LEXINGTON, Ky. — Zandon and Kathleen O., who will be among the favorites in the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks, respectively, turned in their penultimate breezes toward the spring classics Saturday morning at Keeneland.

Zandon, winner of the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland on April 9, stepped onto the track with exercise rider Kriss Bon in the irons just after 9 a.m., following the second renovation break on the fast main track. Working on his own, the colt breezed a half-mile in 48 3/5 seconds. He galloped out five furlongs in 1:00 4/5.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Strategy is important in every race, but perhaps even more so in a small field of quality runners. At least that could be the case Saturday, when five top  fillies and mares go in the Grade 1, $1 million Apple Blossom Handicap at Oaklawn Park.  

The stellar cast boasts champions Letruska and Ce Ce, Grade 1 winners Clairiere and Maracuja, and eight-time stakes winner Miss Imperial.  

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. -- The first words out of trainer Antonio Sano’s mouth upon answering his phone a short while after Simplification turned in his penultimate breeze for the 2022 Kentucky Derby Friday morning at Gulfstream Park were, “Hello Mike, how are you?”  The next four, without hesitation, were “So happy! So happy!”

Jose Ortiz will ride Simplification in the 148^th Kentucky Derby on May 7, his agent, Jim Riccio Jr., confirmed Thursday.

Ortiz has ridden Simplification to a victory in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream and a third-place finish in the Grade 1 Florida Derby there. Ortiz has been the regular rider of Early Voting, the Grade 3 Withers winner and Grade 2 Wood Memorial runner-up. While trainer Chad Brown has not discounted running Early Voting in the Kentucky Derby, he reiterated Thursday he is “60-40” leaning to running him in the Preakness on May 21.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Cross-training has typically been used as a method to prepare horses for a second career when their racing days are done. Trainer Amira Chichakly has recently introduced it as a way to prepare horses for success while racing as well.

And she is starting to see positive results.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Midnight Bourbon, one of the top 3-year-olds of 2021, died suddenly Sunday morning in his stall at Churchill Downs after suffering from what his trainer, Steve Asmussen, termed “an acute gastrointestinal situation.”

Owned by the Winchell Thoroughbreds of Ron Winchell, Midnight Bourbon earned $3,557,970 from 16 career starts. The 4-year-old colt had been training at Churchill – and in fact had breezed earlier Sunday morning – after finishing third in the Feb. 26 Saudi Cup and fifth in the March 26 Dubai World Cup.

WHO’S HOT

After 37 races spread over 210 days, everyone with designs on the Kentucky Derby knows where they sit. For those in the top 20 on points, they’re in, holding their breath that nothing untoward bubbles forth. For those just outside the top 20, they’re hoping a spot opens before the race is run at Churchill Downs May 7. The door isn’t quite shut. Yes, we’re saying there’s a chance.

Rafael Bejarano will ride Happy Jack in the Kentucky Derby on May 7 at Churchill Downs, trainer Doug O'Neill said Tuesday, reuniting a trainer and jockey team that had terrific success in Southern California before Bejarano returned to the Kentucky circuit.

Happy Jack, a Calumet Farm homebred colt by Oxbow, secured enough points to run in the Derby by finishing a distant third in his most recent start, the Santa Anita Derby, behind Taiba and Messier. He also finished third in his prior start, the San Felipe Stakes.

The Kentucky Court of Appeals has denied a motion by the trainer Bob Baffert seeking a stay of a 90-day suspension he has already begun serving, according to a ruling in the case.

The ruling by the court is likely to put an end to any efforts by Baffert to seek a stay of the suspension, which he began serving on April 4 after several failed attempts to get the penalty stayed by both the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission and state courts. The suspension runs through July 2. Baffert has already removed all of the horses in his barn.