Mon, 04/02/2018 - 11:15

McKinzie in holding pattern, Kentucky Derby start 'not looking good'

Barbara D. Livingston
Grade 1 winner McKinzie, under jockey Drayden Van Dyke, works seven furlongs in 1:23.80 on Sunday ahead of the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes on Saturday.

ARCADIA, Calif. – After finally getting a chance to see McKinzie for the first time in a week, assessing his status, and looking at the calendar, trainer Bob Baffert on Monday morning here at Santa Anita said it was “not looking good” for McKinzie to make the Kentucky Derby on May 5 at Churchill Downs.

Sun, 04/01/2018 - 16:20

On to Kentucky Oaks for Coach Rocks

Barbara D. Livingston
Coach Rocks paid $7.60 in winning the Gulfstream Park Oaks.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Coach Rocks came out of her victory in Saturday’s Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Oaks in good order and left South Florida on Sunday for Churchill Downs, where she will make her next start in the Kentucky Oaks on May 4.

Coach Rocks, who won her maiden on the lead, had a more difficult trip in the Gulfstream Oaks, racing in seventh position early before having to make a wide bid in the final three furlongs.

Sun, 04/01/2018 - 15:16

Roman to ride Greyvitos in Lexington Stakes

Dustin Orona Photography
Greyvitos is expected to make his first start since winning the Springboard Mile in the Lexington Stakes on April 14.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Greyvitos, the winner of the $402,400 Springboard Mile at Remington Park in December, will have a new jockey when he returns from injury in the Grade 3 Lexington Stakes at Keeneland on April 14.

Evin Roman, the champion apprentice jockey of 2017, will ride Greyvitos for the first time, trainer Adam Kitchingman said on Sunday. Roman replaces Victor Espinoza, who is booked to ride Accelerate in the Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap in Arkansas on the same day.

On Sunday at Del Mar, Greyvitos worked seven furlongs from the gate in 1:27.20 under Roman.

Sun, 04/01/2018 - 15:12

Bolt d'Oro full of energy in final work for Santa Anita Derby

Barbara D. Livingston
McKinzie (inside) is expected to stay home for the Santa Anita Derby, setting up a rematch with Bolt d'Oro.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Bolt d’Oro reached the finish of a five-furlong workout at Santa Anita on Sunday in 1:01.20. It was then that the talented colt decided the exercise was not complete.

“When he got to the wire, he grabbed the bit like he was coming out of the gate,” trainer Mick Ruis said.

Exercise rider Agapito Delgadillo told Ruis that Bolt d’Oro had ample energy after five furlongs. The promising workout comes just days before Bolt d’Oro starts in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby on Saturday in a final prep for the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 5.

Sun, 04/01/2018 - 15:03

Exercise rider Valenzuela severely injured in spill

ARCADIA, Calif. – Exercise rider Adrian Valenzuela sustained a spinal-cord injury in a spill at Santa Anita on Saturday and did not have feeling in his legs on Sunday morning, according to his father, trainer Martin Valenzuela.

Adrian Valenzuela, 21, was scheduled to undergo surgery on Monday at Huntington Memorial hospital in Pasadena, his father said.

Martin Valenzuela said Adrian suffered a “fractured back.” Doctors have told Martin Valenzuela that his son could be paralyzed from the waist down.

Sun, 04/01/2018 - 13:36

Audible a big part of Pletcher's embarrassment of riches

Barbara D. Livingston
Audible drew clear to a three-length victory in Saturday's Grade 1 Florida Derby.

DELRAY BEACH, Fla. – Trainer Todd Pletcher came to South Florida this winter with a bevy of unproven commodities in the 3-year-old division. He will leave here in a few weeks for Churchill Downs with a strong portfolio of contenders for the 144th Kentucky Derby.

Sun, 04/01/2018 - 13:09

Monomoy Girl, Quip breeze for major Keeneland stakes

Emily Shields
Rachel Alexandra winner Monomoy Girl is pointing for the Grade 1 Ashland Stakes at Keeneland.

Monomoy Girl, among the leading prospects for the Kentucky Oaks, worked Sunday at Keeneland as she targets the track's major prep for the filly classic.

The Tapizar filly, trained by Brad Cox, worked four furlongs in company in 47 1/5 seconds in her final major move prior to the Grade 1 Ashland Stakes next Saturday. The filly worked early Sunday to beat wet weather expected to move into the Lexington, Ky., area later in the day; the track was officially rated “fast” for training hours. Monomoy Girl went the opening quarter in 24 seconds and galloped out in 59 4/5 seconds.

Sun, 04/01/2018 - 10:17

Monomoy Girl, Quip breeze for major Keeneland stakes

Emily Shields
Rachel Alexandra winner Monomoy Girl is pointing for the Grade 1 Ashland Stakes at Keeneland.

Monomoy Girl, among the leading prospects for the Kentucky Oaks, worked Sunday at Keeneland as she targets the track's major prep for the filly classic.

The Tapizar filly, trained by Brad Cox, worked four furlongs in company in 47 1/5 seconds in her final major move prior to the Grade 1 Ashland Stakes next Saturday. The filly worked early Sunday to beat wet weather expected to move into the Lexington, Ky., area later in the day; the track was officially rated “fast” for training hours. Monomoy Girl went the opening quarter in 24 seconds and galloped out in 59 4/5 seconds.

Sat, 03/31/2018 - 14:14

McKinzie to miss Santa Anita Derby with unspecified injury

Barbara D. Livingston
McKinzie will miss Saturday's Santa Anita Derby.

Top Kentucky Derby contender McKinzie has sustained an injury and won't start in the Santa Anita Derby, trainer Bob Baffert said a few minutes after the Dubai World Cup on Saturday night in Dubai.

Missing the Santa Anita Derby obviously would put McKinzie's status for the Kentucky Derby in doubt.

Baffert said it was unclear how McKinzie hurt himself and even what the exact nature of the injury is. McKinzie worked a strong five furlongs on Monday at Santa Anita but didn't come out to train Thursday.

Sat, 03/31/2018 - 11:07

Blended Citizen drills for Blue Grass Stakes

Keeneland Photo
Blended Citizen (right) wins the Jeff Ruby Steaks at Turfway Park.

Blended Citizen, the winner of the Jeff Ruby at Turfway Park in his most recent outing, worked Saturday morning at Keeneland as he prepares for next weekend's Blue Grass, in which he will attempt to definitively punch his ticket to the Kentucky Derby.

The Proud Citizen colt went five furlongs in 1:01 1/5 in company with new stablemate Arawak, a move that left jockey Kyle Frey "ecstatic."

"It was great, beautiful," Frey said. "He handles the dirt good, especially this surface."