The Breeders’ Cup will once again award incentives to runners in selected stakes races this year to drive entries to its dirt races, the organization announced on Friday.

The so-called “Dirt Dozen” will feature 12 stakes races throughout the lead-up to the Breeders’ Cup on Oct. 31-Nov. 1 at Del Mar that will award credits toward entry fees for the $2 million Distaff, the $2 million Sprint, the $2 million Juvenile, the $2 million Juvenile Fillies, the $1 million Filly and Mare Sprint, and the $1 million Dirt Mile.

Coal Battle has wasted no time getting acquainted with Churchill Downs. Some 36 hours after arriving in Louisville, the colt turned in his first local breeze toward the Kentucky Derby, going a half-mile in 48.40 seconds on Tuesday morning beneath the twin spires.

With trainer Lonnie Briley’s assistant, Bethany Taylor, aboard, Coal Battle clicked off an opening quarter-mile in 24 seconds and galloped out five furlongs in 1:02.40, according to Churchill clocker Adam Wallace.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Ferocious, among the top 2-year-old prospects in 2024 and on the Kentucky Derby trail earlier this year, has been euthanized due to laminitis, co-owner Ramiro Restrepo reported Monday. 

Ferocious launched his career in sensational fashion last summer at Saratoga, winning his debut by 7 3/4 lengths while earning a 96 Beyer Speed Figure for trainer Gustavo Delgado. He finished second in both the Grade 1 Hopeful and Breeders’ Futurity in his two subsequent starts before concluding his campaign finishing a troubled fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. 

ARCADIA, Calif. - Partially due to the excitement of winning the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby hours earlier on Journalism, and partially because of late-night viewing of the Japanese Grand Prix, jockey Umberto Rispoli had trouble sleeping on Saturday night.

Getting settled was not easy. There was a lot to review from Saturday’s program at Santa Anita, notably his winning ride on Journalism in the $500,000 Santa Anita Derby at 1 1/8 miles.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - On a weekend of mixed results with his 3-year-olds, trainer Bob Baffert may have found his top Kentucky Derby candidate in Rodriguez, the dominant front-running winner of Saturday’s Grade 2 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct.

Baffert shipped Rodriguez cross-country hoping to find a quieter environment for the 3-year-old who got a bit wound up prior to last month’s San Felipe at Santa Anita, where he finished 11 1/4 lengths behind Journalism.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna will start as the 124-pound highweight Saturday in the Grade 1, $1.25 million Apple Blossom Handicap at Oaklawn Park.

She drew post 6 in a field of seven when entries were taken Sunday. Brian Hernandez Jr. has the mount for trainer Kenny McPeek.

The Apple Blossom will go as the 11th on a 12-race card that starts at 12:20 p.m. Central.

Free Like a Girl totes the second highest weight as she carries an assigned 120.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Trainer Chad Brown said he is “not overly concerned” with the lugging in Ballerina d’Oro did winning Saturday’s Grade 3 Gazelle Stakes at Aqueduct, but said he would “tinker with her a little bit” in the month leading up to the May 2 Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs. 

“She’s had too many perfect days in a row training for me to be worrying too much about one incident in a short field,” Brown said Sunday morning. 

Journalism, the almost-certain favorite for the May 3 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs, closed as the 5-1 favorite in the final Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool just hours before significantly boosting his credentials with a troubled-trip win in the Santa Anita Derby later on Saturday.

Journalism won his fourth consecutive race in the Santa Anita Derby, and paid $4 to win on Saturday. He also closed as the 5-1 favorite in the prior Future Wager pool, and he will likely be a solid favorite in the Kentucky Derby as long as he makes the race.