Barbara Banke's Stonestreet Stables will send out homebred colorbearers Clairiere and Pauline's Pearl, both by proven classic sires and out of Grade 1-winning mares, in the Kentucky Oaks on Friday at Churchill Downs.
A five-furlong maiden special weight on Thursday at Churchill Downs has drawn the first entrant from sire Gun Runner, who was 2017 Horse of the Year. Gunite is a homebred for Winchell Thoroughbreds, which co-campaigned his sire with Three Chimneys Farm, where the stallion now stands.
The veteran sire Flatter often flies under the radar – but he may not be able to on the biggest weekend of the year at Churchill Downs. The Claiborne Farm homebred and resident stallion will be represented by two starters in Friday’s Kentucky Oaks, with unbeaten Search Results and Pass the Champagne in the filly classic.
The young stallion Liam's Map is poised to have strong representatives in two of the biggest stakes in the coming week at Churchill Downs. The Unbridled's Song stallion, who stands at Lane's End Farm, will be represented by his daughter Crazy Beautiful in the Kentucky Oaks. One day later, Colonel Liam will run as the likely favorite in the Grade 1 Old Forester Turf Classic, the race immediately preceding the Kentucky Derby.
Into Mischief keeps finding higher bars for himself to clear. The two-time reigning leading sire established a single-season earnings record in 2020, led by his first Kentucky Derby winner, Authentic. The stallion will now have multiple chances to sire an unprecedented second consecutive Derby winner.
WinStar Farm on Wednesday announced a partnership with Commonwealth, a fractional investment platform.
The biggest upset during this Kentucky Derby prep season was recorded by Bourbonic, who triggered a $146.50 return when he rallied to win the Wood Memorial. Approaching the Derby, he is likely to again be double-digit odds. However, what wouldn't be an upset is continued success for the A.P. Indy sireline in classic events.
A number of Thoroughbred ex-racehorses are set to contest North America's most prestigious three-day event, the Land Rover Kentucky CCI five-star, beginning Thursday at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington. The Kentucky five-star is returning in 2021 after being canceled in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Tampa Bay Derby winner Helium, from a sireline with proven classic success, is among the 3-year-olds looking to give their first-crop sires a major boost in this Kentucky Derby.
The pre-sale under-tack show for the Ocala Breeders' Sales Co.'s spring sale of 2-year-olds in training showcased the parity of the juveniles in the catalog, and of the sire power represented in that book.
