LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Mario Gutierrez watched Animal Kingdom win the Kentucky Derby last year on a television in the jockeys’ room at Hastings Race Course in Vancouver, Canada. Little could he have possibly known that he would be riding in the Derby the following year.
“It’s every jockey’s fantasy,” said Gutierrez, who has the mount on I’ll Have Another in the 138th Run for the Roses on Saturday. “It is what you dream about. I feel very lucky to be here.”
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - At first, trainer Michael Matz wasn’t so thrilled with Union Rags's draw of post 4 for Saturday’s Kentucky Derby, believing he might be down too far inside. But upon further review, Matz thinks it might not be such a bad post after all.
[KENTUCKY DERBY: Get PPs, watch analysis video, read latest updates]
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Gemologist has won all five of his starts, including the important Wood Memorial last time out. He also owns two victories here at Churchill Downs. His trainer, Todd Pletcher, won the Derby just two years ago, has won five Eclipse Awards, and leads the nation in purse earnings this year. And his jockey, Javier Castellano, has won more money this year than anyone in his profession.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Rajiv Maragh finally got some sleep Wednesday night.
Earlier in the day, he received the phone call from trainer Kiaran McLaughlin confirming that he would ride Wood Memorial runner-up Alpha in Saturday’s $2 million Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. Ever since Maragh worked Alpha at Belmont Park last Saturday, it was widely believed he would get the mount, but it always came with the caveat that McLaughlin could switch if someone like Ramon Dominguez - who had ridden Alpha three times this year - became available.
With a solid race behind him at Hastings on April 14, Western Woods will be hard to handle when he runs in a $30,000 claiming race at Northlands Park on Saturday. The 3 1/2-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds and up drew seven horses and goes as race eight on a 9-race card that begins at 1 p.m. Mountain.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Last year’s Woodford Reserve was a 1 1/8-mile turf race that was essentially decided roughly 50 seconds into the race, with victorious Get Stormy setting a slow, uncontested pace for the opening half-mile.
To repeat in Saturday’s Grade 1, $500,000 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic, he will likely have to do so setting or pressing a more demanding pace. Front-runners Little Mike, a scratch from the race last year, and Turbo Compressor are in the lineup, suggesting faster fractions will be established.
ELMONT, N.Y. – New York’s grass racing season begins in earnest Saturday with the Beaugay and Fort Marcy, a pair of Grade 3, $150,000 stakes scheduled for the Widener turf at 1 1/16 miles.
Winter Memories, a five-time graded stakes winner for Jimmy Toner, makes her 4-year-old debut, along with entrymate La Cloche, in the Beaugay.
OLDSMAR, Fla. – Allie’s Event, a late-charging veteran who was beaten just over three lengths by Roman Tiger in the Turf Classic here last time out, tops a field of 10 in the featured $30,000 overnight handicap at one mile on the turf as Tampa Bay Downs conducts a 12-race Kentucky Derby Day program.
First post on Saturday has been moved forward slightly to 12:15 p.m.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Clear the Runway figures to be a short price when he runs in the $50,000 Jim Coleman Province at Hastings on Saturday. The 6 1/2-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds drew seven horses and headlines an eight-race card that begins at 1:50 p.m. Pacific.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Trainer Mark Casse will be busy Saturday at Churchill Downs, where he saddles Prospective in the Kentucky Derby, but he will have an eye toward Woodbine when he runs Making Amends in the $150,000 Queenston Stakes. The seven-furlong event, which is a stepping-stone toward the June 24 Queen’s Plate, has lured seven other Ontario-bred 3-year-olds.
Making Amends is winless in seven starts since his closing debut score over Jenna’s Wabbit in the July 3 Clarendon Stakes. Following a winter break, he finished a wide second in the OBS Sprint Stakes in Ocala, Fla.
