Coming off a defining victory in the Grade 2 Holy Bull, Cairo Prince will enter Saturday’s $1 million Florida Derby not only idle the last nine weeks but in need of another big performance to earn the necessary qualifying points to guarantee a berth in the Kentucky Derby lineup.
Louies Flower won three straight races at Remington Park last year, then headed to Oaklawn Park, where he was purposely kept out of the Smarty Jones Stakes in January to await the Southwest Stakes on Feb. 17. His trainer, Bret Calhoun, now thinks that was a major mistake and believes that Louies Flower, who ran last in the Southwest, can improve when he starts in the Grade 2, $1 million Louisiana Derby on Saturday at Fair Grounds.
Ami’s Holiday, who is 10-1 on a winter-book line for the $1 million Queen’s Plate, likely will launch his 3-year-old season next month at Keeneland, trainer Josie Carroll said Wednesday.
Horses competing in Aqueduct’s upcoming $1 million Wood Memorial on April 5 will be subject to out-of-competition blood testing for banned substances, be required on the grounds by April 2, and are subject to 24-hour monitoring at their trainers’ own barns and stalls on the grounds, the New York State Gaming Commission announced.
Strong Mandate has had a couple of eventful mornings this week at Oaklawn Park but remains on course for the Grade 1, $1 million Arkansas Derby on April 12 despite a less-than-ideal workout Wednesday.
Three of Bob Baffert's stakes horses worked Wednesday. Game On Dude worked for the Charles Town Classic and 3-year-olds Bayern and The Admiral worked for upcoming Kentucky Derby preps.
Starlight Stables first burst on the scene in the spring of 2002 with Harlan’s Holiday, who won the Florida Derby and the Blue Grass Stakes and finished seventh as the favorite in the Kentucky Derby. The Starlight story comes full circle through Intense Holiday, a son of Harlan’s Holiday.
Eight 3-year-olds, led by likely favorite Cairo Prince, were entered Wednesday for Saturday’s $1 million Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park. Cairo Prince, an easy winner of the Grade 2 Holy Bull Stakes in his only start at 3, will break from post 3 with Luis Saez aboard in the Grade 1 Florida Derby. Wildcat Red, the winner of the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth, drew the rail.
Chitu, who won the Sunland Derby on Sunday, and We Miss Artie, who rallied to capture the Spiral Stakes at Turfway on Saturday, are the newest additions to the Derby Watch top 20.
I was not expecting much from the two 3-year-old stakes last weekend and was definitely underwhelmed by the Spiral Stakes at Turfway Park on Saturday. Then, I caught Chitu in the Sunland Derby on Sunday.
