Proven young classic sire Curlin doesn't just have Eclipse Award champion Good Magic eyeing the Kentucky Derby from his most successful crop of juveniles. His arsenal also includes the consistent Solomini, who is bolstered by a long-winded female family.
2018 Road to the Derby: Gotham Stakes analysis
Avery Island, a Kentucky Derby prospect owned by the Godolphin Stable, was to be sent to Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Ky. on Tuesday for evaluation after having returned from his most recent workout at the Palm Meadows training center lame
Road to the 2018 Kentucky Derby: San Felipe analysis
Trainer Donnie Von Hemel took down a Kentucky Oaks points race last weekend at Oaklawn with Cosmic Burst in the Grade 3 Honeybee. On Saturday, the barn tries to add a Kentucky Derby points race when Higher Power runs in the Grade 2, $900,000 Rebel.
A sizable reduction in purse and Kentucky Derby qualifying points has seemingly done little to dissuade horsemen from entering runners for Saturday's Grade 3, $200,000 Jeff Ruby Steaks at Turfway Park.
Todd Pletcher did not make the trip Saturday across the Florida peninsula to saddle Vino Rosso for the Tampa Bay Derby, but that's standard procedure. The superstar trainer stayed busy instead overseeing a full morning of workouts at his Palm Beach Downs winter base.
The mutuel field again was a lukewarm favorite when Pool 3 of the 2018 Kentucky Derby Future Wager closed Sunday at 6 p.m. Eastern, while the field also was the slight choice in the Kentucky Oaks Future Wager, which closed 30 minutes later
Justify continued his belated push to the Kentucky Derby on Sunday at Santa Anita with a dazzling win in a first-level allowance, a race that should set him up ideally for a major stakes in early April.
The controversial disqualification of McKinzie in favor of Bolt d’Oro in the San Felipe Stakes on Saturday was still on the minds of the participants on Sunday morning at Santa Anita, but the fact that both 3-year-olds furthered their Kentucky Derby aspirations, came out of the race well, and likely will meet again in the Santa Anita Derby had many looking forward to Round 2 in their budding rivalry.
