Sat, 05/05/2012 - 13:44

Churchill Downs: Great Attack comes on strong to win Turf Sprint

Tom Keyser
Great Attack (left), with Joel Rosario riding, comes on late to win the Turf Sprint over Bridgetown.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Great Attack has tended to be a prototypical Wesley Ward horse, with speed aplenty through the early stages. But the speed that Great Attack put on awesome display Saturday was of the late variety when the 5-year-old horse, well back early, flew past favored Bridgetown in the final 40 yards to capture the Grade 3, $150,350 Twin Spires Turf Sprint on the Kentucky Derby undercard at Churchill Downs.

Sat, 05/05/2012 - 13:43

2012 Kentucky Derby odds update as of 4:30 p.m. Eastern

Kentucky Derby odds as of 4:30 p.m. Eastern

Pool Total: $18,356,561

1. Daddy Long Legs: 23-1

2.Optimizer: 35-1

3. Take Charge Indy: 10-1

4. Union Rags: 9-2

5. Dullahan: 10-1

6. Bodemeister: 7-1

7. Rousing Sermon: 36-1

8. Creative Cause: 11-1

9. Trinniberg: 39-1

10. Daddy Nose Best: 12-1

11. Alpha: 21-1

12. Prospective: 56-1

13. Went the Day Well: 26-1

14. Hansen: 13-1

15. Gemologist: 8-1

16. El Padrino: 26-1

Sat, 05/05/2012 - 13:42

Hollywood Park: Reneesgotzip points to Acorn at Belmont Park

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – From two perspectives, California-based trainer Peter Miller will focus on New York racing later this month.

On May 28, Miller plans to saddle Reneesgotzip in the $300,000 Acorn Stakes, a Grade 1 for 3-year-old fillies over a mile at Belmont Park. Last Friday at Betfair Hollywood Park, Reneesgotzip won an allowance race over 6 1/2 furlongs against older fillies and mares.

Sat, 05/05/2012 - 12:09

Churchill Downs: Lopresti aims to keep Successful Dan, Wise Dan apart as long as possible

Tom Keyser
Jockey Julien Leparoux shows his excitement after Successful Dan wins the Grade 2 Alysheba Stakes.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Charles Lopresti is in the enviable position of having two of the top horses in the handicap division in brothers Wise Dan and Successful Dan.

Sat, 05/05/2012 - 11:55

Churchill Downs: Oaks day sets betting record of $39 million

All-sources handle on the 12-race Kentucky Oaks card on Friday was a record and up 6.5 percent over last year’s total, according to figures released by Churchill Downs.

Sat, 05/05/2012 - 11:54

Churchill Downs: Albarado suspended until evaluation by Kentucky licensing committee

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Jockey Robby Albarado, arrested on a fourth-degree domestic violence charge Friday, was indefinitely suspended Friday afternoon by Churchill Downs stewards, pending an appearance and evaluation by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission Licensing Review Committee.

As a result of his suspension, he was removed from his mounts Saturday on Kentucky Derby Day at Churchill Downs. Although he did not have a mount in the Kentucky Derby, he had been scheduled to ride, among others, Tapitsly in the Churchill Downs Distaff Turf Mile and Sassy Image in the Humana Distaff.

Sat, 05/05/2012 - 11:25

Churchill Downs: Believe You Can targets Alabama Stakes after Kentucky Oaks victory

Barbara D. Livingston
Jockey Rosie Napravnik and trainer Larry Jones (left) celebrate Believe You Can's victory in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Believe You Can emerged from her victory Friday in the 138th Kentucky Oaks in good shape, said trainer Larry Jones, who will keep the filly based primarily at Churchill Downs when pointing her to major stakes on the East Coast this summer.

Jones, who trains Believe You Can for breeder-owner Brereton C. Jones (no relation), said the ultimate summer goal is the Grade 1 Alabama Stakes, the same race that Oaks winner Proud Spell narrowly captured in 2008 as a deciding factor in her eventually being voted 3-year-old champion.

Sat, 05/05/2012 - 07:52

2012 Kentucky Derby: Churchill track closed for training Saturday morning

Tom Keyser
Atigun wins the first race at Churchill Downs on Saturday over a wet track.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The Churchill Downs main track was closed for training on Saturday morning because of heavy rain overnight.

The track is normally open for just two hours, from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m., on Derby Day, owing to the early 10:30 a.m. post.

Several Derby horses, in particular Hansen, were scheduled to train Saturday morning, but conditions precluded that from happening. Hansen was quite eager in his training here Thursday and Friday, and his Mike Maker, was hoping to give him something to do Saturday morning, 12 hours before the race.

Fri, 05/04/2012 - 19:40

2012 Kentucky Derby: Union Rags early favorite; Oaks/Derby daily double will pays

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - At 6-1, Union Rags is a slight favorite for Saturday’s 138th Kentucky Derby through 7:20 p.m. Eastern on Friday. The total includes only money bet ontrack at Churchill Downs. The pool was $108,501.

Take Charge Indy, the Florida Derby winner, and Hansen, the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner, are listed at 7-1. Bodemeister, the Arkansas Derby winner, and Gemologist, undefeated winner of the Wood Memorial, are both listed at 8-1.

[KENTUCKY DERBY: Past performances, video previews, latest news]

Fri, 05/04/2012 - 18:43

Remington Park: Challenge Championship on high-octane card

The Grade 2, $100,000 Oklahoma Challenge Championship for Quarter Horses is one of three stakes on a power-packed Sunday card at Remington Park. The program also features four trial races for the Heritage Place Derby.