A field of nine 3-year-olds now seems likely when entries are drawn for the $1 million Florida Derby late Wednesday morning following a busy weekend of workouts throughout the South Florida area.
Monday, Bolt d'Oro and McKinzie were on the track at Santa Anita at the same time for workouts in preparation for their next meeting in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby on April 7.
Road to the Derby 2018: Louisiana Derby analysis
Sparkman: Noble Indy's Louisiana Derby win could pave return road for sire
Runaway Ghost picked up 50 Kentucky Derby qualifying points Sunday when the New Mexico-based colt won the state’s richest Thoroughbred race: the Grade 3, $800,000 Sunland Derby.
Noble Indy and Lone Sailor, separated by a neck at the end of a thrilling Louisiana Derby on Saturday at Fair Grounds, both came out of the race well, their trainers said Sunday morning, and both will be pointed to the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 5, six weeks hence.
Four prospective starters for the $1 million Florida Derby turned in their final works for that important Kentucky Derby prep Saturday.
In 1988, George H.W. Bush beat Michael Dukakis in the presidential election, the Redskins won the Super Bowl, Sonny Bono was elected mayor of Palm Springs, and Winning Colors won the Kentucky Derby, with 25-year-old jockey Gary Stevens riding for 52-year-old trainer D. Wayne Lukas.
The second-to-last round of Kentucky Derby preps had dazzling performances, a controversial disqualification and a confusing situation that we at Beyer Central sometimes encounter.
Trainer Todd Pletcher already has taken down the Holy Bull Stakes with Audible and the Rebel Stakes with Magnum Moon, but if he wins a third Kentucky Derby prep race, the $1 million Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds, Pletcher will be bucking his own history.
