LEXINGTON, Ky. – The debut scarcely could have been any flashier. American Rascal, a royally bred 2-year-old colt, won the second race Thursday at Keeneland by a widening 10 1/4 lengths that even had Wesley Ward grasping for superlatives.
“It’s humbling,” said Ward, whose dominance in early season 2-year-old races is as pronounced as ever this year. “Some of the horses the owners give me to train for them are just incredibly talented. Obviously, this colt is unbelievably fast.”
Live racing at Laurel Park in Maryland has been canceled “indefinitely,” according to a one-sentence announcement posted on social media by the track’s parent company Friday.
It is unclear what led to the cancellation. Representatives of the Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association and 1/ST Racing, which owns Laurel, did not immediately return phone calls Friday morning.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – It was the fastest few minutes in sports, at least for the day. A flurry of important workouts from the top contenders for the May 6 Kentucky Derby all took place within a matter of moments early Friday at Churchill Downs, with their connections later expressing their satisfaction with how those horses are progressing with a little more than two weeks to the big race.
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Star jockey Flavien Prat has been suspended three days by the Keeneland stewards for his role in the disqualification of his mount, Foreign Relations, from first to last in the sixth race Wednesday at Keeneland.
Prat was aboard Foreign Relations when the gelding swerved in sharply in midstretch, causing Master of the Ring to clip heels and fall awkwardly to the turf course, throwing Tyler Gaffalione.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Woodbine launches its 2023 season on Saturday with a meet that largely resembles the 2022 version.
Racing is scheduled for 133 days, ending Dec. 17. It will be conducted with a 1:10 p.m. post time on weekends until May 5, when Fridays will be added. Thursday racing begins May 25 with a 4:50 p.m. post time.
The stakes program will offer more than $17 million in purses, including 39 graded stakes, five Grade 1 events, and two $1 million fixtures, the King’s Plate and Woodbine Mile.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – As the trainers of Kentucky Derby and Oaks hopefuls continued to monitor the coming April showers, Kingsbarns was the first of Todd Pletcher’s major prep winners to turn in his penultimate breeze toward the Run for the Roses on Thursday morning at Churchill Downs.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Skinner bounced out of his Santa Anita Derby third-place finish in such good shape he has already returned to work. Just nine days after missing by a half-length in the Santa Anita Derby, Skinner worked a half-mile Monday to stay on target for the Kentucky Derby.
Only one problem. As of Wednesday morning, Skinner ranked 22nd on the Kentucky Derby points leaderboard with 45 points. He needs two defections to make the field. For trainer John Shirreffs, who won the 2005 Derby with Giacomo, it is déjà vu all over again.
The huge purses at the boutique Kentucky Downs meet got even bigger this week when officials at the turf-only track in south-central Kentucky announced that the newly named Mint Millions will be a $2 million race during the seven-day meet, which runs Aug. 31 through Sept. 13.
The enhanced purse makes it the richest grass race in North America besides the Breeders’ Cup.
Forte, the clear-cut favorite for the May 6 Kentucky Derby, has settled into a daily routine at Churchill Downs after arriving before dawn Monday following the long overnight van ride from trainer Todd Pletcher’s winter base at Palm Beach Downs in South Florida. The Florida Derby winner was sent through easy gallops Tuesday and Wednesday morning and was scheduled to be sent through his first Churchill workout Thursday or Friday, depending on weather.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Mike Maker has become renowned for his work with older horses such as Red Knight, the 9-year-old gelding who figures among the top contenders Saturday at Keeneland in the Grade 2 Elkhorn Stakes.
“These older horses, they’re just like us,” Maker said with a laugh. “We don’t think we’re that old, do we? Man, I’m just 20.”
