ALBANY, Calif. - Golden Gate Fields has canceled racing for Friday because of insufficient entries, track general manager David Duggan said on Sunday.
This will be the second time in three weeks the flagship Northern California track will not race on a Friday. Racing was canceled on April 19 because of a lack of entries.
Racing was held last Friday, although the program opened with fields of four and three runners in the first two races on a seven-race program.
CHURCHILL DOWNS
April 28, 2024
Weather: Clear
Track: Fast
Temperature: 68
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Sunday offered a picture-perfect morning at Churchill Downs to pretty much close the book on the final major preparations for this year’s Kentucky Derby, with only the two Japanese invaders, Forever Young and T O Password, likely to record an official work in the days ahead.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - It was a whirlwind, albeit successful, 12 hours for trainer Steve Asmussen.
On Saturday afternoon, Asmussen was at Oaklawn Park, where he watched Valentine Candy win the Bachelor Stakes, the 3-year-old’s fourth stakes win of the meet. Asmussen jumped in his car for the eight-hour drive to Churchill Downs during which time he was kept apprised of his stable winning four races at Lone Star Park in Texas and then a victory by Zeitlos in the Roxelana Stakes, the latter being the opening-night feature at Churchill Downs.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Fair Grounds Oaks winner Tarifa drew a trainer-pleasing post 8 in a full field and has been installed as the 7-2 morning-line favorite for the 150th running of the Grade 1, $1.5 million Kentucky Oaks Friday at Churchill Downs.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Fourteen hours before post positions were to be drawn for the 150th Kentucky Derby, a serious contender officially joined the party.
Encino, just two weeks after winning the Lexington Stakes to earn enough points to make the field, sealed his connections’ decision to run in next week’s Kentucky Derby with a superb five-furlong workout shortly after 5:15 a.m. Saturday.
CHURCHILL DOWNS
Friday, April 26
Weather: Clear
Temperature: 51
Track: Fast
LOUISVILLE, Ky – Fierceness was unquestionably the center of attention Friday morning at Churchill Downs, and the reigning juvenile champion certainly did not disappoint his ever-growing legion of supporters. He likely cemented his status as the Kentucky Derby favorite with an eye-catching work moments after the start of the special Derby-Oaks training session at 7:30 a.m.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – For nearly a quarter of a century, the trainer-jockey team of Todd Pletcher and John Velazquez was arguably the most successful in racing. The duo combined to win 1,866 races – including a Kentucky Derby in 2017 with Always Dreaming and a Belmont Stakes with the filly Rags to Riches in 2007 – and more than $163 million in purse money.
In recent years, the two have found more of their success with other partners. But for Kentucky Derby 150, the band is back together.
Dan Illman, a reporter, handicapper, and executive producer of Daily Racing Form’s video production, has been named the recipient of the 2024 Old Hilltop Award, which is given by the Maryland Jockey Club to honor journalists who cover the sport with “excellence and distinction.”
Illman will be presented the award at the May 16 Alibi Breakfast, an annual event held in the week leading up to the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Racecourse.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – It comes as no shock to Whit Beckman that the first time he has a horse as a trainer in the Kentucky Derby, two of his biggest impediments to success are Todd Pletcher and Chad Brown.
Before going out on his own in 2021, Beckman worked as an assistant to both Pletcher and Brown. He was a New York-based assistant to Pletcher when the now Hall of Fame trainer won his first Derby with Super Saver in 2010. Beckman worked for Brown when that trainer won his first Preakness with Cloud Computing in 2017.
CHURCHILL DOWNS
Thursday, April 25
Weather: Clear
Temperature: 45
Track: Fast
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Louisiana Derby runner-up Honor Marie showed off a somewhat surprising turn of speed Thursday morning at Churchill Downs while at the same time kicking off what promises to be an extremely busy several days on the Kentucky Derby workout watch. Honor Marie completed five furlongs in a bullet 59.13 seconds under clear and crisp skies on a racetrack yielding relatively faster than usual times.
