Wed, 04/12/2023 - 11:25

2023 Kentucky Derby: McPeek not in a hurry to decide about Sun Thunder

Sun Thunder wins maiden race at Op Dec 31 2022
Coady Photography
Sun Thunder wins a maiden race at Oaklawn Park in December. He has accumulated enough points to get into the Kentucky Derby.

Kenny McPeek can keep everybody else jammed up if he wants. There’s no looming timetable as to when the veteran trainer must decide whether Sun Thunder will be entered in the May 6 Kentucky Derby, and he can take pretty much all the time he needs.

Sun Thunder, a no-factor fourth by 6 1/2 lengths as a 13-1 shot last Saturday in the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland, is in the Derby if so desired. Owned by R.T. Racing Stable and Cypress Creek Equine, the son of uber-sire Into Mischief is 14th on the list of qualifiers with 54 points, safely above the 20-horse cutoff.

Wed, 04/12/2023 - 10:16

Horseshoe Indianapolis discontinues Jackpot Pick 6, adds low-takeout pick five

Coady Photography
Horseshoe Indianapolis's takeout on its pick five wager is 11.99 percent.

Horseshoe Indianapolis is dropping a progressive-style jackpot multi-race wager from its betting menu this year and will add an early pick 5, the track announced on Tuesday.

Tue, 04/11/2023 - 15:53

Woodbine CEO Lawson will step down this fall

New Image Media
Jim Lawson has been the CEO of Woodbine Entertainment since 2015.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Woodbine Entertainment announced Tuesday that Jim Lawson will be stepping down from his role as chief executive officer this fall.

Lawson, who has been CEO since 2015, said he wants to spend more time with his family and believes it’s time to hand the reins to the next leader.

Tue, 04/11/2023 - 14:11

Wild On Ice will target Kentucky Derby

Coady photo
Wild On Ice arrived at Churchill Sunday after working a half-mile Friday at Sunland Park.

Wild On Ice emerged from his first work since his Sunland Park Derby victory in good order and is now being pointed for the Kentucky Derby, trainer Joel Marr said Tuesday. Wild On Ice arrived at Churchill Downs on Sunday.

“We’re in Kentucky,” Marr said. “We trained yesterday and today and so far everything is going smoothly.”

Wild On Ice worked last Friday at Sunland Park, going a half-mile by himself in 49.40 seconds. The horse’s regular rider, Ken Tohill, was aboard for the move, said Marr.

Mon, 04/10/2023 - 13:40

Congruent now being trained by Brown

Congruent wins the Battaglia Memorial at TP March 4 2023
Coady Photography
Congruent wins the Battaglia Memorial at Turfway Park in March. He has been switched from trainer Antonio Sano to the barn of Chad Brown.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Congruent, winner of the John Battaglia Memorial earlier this year at Turfway Park, has been transferred from Antonio Sano to Chad Brown by his owners.

Brown said he has no immediate plans for Congruent, who has raced on all three surfaces – dirt, turf, and synthetic. He won the off-the-turf Laurel Futurity last fall at Laurel Park. He raced three times on turf, with a third-place finish in the Pulpit Stakes at Gulfstream Park in December his best finish on that surface. Most recently, he finished sixth in the Jeff Ruby Steaks on the Tapeta at Turfway.

Mon, 04/10/2023 - 13:40

Arctic Arrogance will shorten up in distance moving forward

Barbara D. Livingston
Trainer Linda Rice is considering several races for Arctic Arrogance's next start.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Following his fourth-place finish in Saturday’s Grade 2 Wood Memorial, Arctic Arrogance is basically out of the Kentucky Derby picture. His 36 qualifying points leave him 27th on the list, needing seven defections to get into the field.

Trainer Linda Rice said she will likely back Arctic Arrogance up in distance anyway, which opens up several different options. One could be the Pat Day Mile at Churchill Downs on the May 6 Kentucky Derby undercard.

Mon, 04/10/2023 - 13:30

Doppelganger has plenty of options after upsetting Carter

Doppelganger wins the Carter at AQU April 8 2023
Debra Roma
Doppelganger wins the Carter Handicap at 17-1 for trainer Brittany Russell and rider Jevian Toledo. The win was the first in a Grade 1 for both Russell and Toledo.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Plans for Doppelganger are fluid after the 4-year-old colt pulled off a 17-1 upset in Saturday’s Grade 1 Carter Handicap at Aqueduct.

The win, which came by 1 1/4 lengths over heavily favored Repo Rocks, was the third straight for the son of Into Mischief, all since coming to Maryland-based trainer Brittany Russell. His wins have come from seven furlongs to 1 1/16 miles, which leaves open the possibility of stretching him back out in distance at some point, according Tom Ryan, managing partner of SF Racing, which owns the colt in partnership.

Mon, 04/10/2023 - 12:15

With Modern Games in mix, short field on tap for Maker's Mark Mile

Modern Games wins BC Mile at KEE Nov 5 2022
Barbara Livingston
Modern Games is 3 for 3 in North America with wins in the Breeders' Cup Mile (above), Woodbine Mile, and BC Juvenile Turf.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Five or six opponents is all that Keeneland racing officials are expecting to face Modern Games – but would it really matter if it was 25 or 26?

Mon, 04/10/2023 - 11:55

After Lafayette win, Corona Bolt will go next in Pat Day or Woody Stephens

Coady Photography
All of Corona Bolt's wins, including this one in the Lafayette Stakes last Friday, have come between six and seven furlongs.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Corona Bolt, who remained unbeaten around one turn with a win in the $400,000 Lafayette Stakes for 3-year-old sprinters on opening day at Keeneland, will likely make his next start on the undercard of a Triple Crown race.

The potential spots for the Stonestreet Farm colorbearer would be the Grade 2, $500,000 Pat Day Mile on the Kentucky Derby undercard May 6, or the Grade 1, $400,000 Woody Stephens Stakes at seven furlongs on the Belmont Stakes undercard June 10.

Mon, 04/10/2023 - 11:50

Hurricane Dream headed back to stakes after salty allowance win

Coady Photography
Hurricane Dream wins a tough allowance on opening day of the Keeneland meet, earning a 97 Beyer Figure.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – European import Hurricane Dream will be headed back to stakes company after a 4 1/2-length victory in a $140,000 turf race Friday at Keeneland that was an allowance race in name only.

“I thought it was not that different from a Grade 3, you know?” said Graham Motion, who trains the gelding for Team Valor, et al.