Illinois Derby field far from finalized
As of Saturday, just four 3-year-olds are listed as probable for Saturday's Illinois Derby at Hawthorne. Entries will be drawn Wednesday.
Marcus HershApr 02, 2011
As of Saturday, just four 3-year-olds are listed as probable for Saturday's Illinois Derby at Hawthorne. Entries will be drawn Wednesday.
Premier Pegasus, Jaycito, and Bench Points were the first three finishers in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes. Saturday, they worked minutes apart for next weekend's $1 million Santa Anita Derby.
Uncle Mo, the undefeated divisional champion, attracted the most action after the first full day of betting into the third and final pool in the 2001 Kentucky Derby Future Wager, which opened for the customary three-day run Friday at noon Eastern.
Uncle Mo and The Factor attracted the most action in the early hours of betting into the third and final pool in the 2011 Kentucky Derby Future Wager, which opened for the customary three-day run Friday at noon Eastern.
Trainer Bob Baffert said on Friday that he has yet to finalize a decision for Jaycito’s next start, with the options the $1 million Santa Anita Derby or the $1 million Wood Memorial at Aqueduct, both on April 9.
The Florida Derby, a Grade 1 race with a $1 million purse, can be considered a final Kentucky Derby prep or a goal in itself that offers an opportunity to pick up a lucrative paycheck and Grade 1 status. Kiaran McLaughlin, who trains likely favorite Soldat, said the Florida Derby can stand by itself, but he will attempt to balance the fine line of winning the race without emptying the tank for his main objective, the Kentucky Derby on May 7.
Machen finished fifth in the Louisiana Derby, running the same kind of race – good middle move, no late punch – he had in the Risen Star Stakes. Those two-turn results have strongly suggested to Machen’s connections that he’s a better horse at shorter distances, and Machen’s upcoming schedule will be adjusted accordingly.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. –Todd Pletcher has 13 horses entered in the 12 races run on Sunday’s Florida Derby Day card at Gulfstream Park. The shortest price of the baker’s dozen could very well be Travelin Man in the Grade 2, $150,000 Swale Stakes for 3-year-olds.
Comma to the Top, the winner of the Grade 1 CashCall Futurity last December and two other stakes in 2010, was withdrawn from this weekend's third round of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager on Thursday after trainer Peter Miller told Churchill Downs officials that the Kentucky Derby is not likely to figure in the gelding's plans this spring.
The decision by the connections of Flashpoint to run their undefeated 3-year-old in the Florida Derby didn’t actually bring about a mad rush to the entry box for Saturday’s Grade 2, $150,000 Swale Stakes.