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.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Jockey Kendrick Carmouche became the 69th jockey in North America to win 4,000 career races when he guided Crimson Light to victory in Saturday’s eighth race at Aqueduct, a win that set off an unusual celebration. 

After getting his picture taken in the winner’s circle, Carmouche ran over to the apron, jumped a small fence and took a photo with a few dozen of his hardcore fans who often scream the loudest when Carmouche wins a race. 

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - The New York Racing Association has agreed to a compensation package with the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association for the horsemen impacted by the cancellation of the March 30 Aqueduct card due to unhealthy noise levels stemming from an auto and bike show in a nearby parking lot. 

John Toscano Jr., a trainer primarily on the New York Racing Association circuit for 55 years, died Thursday in a Long Island hospital after fighting myriad illnesses. He was 80 years old. 

Since 1979, according to Equibase, Toscano won 428 races from 4,381 starters. His horses earned $18,368,122 in purse money. 

“He graduated St. John’s in 1966, and he went right to the track as a hotwalker, making $30 a week,” said John Toscano III, one of three sons Toscano had. “He loved the horses. Working for Jimmy Picou was his first job.”