he picked out the Louisiana Derby for Palace Malice, the colt who will represent Dogwood Stable on Saturday in the Fair Grounds showcase.
[LOUISIANA DERBY: Get Fair Grounds PPs, watch video previews]
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Jockey Gary Stevens, who has been aboard two of D. Wayne Lukas’s four Kentucky Derby winners, will be teaming with the Hall of Fame trainer in a major Kentucky Derby prep next month at Oaklawn Park. Lukas on Tuesday said that Stevens has the mount on Oxbow in the Grade 1, $1 million Arkansas Derby on April 13.
When trainer Lloyd Mason’s assistant, Faith Taylor, brought Nina’s Dragon to Mason’s barn at Golden Gate Fields last year after breaking him at her nearby ranch in Clayton, she made a bold prediction.
“When he went to the track, I told Lloyd, ‘Next year, we’ll be in Kentucky,’ and I never say that,” Taylor said.
Nina’s Dragon isn’t in Kentucky yet and isn’t even nominated to the Triple Crown races.
But he is in Louisiana, where he will run in the 100th edition of the $1 million Louisiana Derby on Saturday at Fair Grounds.
Black Onyx, who all but secured a spot in the starting lineup for the Kentucky Derby with his victory Saturday in Turfway Park’s Grade 3 Spiral Stakes, was among 13 late nominations received by Saturday night’s deadline for the 2013 Triple Crown series.
INDIANTOWN, Fla. – One visit to Payson Park and it’s easy to see why Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey has used the training center located approximately 90 miles north of Gulfstream Park as his major base of operations in south Florida for the past 30 years.
NEW ORLEANS – A little improvement.
That’s all trainers Dallas Stewart, Tom Amoss, and Steve Asmussen want to see from the 3-year-olds they’re running in the Louisiana Derby on Saturday.
Sure, Golden Soul, Mylute, and Proud Strike were also-rans in the Risen Star on Feb. 23, but only 3 1/2 lengths separated the first eight finishers.
SUNLAND PARK, N.M. – Govenor Charlie was set to return to California on Tuesday following his victory here Sunday in the Sunland Derby, a race that earned him enough points to secure a starting berth in the Kentucky Derby on May 4 at Churchill Downs and ended the round of Derby preps worth 50 points to the winner.
The waters get even deeper now.
Titletown Five’s star has fallen over the past several weeks. Although part of the mutuel field in the first pool of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager, Titletown Five made the cut in the second leg due to his encouraging juvenile form and early season workouts.
After losing as the 11-10 favorite in his seasonal reappearance, the $60,000 Gazebo Stakes going six furlongs at Oaklawn Park on March 2, Titletown Five was dismissed at 70-1 in the second future wager and was removed as an individual entity from the third pool altogether.
SUNLAND PARK, N.M. – Completing a blockbuster day at Sunland Park for trainer Bob Baffert, owner Mike Pegram, and the sire Midnight Lute, Govenor Charlie cruised to a five-length victory on Sunday in the Grade 3, $800,000 Sunland Derby.
A little more than a half-hour earlier, Baffert and Pegram scored in the Sunland Park Oaks with the filly Midnight Lucky, like Govenor Charlie progeny of Midnight Lute.
[ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY: Prep races, point standings, replays]