Practical Joke moved a step closer toward starting in the $1 million Florida Derby by working five furlongs in 1:00.90 in company with stablemate Shagaf at Palm Meadows on Saturday. Practical Joke was one of more than a half-dozen possible Florida Derby starters to work throughout the local area Saturday.
Thunder Snow was a very good horse racing on the European turf last year, and he is doing pretty well so far on dirt.
State of Honor, arguably flying a bit under the radar on the Kentucky Derby trail despite finishing behind only McCraken and Tapwrit in his last two starts at Tampa Bay Downs, is likely headed back to Gulfstream Park for the $1 million Florida Derby next Saturday.
Horses from major winter meets around the country will converge on New Mexico on Sunday to chase after the $800,000 purse of the Grade 3 Sunland Derby, as well as the race's 85 points for the Kentucky Derby.
Trainer Tony Dutrow confirmed Thursday that Mo Town, winner of the Grade 2 Remsen at Aqueduct last November, will return to the Big A for the Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial on April 8, when he will likely need a top two-three finish to earn enough points to qualify for the Kentucky Derby.
Parlor and Kitten's Cat are logical win contenders, but I like Soglio in Saturday's Spiral Stakes at Turfway Park.
he two-time stakes winner Ann Arbor Eddie has been sidelined with a splint bone injury.
Trainer Doug O'Neill could have as many as four runners in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby on April 8.
Owner Roddy Valente plans on running his homebred Stretch's Stone in the Wood Memorial, which serves as New York's last stepping-stone toward the May 6 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs.
Even though he has two runners in the Dubai World Cup on Saturday, Todd Pletcher will be at the Palm Beach Downs training center in Florida, where the likes of Always Dreaming, Battalion Runner, One Liner, and Tapwrit all are supposed to work in advance of final preps for the May 6 Kentucky Derby.
