Rick Porter of Fox Hill Farm said he has privately purchased 50 percent interest in Texas Two Step, an impressive 3-year-old debut winner at Oaklawn Park that he will race in partnership with the WinStar Farm operation of Kenny Troutt.
Every time I watch another of the prep races and watch another horse win that I doubt can win the Kentucky Derby, I miss Shared Belief even more.
Corey Nakatani was looking. So, too, was his agent, Tony Matos, as was trainer Gary Contessa. At this time of year, everyone is looking, either for the right horse to get to the Kentucky Derby or the right rider to take you there.
With the point values of Kentucky Derby preps having risen fivefold last weekend, there figured to be wholesale changes coming out of the Fountain of Youth and Risen Star stakes, and there were, with five newcomers to the Derby Watch top 20: Wildcat Red, General a Rod, Intense Holiday, Albano, and Constitution.
NBC has reached a 10-year extension with Churchill Downs on the broadcast rights to the Kentucky Derby through 2025, the principals announced Wednesday.
Rise Up might make his next start in the Louisiana Derby, trainer Tom Amoss said, despite finishing seventh in the Risen Star, his first start since a comfortable win in the Nov. 23 Delta Downs Jackpot.
Havana, runner-up in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita in November, completed his major preparation for his 3-year-old debut Sunday by breezing an easy five furlongs in 1:00.90 at Palm Meadows. Havana will return to the races in the Grade 3, $150,000 Swale Stakes for 3-year-olds at seven furlongs at Gulfstream Park on Saturday.
Some of the nation’s promising 3-year-olds raced at Gulfstream Park Saturday and put on an exciting show. Wildcat Red won a dramatic head-and-head stretch duel to beat General a Rod in the Fountain of Youth Stakes. Constitution, who may be trainer Todd Pletcher’s best 3-year-old, ran away from a strong field in an allowance race. They all established their credentials as Kentucky Derby contenders. Or did they?
Two major preps for the Kentucky Derby, the Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park on March 29 and the Santa Anita Derby at Santa Anita Park on April 5, will be broadcast live on NBC Sports.
Honor Code took another step toward his much-anticipated 3-year-old debut when working an easy half-mile in 52.23 seconds on Tuesday morning at Gulfstream Park.
