The rematch between Upstart and Itsaknockout will draw most of the prerace attention, but it is the undefeated Materiality who may be the wild card in Saturday’s $1 million Florida Derby.
For the second year in a row, Keeneland Racecourse in Lexington, Ky., will subject horses entered in the April 4 Blue Grass Stakes to additional security protocols, including 24-hour monitoring in the 48 hours leading up to the race.
Ocho Ocho Ocho, the winner of the $1 million Delta Jackpot Stakes in Louisiana last November but eighth in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes on March 7, is likely to run in the $1 million Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland on April 4.
He’s won on dirt, synthetic, and turf, won going short and going long, owns wins at Belmont Park and Woodbine, and trains at Gulfstream Park. But it is here at Fair Grounds where International Star has done his best work.
On Aug. 16, 2014, at Arlington, Euro Charline won the Grade 1 Beverly D. Stakes by three-quarters of a length over the excellent mare Stephanie’s Kitten. She has yet to perform an encore.
For what it’s worth – and who doesn’t appreciate a nice, round number – this is the 20th edition of the Dubai World Cup, which means it was 19 years ago this week that Cigar held off Soul of the Matter and put the World Cup on the map.
Far From Over and Daredevil may both be trained by Todd Pletcher and running in the same race, but their preparations for the Grade 1, $1 million Wood Memorial at Aqueduct on April 4 will be a little different.
Awesome Return and Abbey Vale meet for the first time in an optional claimer on turf at Santa Anita on Friday. They could become frequent rivals in distance turf stakes in Southern California.
The variables facing California Chrome in the Dubai World Cup are many, including the recently installed sand-based surface over which the race will be run. No less an authority than Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid al Maktoum weighed in last week that California Chrome might be in trouble, since he’s never run on anything like the Meydan surface before.
The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission has charged trainer Tevis McCauley with multiple violations of its racing rules, including administering a so-called milkshake to a horse entered on race day, according to the commission and McCauley.
