LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Trainer Brad Cox reported all was well with his champion filly Idiomatic, 24 hours after she launched her 2024 campaign with an impressive 3 3/4-length victory in Friday’s Grade 1 La Troienne over a sloppy track at Churchill Downs.
“She looked great this morning,” Cox said shortly after sending out Pure Force to win his career debut in the opening race on Saturday’s Kentucky Derby program.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The top two finishers in the Kentucky Oaks, Thorpedo Anna and Just F Y I, emerged from their efforts in good order and could each wind up in some of the major Grade 1 races for their division this summer at Saratoga.
Trainer Ken McPeek said Thorpedo Anna, who pulled away from Just F Y I late to complete a wire-to-wire, 4 3/4-length victory in the Oaks, was "a little tired" Saturday morning, but overall in good shape.
With just more than $4.2 million in the Kentucky Derby win pool as of 7:45 p.m. Eastern on Friday, Fierceness was the 3-1 betting favorite. Sierra Leone was the second-lowest price at 9-2 and was followed by Forever Young at 7-1 and Catching Freedom at 8-1.
Kentucky Oaks/Derby will pays are listed at bottom of article.
Win pool $4,220,451 as of 7:45 p.m. Eastern
Gerry Stanislawzyk, the assistant racing secretary at Monmouth Park in New Jersey since 2016, has been promoted to racing secretary for the track’s upcoming race meet, the track announced Friday.
Stanislawzyk, 52, will take the position previously held by John Heims, who is “moving into a new management role at the track,” Monmouth said. In addition to serving as Monmouth’s assistant racing secretary for the past eight seasons, Stanislawzyk has been the stakes coordinator at Tampa Bay Downs in Florida for the past 10 years.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Jockey Jon Court will be retiring after Sunday’s card at Oaklawn Park. The 63-year-old native of Gainesville, Fla., has four mounts, capped by League of Legends in the sixth race.
Court said he announced his decision Monday night. During his career, he’s been a fixture in the Midwest, and rode in Southern California from 2004-08. Court, who began riding in 1980, had won 4,263 races from 35,355 mounts in North America through Thursday for mount earnings of $114 million. In an overseas venture, he captured the Japan Dirt Cup in 2003 with Fleetstreet Dancer.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Oaklawn Park on Sunday will close a statistically satisfying meet, with a variety of barometers showing participation increases from patrons, owners, and horses, according to track president Lou Cella.
Looking ahead, Oaklawn plans to make some slight changes to next season’s calendar, which Cella said is agreed to by horsemen and is now subject to final approval from the Arkansas Racing Commission.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – That ear-to-ear smile that can light up a room belies what jockey Tyler Gaffalione is really feeling. For even when he wins, Gaffalione isn’t completely satisfied.
“I’m never happy with where I’m at. I always want to get better, want to improve,” Gaffalione, 29, said this week. “If you’re not getting better, you’re getting worse.
“I can’t tell you how many races I’ve won where I don’t want to watch it just because it was not pretty,” Gaffalione added. “Some of my biggest wins.”
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Candied, who did not draw in to Friday’s Kentucky Oaks off the also-eligible list, has a bruised quarter in her right front hoof and will target a return to the races next month.
Trainer Todd Pletcher said Candied, who did train Friday morning, will focus on the Grade 1 Acorn Stakes, this year to be run at 1 1/8 miles on June 7 at Saratoga.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Tyler’s Tribe, the standout Iowa-bred whose magical 2-year-old season lifted the spirits of the young cancer patient he was named for, collapsed and died following a Wednesday workout at Oaklawn Park, trainer Tim Martin told Daily Racing Form.
Martin also confirmed a second horse from the barn, Collins, collapsed and died when galloping out after a Thursday work at the track. Both horses were under the same exercise rider who escaped injury, Martin said. Collins was a 3-year-old maiden through six starts who had not yet raced for Martin.
CHURCHILL DOWNS
Weather: Clear
Temperature: 67°
Track: Fast
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The final special training session for Kentucky Derby and Oaks participants went off without incident Thursday at Churchill Downs. However, Domestic Product, who came out to train nearly 30 minutes later with the general population, did have to delay his gallop briefly due to a horse who lost its rider and got loose in his vicinity while he stood calmly along the outside rail about 100 yards from the finish line.
