Thu, 10/27/2022 - 13:16

Rich Strike trains in shed row as Reed keeps a close watch on him

Barbara Livingston
Rich Strike coughed a few times while cooling out after his Tuesday work at Keeneland. Trainer Eric Reed scoped him and had bloodwork done with all of the results coming back normal.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike had a quiet morning of training in the barn area at Keeneland as he continues to prepare for the Breeders’ Cup Classic, not going up to the track as trainer Eric Reed kept a close eye on him.

Thu, 10/27/2022 - 11:55

Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies: Naughty Gal out, Sabra Tuff in

Barbara Livingston
Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas, who turns 87 on Friday, ponies Spinaway hopeful Naughty Gal to the track last Monday.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Naughty Gal, who would have been a huge price in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, has been withdrawn from consideration by Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas for the Nov. 4 race at Keeneland, making way for one of the pre-entered horses on the alternates list.

Wed, 10/26/2022 - 17:26

New Kentucky Derby Future Wager pool will have 40 betting interests

Barbara D. Livingston
Churchill Downs was able to hold the 2022 Kentucky Derby without attendance restrictions for the first time since 2019.

Churchill Downs will host a new Kentucky Derby future pool beginning next week that will close prior to the Breeders’ Cup event, with a field that includes a total of 40 betting interests, the company announced on Tuesday.

This will be the earliest that Churchill has hosted a Derby future pool since the company inaugurated the wager in 1999, and the first that will offer 40 betting interests. Earlier future pools had offered 24 interests due to limitations in the sport’s bet-processing systems.

Wed, 10/26/2022 - 13:40

Breeders' Cup Clocker: Flightline puts in strong gallop over off track

Barbara Livingston
Blue Stripe works an impressive five furlongs under Ferrin Peterson at Keeneland on Wednesday. Blue Stripe eased up a mile in 1:39.14.

KEENELAND
Weather: Cloudy
Temperature : 54
Track: Good

LEXINGTON, Ky. – It was a very cold and relatively uneventful morning on the Breeders’ Cup front Wednesday at Keeneland where the highlights came early and late, with FLIGHTLINE galloping at his usual time shortly after 5:30 a.m. and BLUE STRIPE working an eye-catching five furlongs for the Distaff nearly four hours later.

Tue, 10/25/2022 - 13:27

Breeders' Cup Clocker: Jackie's Warrior, Aloha West deliver quick drills

Barbara D. Livingston
Jackie's Warrior (right) works five furlongs in 58.83 seconds inside stablemate County Final on Tuesday morning at Keeneland.

Keeneland
Weather
: Cloudy
Temperature: 56 degrees
Track: Fast

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Fast horses work fast! For those who didn’t already know it, that was the lesson learned Tuesday morning at Keeneland where the track was tight and some of the quickest horses on the planet showed off that speed when turning in final major preps for the Breeders’ Cup Sprint and Filly and Mare Sprint to be decided here at six and seven furlongs, respectively, on Nov. 5.

Tue, 10/25/2022 - 12:38

Reed slows down Rich Strike in five-furlong breeze

Barbara Livingston
Rich Strike two-minute licked early and then slowly picked up the pace in his breeze at Keeneland on Tuesday morning.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Longshot Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike breezed Tuesday morning at Keeneland as he prepares to attempt another upset in the Breeders' Cup Classic.

Rich Strike, most recently a close second to Hot Rod Charlie in the Grade 2 Lukas Classic, and regular exercise rider Gabriel Lagunes came onto the track as it opened at 5:30 a.m. Rich Strike proceeded to breeze five furlongs in 1:02.71 on the watch of Daily Racing Form's Mike Welsch. He galloped out six furlongs in 1:16.04.

Tue, 10/25/2022 - 10:52

Fort Erie closing-day card handles $1.5 million

Michael Burns
Tone Broke wins the second leg of the Canadian Triple Crown, the Prince of Wales Stakes, on Tuesday at Fort Erie.

The 125th Fort Erie meet concluded on Monday with $1.5 million wagered on an extended 12-race card.

Originally scheduled for Oct. 18, closing day was postponed due to inclement weather. There was a mid-card delay on Monday due to a 45-minute power outage in the town of Fort Erie.

A total of $33.2 million was wagering at the 40-day meet, which was a 16 percent increase over the previous year.  

Mon, 10/24/2022 - 16:59

Breeders' Cup Clocker: Flightline hits the track Monday morning

Barbara D. Livingston
Flightline, with Juan Leyva up, gets his first feel of the Keeneland surface Monday morning.

KEENELAND
Weather:
Sunny  
Track: Fast, turf firm 
Temperature: 51

Mon, 10/24/2022 - 13:20

Secret Oath works fast five furlongs for Breeders' Cup Distaff

Coady Photography
Secret Oath works five furlongs in 58.80 seconds on Monday under Mickaelle Michele at Churchill in a serious prep for the Breeders’ Cup Distaff.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – On an otherwise quiet Monday at Churchill, Kentucky Oaks winner Secret Oath was out for serious work when going five furlongs in 58.80 seconds over a fast track.

Mon, 10/24/2022 - 13:16

Bloodstock agent Murray Friedlander dies at age 98

ARCADIA, Calif. – Before he became a noted bloodstock agent working closely with Hall of Fame trainer Ron McAnally, Murray Friedlander was an accomplished trainer in California in the 1970s.

Friedlander, who died on Saturday at age 98, won the 1974 Golden Gate Handicap at Golden Gate Fields at 1 1/2 miles on turf with Acclimatization for Nelson Bunker Hunt, one of the most prominent owners of that era.

Acclimatization began his career in Europe, and it was through his connections on that continent that Friedlander enjoyed his success as a horse agent.