Fair Grounds: Stall plans to run two in Risen Star
Trainer Al Stall Jr. has confirmed both of his lightly raced 3-year-olds, Departing and Sunbean, for the $400,000 Risen Star Stakes on Feb. 23 at Fair Grounds in New Orleans.
Marty McGeeFeb 13, 2013
Trainer Al Stall Jr. has confirmed both of his lightly raced 3-year-olds, Departing and Sunbean, for the $400,000 Risen Star Stakes on Feb. 23 at Fair Grounds in New Orleans.
Goldencents worked six furlongs in 1:13.40 at Santa Anita on Wednesday, and trainer Doug O’Neill was not the only interested party in how the highly promising colt handled the exercise.
Demonic, winner of a seven-furlong maiden race in his debut Jan. 13, is unlikely to start in Sunday’s $150,000 San Vicente Stakes for 3-year-olds over seven furlongs, trainer John Sadler said Tuesday.
Trainer Bob Baffert, who last year swept Oaklawn’s graded series for 3-year-olds, said Super Ninety Nine is scheduled to ship to Arkansas for Monday's Grade 3, $300,000 Southwest.
Most of the major prep races for the Kentucky Derby will be broadcast live this year on the NBC Sports Network. Live coverage of races will include the March 30 Florida Derby and Louisiana Derby, the April 6 Santa Anita Derby and Wood Memorial, and the April 13 Blue Grass Stakes and Arkansas Derby.
After briefly considering the Fountain of Youth Stakes and the Gotham as possibilities, trainer Todd Pletcher on Tuesday said that the unbeaten Verrazano would make his stakes and two-turn debuts in the Tampa Bay Derby on March 9.
The first round of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager featured 23 leading 3-year-olds, but there are plenty of gems lurking on the periphery. One of them is Cerro, a colt from the connections that brought you 2011 Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom.
Dynamic Strike emerged from a pack of six horses spread across the track with a furlong remaining to record his third straight victory in Saturday’s $75,000 Miracle Wood Stakes for 3-year-olds at Laurel Park.
Plans of running Mudflats around two turns in a major stakes for 3-year-olds in coming weeks has been put on hold, but that could change if the gelding runs well in the $150,000 San Vicente Stakes over seven furlongs at Santa Anita next Sunday.
For the 15th time in as many years, the mutuel field is the favorite in Pool 1 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager, which closed Sunday at 6 p.m. Eastern following a three-day run that drew a combined handle of $621,493.