LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Trainer Steve Asmussen provided the early show Monday morning at Churchill Downs, sending out his two Derby hopefuls Sabercat and Daddy Nose Best for easy half-mile works.
Sabercat breezed first, shortly after the track opened at 5:45 a.m., going a half-mile in 48.02 seconds, completing his final quarter in 23.92 before galloping out five-eighths in 1:01.04 and pulling up six furlongs in 1:15.45.
INGLEWOOD, Calif .- Jockey Mario Gutierrez is bound for the Kentucky Derby next weekend with a stakes win fresh on his mind.
Sunday at Betfair Hollywood Park, Gutierrez rode Quiet Oasis to an upset win in the $100,000 Wilshire Handicap for fillies and mares over a mile on turf. Saturday, Gutierrez rides I’ll Have Another in the Kentucky Derby.
Both Quiet Oasis, trained by Ben Cecil, and I’ll Have Another, trained by Doug O’Neill, are owned by Paul and Zillah Reddam.
Streakin’ Mohican won a $32,000 claimer in course-record time of six furlongs on turf in 1:07.24 on Saturday at Hollywood Park.
A 5-year-old gelding, Streakin’ Mohican led throughout and won by 5 1/4 lengths in his first and only start for trainer Bill Spawr. Streakin’
Mohican was claimed for $32,000 on Feb. 12 and was lost via a claim for the same price on Saturday to trainer Wilton Whitehouse.
Saturday, Streakin’ Mohican was ridden by Rafael Bejarano, who had five wins on Saturday.
Willa B Awesome, who won her third stakes of 2012 in Saturday’s $300,000 Melair Stakes for California-bred 3-year-old fillies, might make one more start at Betfair Hollywood Park's meeting before a summertime break.
Co-owner Terry Lovingier and trainer Walther Solis said on Sunday they are debating whether to start Willa B Awesome in the $150,000 Hollywood Oaks on June 23. One thing seems certain. Willa B Awesome will be rested for 30 to 60 days at Lovingier’s Southern California ranch soon.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - The 2011 champion Acclamation missed the Grade 3 Inglewood Handicap at Betfair Hollywood Park last Friday because of an apparent false alarm concerning his soundness.
There is another race for him on the immediate horizon. Co-owner Bud Johnston said over the weekend that Acclamation could start in Saturday’s $150,000 Mervyn LeRoy Handicap on the main track.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario — The Mark Casse-trained stablemates Northern Passion and Dene Court ran one-two Sunday at Woodbine in the $150,000 Fury Stakes, a stepping-stone towards the June 3 Woodbine Oaks.
The favored Northern Passion ($3.90) rallied along the rail under Luis Contreras to prevail by 1 3/4 lengths over second choice Dene Court, who was returning from a long layoff. Casa Loma was a stalking third in the seven-furlong sprint for Ontario-bred 3-year-old fillies.
In a possible early preview of October’s Empire Classic, Saginaw remained perfect in blinkers when he rolled to a decisive triumph in Sunday’s $90,000 Carr Heaven overnight stakes at Belmont Park.
Despite winning three starts by better than 16 lengths after being equipped with the hood at Aqueduct, Saginaw ($13.20) was dismissed as the fifth choice in a field of six older New York-breds.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – It was a business-as-usual Sunday for Larry Jones at Churchill Downs.
Jones-trained horses are known for posting brilliant works before the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks, and that’s exactly what Believe You Can did, working a bullet five furlongs just after the morning renovation break.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – One day after Union Rags turned in a sharp workout at Churchill Downs, the other potential favorite for the 138th Kentucky Derby next Saturday, Bodemeister, threw down the gauntlet with a brilliant piece of work over a muddy surface.
Churchill Downs: Cloudy Temp. 53 Track Muddy
LOUISVILLE , Ky. - On Saturday, Union Rags set an extremely high standard for Kentucky Derby workouts. Sunday morning, Bodemeister did his best to emulate if not exceed that standard in his second and final Derby work since arriving in Louisville less than two weeks ago.
