Mon, 04/15/2024 - 15:35

Breeders' Cup Challenge Series adds two South Korean races

Two stakes races held in South Korea have been added this year to the slate of contests that provide fees-paid berths to one of the 14 races for the Breeders’ Cup event, according to a schedule of the races distributed by Breeders’ Cup on Monday.

Mon, 04/15/2024 - 14:59

Kentucky Derby: Judge questions late-hour request by Zedan's attorneys

Coady Photography
Muth wins the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby on March 30 at Oaklawn Park.

A Kentucky circuit court judge said Monday he will issue a ruling by the end of the week on whether to grant a temporary injunction that would allow horses trained by Bob Baffert and owned by Amr Zedan to start in this year’s Kentucky Derby despite a ban by Churchill Downs on the trainer.

Mon, 04/15/2024 - 13:25

Kentucky Derby: Final decisions will determine fate of bubble horses

Encino wins Lexington at KEE April 13 2024
Coady Photography
Encino got into the Derby by winning Saturday's Lexington Stakes. His Derby status is yet to be determined.

All the prep races have been run and the qualifying points doled out. Now, several connections have decisions to make before the field for Kentucky Derby 150 is set.

Those decisions have to be finalized by April 27 when entries close and post positions are assigned for the $5 million Kentucky Derby. The field is limited to 20 starters, but as many as 24 horses may enter, with four carded as also-eligibles. Last year, 23 horses were entered and after scratches 18 ultimately went to post.

Mon, 04/15/2024 - 12:04

Kimura picks up Kentucky Derby mount on T O Password

Julie Wright
Kimura rode Mandarin Hero to a 12th-place finish in last year's Kentucky Derby.

ARCADIA, Calif. – One year after riding in his first Kentucky Derby, champion Canadian jockey Kazushi Kimura picked up his second Derby mount. Kimura will ride lightly raced Japanese colt T O Password in the 2024 Kentucky Derby, his California agent Brian Beach confirmed.

Sun, 04/14/2024 - 19:07

Turf may be in Jody’s Pride’s future

Barbara D. Livingston
Jody's Pride won the Busher Stakes on March 2 at Aqueduct.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Even as Jody’s Pride was running well on the dirt last year, trainer Jorge Abreu had the belief the filly was truly meant for the turf.

Now, she may actually get the chance to prove him right.

Jody’s Pride, who finished seventh in the Grade 1 Ashland at Keeneland on April 5, is no longer under consideration for the Kentucky Oaks and is likely to be pointed to a turf race for her next start, Abreu said.

Sun, 04/14/2024 - 19:04

Roses for Debra possible for Intercontinental or Jaipur, Clement says

Coady photo
Roses for Debra was given a 100 Beyer Speed Figure for Saturday's win in the Giant's Causeway.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Following her successful seasonal debut in Saturday’s Grade 3 Giant’s Causeway Stakes at Keeneland, Roses for Debra will be pointed to a stakes at Saratoga during the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, trainer Christophe Clement said Sunday.

Clement said the options are the Grade 2, $200,000 Intercontinental Stakes against females on June 7 or the Grade 1, $500,000 Jaipur against males the following day. Both races are at 5 1/2 furlongs, the distance at which she won the Giant’s Causeway.

Sun, 04/14/2024 - 17:58

Barboza feeling good about Grand Mo the First's chances of gaining Derby berth

Barbara D. Livingston
Grand Mo the First finished third in the Florida Derby on March 30 at Gulfstream Park.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Sunday was a very good day for trainer Victor Barboza Jr. and the connections of Grand Mo the First, who got in his first work since finishing a well-beaten third behind Fierceness in the Grade 1 Florida Derby while also moving one step closer to gaining a spot in this year’s Kentucky Derby.

Sun, 04/14/2024 - 14:05

NYRA's John Hennegan, patrol judge for Ruffian-Foolish Pleasure, dies at 84

NYRA Photo
John Hennegan was an official in various capacities for the Triple Crown-clinching victories of Secretariat, Seattle Slew and Affirmed.

John Hennegan, a long-time racing official for the New York Racing Association, died on April 11 after a battle with brain cancer, his family announced over the weekend. He was 84.

Henngan began working at NYRA in 1965 and worked for nearly 40 years spanning five decades. He worked as a patrol judge, assistant clerk of scales, clerk of scales and placing judge. He was a patrol judge for the famous Ruffian-Foolish Pleasure match race at Belmont Park and was an official in various capacities for the Triple Crown-clinching victories of Secretariat, Seattle Slew and Affirmed.

Sun, 04/14/2024 - 13:51

Sanford Bacon, breeder of Say Florida Sandy and Dancin' Renee, dies at 95

Barbara D. Livingston
Sanford Bacon, a longtime New York-based owner and breeder, died Friday in South Florida.

Sanford Bacon, a longtime owner and breeder based primarily in New York, died Friday at a rehab facility in South Florida, according to his caretaker Marcia Walker.  He was 95.

Bacon is best known as the breeder and owner of champion New York-bred siblings Say Florida Sandy and Dancin’ Renee, as well as the multiple New York-bred stakes winner Risky Rachel.

Sun, 04/14/2024 - 10:22

No More Time hurt during workout, will miss Kentucky Derby

Tom Keyser
No More Time was runner-up in his last start, the Tampa Bay Derby.

No More Time, winner of the Grade 3 Sam. F. Davis and runner-up in the Grade 3 Tampa Bay Derby, suffered an injury during a workout Sunday morning at the Palm Meadows training center in South Florida and is out of the Kentucky Derby, trainer Jose D’Angelo said.

That development opens up a spot in the May 4 Kentucky Derby for Lexington Stakes winner Encino should his connections want to run. After Saturday’s Lexington, trainer Brad Cox mentioned the Kentucky Derby or Preakness Stakes as possible for Encino’s next race.