LEXINGTON, Ky. - A handful of Kentucky Derby candidates breezed Friday morning in the Bluegrass State as plans and the field for the May 2 classic continue to come into focus.
Rahy’s Attorney, One for Rose, Richard Dos Ramos, John Burness, and Dale Saunders are among the 2026 inductees into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame.
Rahy’s Attorney gained his 15 minutes by upsetting the 2008 Woodbine Mile, a prestigious Grade 1 stakes. He was voted the Sovereign Award as outstanding male grass runner that year and went on to capture the Grade 2 King Edward and Grade 2 Nijinsky while banking $2.1 million for trainer Ian Black.
Despite all the major points-scoring races having been completed, there are still many decisions that need to be made before getting a total handle on the field for Kentucky Derby 152 on May 2 at Churchill Downs.
There are at least four horses among the top 21 point-earners who are less than certain to be entered by their connections come April 25. Ottinho, Class President, and Stark Contrast – who currently rank 15th through 17th on the points list – are uncertain to run. Additionally, Iron Honor, who ranks 21st, also is questionable to be entered.
WHO’S HOT
Brad Cox won a Kentucky Derby points-scoring race for the third straight week, this time with Further Ado galloping to an 11-length victory in the Grade 1 Blue Grass. Further Ado, who earned a division-best 106 Beyer Speed Figure was lowered by David Aragona from 25-1 before the Blue Grass to co-second choice at 5-1 with his Cox-trained stablemate, Commandment, winner of the Grade 1 Florida Derby on March 28.
Cox also has Jeff Ruby Steaks winner Fulleffort pointing to the Derby.
ARCADIA, Calif. - There is a carryover of $97,983 in Sunday’s $2 pick six at Santa Anita, and the entire pool must be distributed.
Sunday is the final day of the track’s winter-spring meeting, which began in late December.
With the closing day, there are mandatory payouts in the early and late pick five, pick six, and super high five, as well as the Coast-to-Coast Pick Five and Sunset Six that link races between Gulfstream Park and Santa Anita.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Champion Nitrogen will break from the rail in a field of nine fillies and mares for the Grade 1, $1.25 million Apple Blossom Handicap next Saturday at Oaklawn Park.
The field for the 1 1/16-mile race was drawn Saturday. This year, the Apple Blossom is a ‘Win and You’re In’ qualifier for the Breeders’ Cup Distaff.
Jockey Patrick Valenzuela, who rode Sunday Silence to a win in the 1989 Kentucky Derby and has seven career victories in Breeders’ Cup races, rode a winner for the first time in nearly a decade at Turf Paradise on Wednesday.
Definitely Prbable, the 7-5 favorite, prevailed by a nose in a maiden race at a mile on turf with a purse of $17,000. The 63-year-old Valenzuela said on Thursday that the win left him overwhelmed.
“I didn’t realize I’d be so emotional,” Valenzuela said. “I had tears in my eyes. I was hoping the photographers wouldn’t catch that.”
The road to Kentucky Derby 152 has been filled with potholes thus far for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert.
Baffert, a six-time Kentucky Derby winner, has run seven 3-year-olds in nine points-scoring races toward the Kentucky Derby to be held May 2 at Churchill Downs. While he’s won two of those races, Plutarch, winner of the Grade 3 Robert Lewis Stakes in February, was declared off the Derby trail with an injury. Plutarch, Baffert said, has recently begun jogging.
WHO’S NOT
Renegade was impressive drawing clear to a four-length victory in the Arkansas Derby and now is widely considered the favorite for the Kentucky Derby. David Aragona pegged Renegade at 7-2 in DRF's Derby Watch top 20, slightly ahead of Commandment (9-2), who somehow got his nose down on the wire over The Puma in Grade 1 Florida Derby. The Puma and Chief Wallabee, a half-length behind the top two in the Florida Derby, are co-third choices at 10-1.
