From the racetracks of New Mexico to the Middle East, Rose’s Desert has developed into the linchpin of the Peacock family operation, with her son Senor Buscador looking to take down another of the world’s richest prizes in Saturday’s Group 1, $12 million Dubai World Cup.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Seize the Grey will get a chance to earn more Kentucky Derby points following his third-place finish in the Grade 3 Jeff Ruby Steaks last Saturday at Turfway Park.
Trainer D. Wayne Lukas said Tuesday the horse is scheduled to make his next start in the Grade 1, $1 million Blue Grass on April 6 at Keeneland.
Seize the Grey has 27 points for the Kentucky Derby and is 15th on the list administered by Churchill Downs.
Lukas said he was encouraged by Seize the Grey’s effort in the Ruby.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Stronghold’s impressive team work this week at Santa Anita solidified the Grade 3 Sunland Park Derby winner as a contender April 6 in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby.
Stronghold and jockey Antonio Fresu broke off behind graded turf stakes winners Gold Phoenix and Motorious in the March 25 drill, took dirt, angled outside, and ran past his older workmates in a blazing 58.40 seconds, the fastest five furlongs of the day.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Jockey Florent Geroux, who has played an important role in the development of Timberlake, will be watching the horse closely in the Arkansas Derby – from Dubai.
Geroux is traveling overseas to ride Saudi Crown in the Godolphin Mile. He was overseas last month for the $20 million Saudi Cup when Timberlake won the Grade 2, $1.25 million Rebel at Oaklawn Park.
WHO’S HOT
Catching Freedom took advantage of a pro-closers race flow in the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby to score a last-to-first victory at Fair Grounds and cement his Kentucky Derby credentials. Catching Freedom and runner-up Honor Marie, who rallied from next-to-last, were both exiting the Grade 2 Risen Star Stakes won by Derby Watch favorite Sierra Leone. Subsequently, linemaker David Aragona lowered Sierra Leone to 6-1 and Catching Freedom to 8-1 second choice. Honor Marie was trimmed to 15-1 co-sixth choice.
Fierceness
City of Light – Nonna Bella, by Stay Thirsty
Bred in Kentucky by Repole Stable
Fierceness, who won last November’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile to cement an Eclipse Award championship, looks to cement his spot in the Kentucky Derby in Saturday’s Florida Derby.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Jockey Flavien Prat has one more day of mounts at Santa Anita before making his annual springtime move to Kentucky.
Prat is booked to ride Thursday through Saturday at Oaklawn Park, including Timberlake in Saturday’s Grade 1 Arkansas Derby, and will ride at Santa Anita next Sunday, according to his agent Brad Pegram.
Prat will be based at Keeneland when that track begins its spring meeting on April 5.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Trainer Kenny McPeek and jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. will team with leading contenders in each of the feature races this week at Oaklawn Park, starting Thursday with Count Dracula and continuing through Saturday with Mystik Dan in the Grade 1, $1.5 million Arkansas Derby.
There is no racing Sunday in observance of Easter.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Johannes, a two-time stakes winner in 2023, will start in Sunday’s Grade 3 American Stakes at a mile on turf at Santa Anita as a prep for major goals later this spring.
Johannes won his first three starts on turf in late 2022 and early 2023 before finishing fifth by two lengths in the Grade 2 American Turf Stakes for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles at Churchill Downs last May, his most recent start.
