Texas Bling on Wednesday put in his penultimate work for the Grade 1, $1 million Arkansas Derby on April 13, going five furlongs in 1:01.60. Trainer Danele Durham said his final prep would come Tuesday, with plans for a three-furlong blowout at Oaklawn.
The Santa Anita Derby is an important race for Tiz a Minister, who could go on to the Kentucky Derby or head back with California-breds.
A little more than four weeks before the 139th Kentucky Derby on May 4 at Churchill Downs, Corey Nakatani has the inglorious record of having ridden in the most Derbies without a victory.
Flashback, the beaten favorite in the San Felipe Stakes last month, and Hear the Ghost, who upset him in that race, drew the inside two post positions in a field of nine on Wednesday for the Grade 1, $750,000 Santa Anita Derby on Saturday.
Verrazano, undefeated winner of the Tampa Bay Derby, drew post 8 while Vyjack, undefeated winner of the Gotham, was assigned post 5 in a field of 10 entered Wednesday for Saturday’s $1 million Wood Memorial at Aqueduct.
Kevin Scatuorchio was still a teenager in May of 2000 when he watched his father’s horse, More Than Ready, slip through an opening along the rail as the field for the 126th Kentucky Derby turned into the stretch at Churchill Downs.
Titletown Five ran the biggest race of his career at Churchill Downs, and he is headed there for his next start, trainer D. Wayne Lukas said Tuesday. The horse is being pointed for the Grade 3, $175,000 Derby Trial, a one-turn mile for 3-year-olds April 27.
Jockey Kevin Krigger may get his wish to attend America’s biggest race this year. He is the regular rider of Goldencents, the two-time stakes winner who starts as a contender in the $750,000 Santa Anita Derby on Saturday.
Trainer Eddie Plesa Jr. opted to pass a last chance to get Speak Logistics eligible for the Kentucky Derby when he decided to forgo the Grade 1 Blue Grass on April 13 for Saturday’s $250,000 Calder Derby.
March 30 brought forth an embarrassment of riches for U.S. racing fans, as the Dubai World Cup card at Meydan Racecourse in the United Arab Emirates drew several accomplished American-based horses and the final leg of Churchill Downs’ Road to the Kentucky Derby series of 3-year-old prep races kicked off with the Group 2 U.A.E. Derby at Meydan, the Grade 1 Florida Derby at Gulfstream, and the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds.
