CYPRESS, Calif. – California Chrome had a quiet morning Sunday at Los Alamitos, less than a day before he is scheduled to be flown to Churchill Downs for Saturday’s Kentucky Derby.
After working a half-mile in 48.20 seconds, California Chrome walked for 30 minutes at trainer Art Sherman’s barn. The colt is scheduled to leave the stable at 1:45 a.m. Monday to be shipped to Ontario airport, about 40 miles away, for the flight to Kentucky.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Each year, there is a buzz horse entering the Kentucky Derby, a 3-year-old whose pre-race training gets the pulse of the backstretch racing leading up to the Run for the Roses.
On Sunday, Intense Holiday may have stamped himself as that horse with a visually impressive workout over a dull Churchill Downs main track. The work, timed by Daily Racing Form’s Mike Welsch in 48.65 seconds, even had the colt’s even-keeled trainer, Todd Pletcher, gushing.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Ring Weekend is out, Commanding Curve is in, Bayern popped his bubble, and Pablo Del Monte is now on the bubble. Those were the developments on Sunday morning in terms of the current prospective field for Saturday’s Kentucky Derby, for which final entries will be taken, and post positions drawn, on Wednesday at Churchill Downs.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – There’s lots to admire about Chitu, who is set to run in the Kentucky Derby next Saturday here at Churchill Downs. He has won three times in four starts, his lone loss a second-place finish to another Derby candidate, Candy Boy, in the Robert Lewis. He has successfully stretched his speed - which he used to win his debut going six furlongs last December - as far as 1 1/8 miles, which he did winning his last start, the Sunland Derby.
LOUISVILLE, Ky.- Finally some real action under the Twin Spires!
Churchill Downs: Weather: Sunny Track: Fast Temperature: 55
After pretty much of a steady diet of routine gallops and jogs here over the past week, five Kentucky Derby hopefuls got the opportunity to stretch their legs and work over a fast Churchill Downs strip on Saturday. All that activity came within about a 12-minute span during the special Derby/Oaks training session after the renovation break at 8:30 a.m.
CYPRESS, Calif. – California Chrome was an eager colt at the start of a half-mile workout Saturday at Los Alamitos.
The favorite for the Kentucky Derby next Saturday, California Chrome worked a half-mile in 48.20 seconds under regular rider Victor Espinoza. The work could have been much quicker.
When California Chrome broke away from a pony on the backstretch, he was quick into the bridle, forcing Espinoza to take action.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Both the race shape and the pre-race preparation conspired against Candy Boy in his last start, the Santa Anita Derby, but both look to be far more in his favor for the next Saturday’s Kentucky Derby, the race for which Candy Boy had his final workout on Saturday morning at Churchill Downs.
The Razorback and Lady Razorback futurities, which are restricted to 2-year-olds bred in Arkansas, will be held at Remington Park this fall after having their first 20 runnings at Louisiana Downs. The six-furlong races, which each has a purse of $50,000, are to be run on Nov. 8, said Deana Echols, executive director of the Arkansas Thoroughbred Breeders and Horsemen’s Association.
With 17 winners entering the final three days of racing this meet, Roger Brueggemann is a strong favorite to capture his sixth straight Hawthorne training title, but no trainer here has had a more efficient meeting than Hugh Robertson. Robertson, who wintered his main string at Fair Grounds, has compiled a record here of 10-6-3 from just 22 starters. Robertson, never a man to mince words, credited a lack of competition for his stable’s excellent showing.
