Tue, 03/29/2022 - 16:03

Clairiere, Jackie's Warrior both gearing up for big stakes at Oaklawn

Lou Hodges Jr./Hodges Photography
Clairiere gallops to victory in her 2022 debut, earning a 96 Beyer Speed Figure.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Steve Asmussen has broken camp at Fair Grounds, and he brought some heavy hitters with him to Oaklawn Park. Jackie’s Warrior, last year’s male sprint champion, and Clairiere, who finished in the top three for champion 3-year-old filly, both are now here, and will make their next starts in coming weeks.

Tue, 03/29/2022 - 16:01

Brisset hopes We the People's first two starts are preamble to success in Arkansas Derby

Coady Photography
We the People earned an 89 Beyer winning a March 12 allowance at Oaklawn by five lengths.

Rodolphe Brisset oversaw Justify’s very early training before he was sent west to Bob Baffert, and on to a Triple Crown. Brisset is not about to make a prediction that We the People can follow in those footsteps, but he’s certainly hoping We the People – who, like Justify, did not race at 2 – can emulate Justify by winning a Grade 1 stakes race in his third start when he makes his stakes debut Saturday in the Arkansas Derby.

Tue, 03/29/2022 - 14:00

Slow Down Andy en route to Keeneland to prepare for Kentucky Derby

Coady Photography
Slow Down Andy logrando el triunfo en el Sunland Park Derby

Sunland Park Derby winner Slow Down Andy was traveling to Kentucky on Tuesday to begin preparations for the Kentucky Derby, according to his trainer, Doug O’Neill.

Slow Down Andy picked up 50 points for the Kentucky Derby on Sunday with his win in the Sunland Derby. Slow Down Andy also has 10 points from his win in the Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity in December and ranks fourth on the current points leaderboard with 60.

Slow Down Andy earned a 86 Beyer Speed Figure in the Sunland Derby.

Tue, 03/29/2022 - 13:30

Sunland Derby runner-up Bye Bye Bobby late nominee to Triple Crown, pointing to Lexington Stakes

Coady Photography
Slow Down Andy (4) returned $4.60 in winning the Sunland Park Derby at Sunland Park on Sunday.

The ownership of Bye Bye Bobby has made the Sunland Park Derby runner-up eligible to the Triple Crown, trainer Todd Fincher said Tuesday.

The late nomination period for the 3-year-old series closed on Monday. Fincher said B4 Farms LLC made the horse eligible at a cost of $6,000.

Bye Bye Bobby earned 20 Kentucky Derby qualifying points for his second-place finish to Slow Down Andy in the Sunland Derby on Sunday. He was beaten a half-length.

Slow Down Andy and Bye Bye Bobby both earned 86 Beyer Speed Figures in the Sunland Derby.

Tue, 03/29/2022 - 11:36

Florida Derby: Fever behind, White Abarrio tunes up with easy three furlongs

Barbara D. Livingston
White Abarrio worked an easy three furlongs in 34.89 Tuesday morning and galloped out in 47.12 and 1:00.85.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - After missing a scheduled work on Sunday due to a minor setback earlier in the week, White Abarrio got in his final work for Saturday’s $1 million Florida Derby on Tuesday morning at Gulfstream Park, an easy three furlongs in 34.89 over a very fast track shortly after the second renovation break.

White Abarrio, who has not started since his impressive 4 1/2-length victory over Simplication in the Grade 3 Holy Bull on Feb. 5, galloped out with plenty of energy after completing his drill, going a half-mile in 47.12 before easing up five panels in 1:00.85.

Mon, 03/28/2022 - 15:20

Dylan Davis hopes to continue momentum at Aqueduct spring meet

Barbara D. Livingston
Dylan Davis booted him four winner Saturday and finished atop the Aqueduct winter meet standing with 63 winners.

With the exception of the return of turf racing – scheduled to begin April 7 – and one blockbuster card on April 9, Aqueduct’s 15-day spring meet, which begins Thursday and runs through April 24, figures to look very similar to the four-month winter meet that concluded Sunday.

Dylan Davis hopes there are no changes atop the jockey standings this spring after statistics reset on Thursday.

Mon, 03/28/2022 - 14:36

Jockey Torres to miss several weeks following spill

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Jockey Cristian Torres will be sidelined for a couple of weeks due to injuries sustained Sunday, agent Ruben Munoz said.

Torres was thrown from his mount, Big On Broadway, in the fifth race at Oaklawn. Munoz said the rider has been diagnosed with a hairline fracture in his tailbone and on the inside of his right ankle.

Big On Broadway, who was racing along the rail, shied from something, according to the stewards at Oaklawn. They said they were informed the horse did not sustain serious injury.

Mon, 03/28/2022 - 14:30

Following impressive win, Pretty Birdie will try Eight Belles Stakes

Coady Photography
Pretty Birdie earned a 95 Beyer Speed Figure for her 2 3/4-length victory in the Purple Martin Stakes.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Pretty Birdie put up the year’s highest Beyer Speed Figure for a 3-year-old filly on Saturday, when she earned a 95 for her victory in the $150,000 Purple Martin at Oaklawn Park.

Pretty Birdie set the pace and went on to cover six furlongs in 1:09.01. She won by 2 3/4 lengths in what was her second stakes victory behind last year’s Grade 3 Schuylerville at Saratoga.

“She came back very well,” trainer Norm Casse said Monday. “We’re going to aim for the Eight Belles on Oaks Day at Churchill.”

Mon, 03/28/2022 - 14:10

Fast work persuades Lynch to run Classic Causeway in Florida Derby

SV Photography
Classic Causeway asegura el triunfo en el Tampa Bay Derby G2

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – The $1 million Florida Derby got a little more interesting over the weekend when trainer Brian Lynch confirmed he will redirect Tampa Bay Derby winner Classic Causeway to the Grade 1 fixture on Saturday rather than await the Blue Grass at Keeneland the following week as originally planned.

Mon, 03/28/2022 - 13:26

Unbeaten Kathleen O. tries two turns in Gulfstream Park Oaks

Nicole Thomas/Coglianese Photos
Kathleen O. improved her record to 3 for 3 by rallying from far back to win the Grade 2 Davona Dale.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Kathleen O., undefeated winner of the Grade 2 Davona Dale, heads what is expected to be a short field in Saturday’s Grade 2, $250,000 Gulfstream Park Oaks, the richest of nine stakes on the undercard of the $1 million Florida Derby.

The Gulfstream Oaks, at 1 1/16 miles, will be the first start around two turns for Kathleen O., a daughter of Upstart.