A stakes winner in France last month, Brave Emperor will be favored to win for the fifth time in his seventh start in the $72,600 Road to the Kentucky Derby Condition Stakes at Kempton Park near London on Wednesday.
Luis Saez earned his money in the Tampa Bay Derby. It was exhausting just watching Saez ride the hair off Tapit Trice from the seven-sixteenths pole to mid-stretch. All that effort paid off as the odds-on favorite won going away while making his stakes debut and first start around two turns.
Pool 5 in the 2023 Kentucky Derby Future Wager closed Sunday evening with Forte a clear-cut favorite among 40 wagering options following the customary three-day run.
Confidence Game, one-length winner of the Rebel Stakes on Feb. 25 at Oaklawn Park, is unlikely to run back March 25 in the Louisiana Derby. Trainer Keith Desmormeaux is keeping options open for Confidence Game, who could run on April 1 in the Arkansas Derby, on April 8 in the Blue Grass, or train right into the Kentucky Derby.
Arabian Knight, undefeated in two races and rated among the leading candidates for the Triple Crown, has been taken out of training, owner Amr Zedan announced in a message on Twitter late Saturday night.
Three of the biggest names among the California-based 3-year-olds had workouts at Santa Anita on Thursday, a day before the expected arrival of a rainstorm.
One week after Forte further entrenched himself as the Kentucky Derby favorite, trainer Todd Pletcher will be looking for at least one more of his talented 3-year-olds to emerge as a contender for the May 6 Run for the Roses.
Tapit Trice heads a field of 12 3-year-olds set to go Saturday in the lone Kentucky Derby qualifying race of the weekend, the Grade 3, $350,000 Tampa Bay Derby at Tampa Bay Downs.
Two Phil’s, second in the Lecomte Stakes and third in the Risen Star, has left Fair Grounds and settled into trainer Larry Rivelli’s string at Hawthorne, and will make his next start March 25 at Turfway Park in the $700,000 Jeff Ruby Stakes.
Trainer Brad Cox still is sorting where to run a bevy of Fair Grounds-based Kentucky Derby hopefuls. Cox had three runners in the Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds and figures to have at least that many in the Louisiana Derby there.
