As the calendar turned to February 2022, trainer Kenny McPeek kept answering his phone to find a racing reporter covering the Kentucky Derby Trail on the line.
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DRF Past Performances
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – The filly Hot Peppers is convalescing on a farm in Southern California following simple surgery to remove ankle chips, owner Michael Dubb said.
Hot Peppers, a multiple stakes winner, had been scratched by veterinarians out of the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Keeneland in November and the Grade 1 La Brea at Santa Anita in December.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Santa Anita has canceled racing through Sunday this weekend due to a forecast for extensive rain beginning Thursday, track officials said Wednesday.
The forecast has led Los Alamitos to cancel its Saturday evening program for Quarter Horses and lower-level Thoroughbreds, track officials said. Los Alamitos officials said a decision on Sunday evening’s program will be made Thursday. There is hope that conditions will improve enough through Sunday to allow for the evening program to proceed.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Trainer David Donk sent out a pair of 3-year-old maiden winners last week and hopes to have a few more in the coming weeks.
On Saturday, Donk won a one-mile maiden race with third-time starter Register, a ridgling by Super Saver, who beat the second-time starter Asmodeus by a nose. It was 10 1/4 lengths back to third. Register and Asmodeus both earned a 93 Beyer Speed Figure.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Howgreatisnate, undefeated in four starts as a 2-year-old, will make his 3-year-old debut in the Grade 3, $300,000 Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct on March 4.
Howgreatisnate, based at Parx with trainer Andrew Simoff, won his debut at Delaware Park by 3 3/4 lengths last Aug. 31. Though the race is listed as a maiden $40,000 claimer, Howgreatisnate was able to run without being offered for the claiming price because he was Delaware-certified, meaning he resided in the state of Delaware for 90 days before he was a 2-year-old.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Disarm and Shopper’s Revenge are both under serious consideration for major Kentucky Derby preps after running in separate allowance races last weekend at Oaklawn Park.
Trainer Steve Asmussen said Disarm is a candidate for the $1.25 million Arkansas Derby at 1 1/8 miles on April 1 at Oaklawn. The son of Gun Runner launched his 3-year-old season Sunday with a runner-up finish in an entry-level allowance at a mile. The race was his first at two turns and his first since August, when he rolled by 6 1/4 lengths in a maiden special weight at Saratoga.
The three-time stakes winner One in Vermillion will be a longshot in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes on March 4 at Santa Anita, if he is allowed on the property of the Southern California track.
One in Vermillion is part of trainer Esteban Martinez’s 15-horse stable at Turf Paradise in Phoenix. On Sunday, Santa Anita officials announced that no horses from Turf Paradise are allowed on the grounds after a pony horse at that track tested positive for equine herpesvirus.
Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher said early this week that reigning divisional champion Forte most likely will be the only one of his eight nominees he’ll enter Saturday for the March 4 Fountain of Youth Stakes while also revealing plans for several more of his Kentucky Derby hopefuls.
Reincarnate was named after Holy Bull, a Hall of Famer who was the 1994 Horse of the Year. But after losing his first three starts, it seemed Reincarnate was “over-named.” Tom Ryan, racing manager for the colt’s ownership group, was asked if his faith ever wavered.
“Not really, I’ve always had confidence in him,” Ryan said. “He’s a big, stretchy horse that [Bob Baffert] was developing.”
Ryan was not concerned when Baffert started the colt’s career in two turf routes.
“Sometimes you have to use those spots to get where you want to get to,” Ryan said.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Two Eagles River will be considered for a pair of upcoming Kentucky Derby preps following his sharp win Sunday at Oaklawn Park, according to his trainer, Chris Hartman.
Two Eagles River was a four-length winner of a first-level allowance and earned a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 91. The start came one race after he finished third behind Rebel Stakes entrants Verifying and Gun Pilot in a now key allowance at Oaklawn. Two Eagles River set the pace Sunday and covered a mile in 1:37.10.