Several years ago, trainer Chad Brown developed Fourstar Cook from a force in the New York-bred filly and mare turf division to a Grade 1 winner in her 6-year-old year. History seems to be repeating itself with the New York-bred gelding Spirit of St Louis, who, after winning five statebred stakes, became a Grade 1 winner in his 6-year-old debut when he captured the Pegasus World Cup Turf on Jan. 25 at Gulfstream Park.
NEW ORLEANS – This is the time. The time when 3-year-old promise must alchemize into production to make the Kentucky Derby with a legitimate chance. So it goes for the 10 horses entered in the Louisiana Derby on Saturday at Fair Grounds, and promise more than production defines this group.
John Hancock on Feb. 8 captured the Sam F. Davis Stakes, his second win from as many starts, but his top Beyer Speed Figure, 84, is not Derby material.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Patriot Spirit will be looking to nail down the first graded stakes win of his career Saturday when he meets 120-pound highweight Kinetic and $1.8 million earner Red Route One in the Grade 3, $500,000 Essex Handicap.
The 1 1/8-mile race for 4-year-olds and up drew a field of seven, with three cross-entered in the New Orleans Classic at Fair Grounds. Maycocks Bay is scheduled to run in Louisiana, while Kinetic and Tarantino are expected for the Essex, according to Daily Racing Form correspondents Brad Free and Marcus Hersh.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – The much anticipated return of the speedy Gabaldon will finally take place Saturday at Gulfstream Park in the $115,000 Texas Glitter Stakes. The five-furlong dash restricted to 3-year-olds lured a field of seven, including Gabaldon’s Jose D’Angelo-trained stablemate Incanto.
Pay Billy, a 3-year-old colt trained by Michael Gorham, will have to overcome the outside post in the $100,000 Private Terms Stakes to earn his first stakes win Saturday at Laurel Park. Potential scratches to his inside may ease his trip.
Two rivals who could ship in for the Private Terms are entered in other races this weekend. Butch Reid, trainer of Global Steve, said he plans to take his colt to Turfway Park for the Animal Kingdom Stakes. Christophe Clement, trainer of Superpower, has cross-entered his recent maiden winner in a softer allowance field on Sunday at Laurel.
California Burrito moved to the head of the class among Kentucky Derby hopefuls at Turfway Park last month by winning the track’s first points race, the John Battaglia Memorial. He bested a big field, but back in the barn was Grade 2 winner First Resort, Godolphin’s morning-line favorite who was scratched due to injury.
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OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Cupid’s Heart doesn’t run very often, but when she does she usually performs very well.
Saturday, the now 6-year-old Cupid’s Heart makes just her 11th career start – and first since June – in a second-level allowance/optional $62,500 claiming race that serves as the feature on Aqueduct’s 10-race card. There are no stakes races scheduled at Aqueduct until the April 5 Wood Memorial card.
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ARCADIA, Calif. – A pair of 7-year-old stablemates, Gold Phoenix and Easter, figure to attract the most attention Saturday in the Grade 3 San Luis Rey Stakes on turf at Santa Anita. The second-best horse could be the most likely winner.
Gold Phoenix is the class of the field, but the San Luis Rey would be his first start in more than four months. Easter has not won a race since 2023, but his fast-closing runner-up finish last out at a mile and one-quarter suggests he will relish a mile and one-half in the San Luis Rey.
