LOUISVILLE, Ky. – After a quiet Thursday morning for Kentucky Derby and Oaks prospects at Churchill Downs, there was serious work happening some 2,000 miles west when Taiba went six furlongs in 1:12.80 at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif.
Taiba won the April 9 Santa Anita Derby by 2 1/4 lengths in just his second start. The Thursday breeze will be the only one for the Gun Runner colt ahead of the May 7 Kentucky Derby.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Churchill Downs starts its spring meet with a clean slate Saturday night. Not only have major improvements been undertaken and completed all around these historic grounds, including a $10 million turf course, but the upcoming Kentucky Oaks and Derby are real doozies.
Churchill Downs will expand and renovate its existing paddock to incorporate premium seating and suites, a project that will also allow the paddock to hold more than double the number of people than it does presently, the track announced on Wednesday.
All-sources handle was up, but average daily handle was flat at the Aqueduct spring meet when compared to the 2021 meet, according to figures released Wednesday by the New York Racing Association.
All-sources handle at Aqueduct’s 15-day spring meet was $115,750,073, a 35 percent increase over the 11-day meet conducted in 2021. Average daily handle at the 2022 meet was $7,716,672 compared to $7,765,368 in 2021.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. combined to win 13 races from 40 starters at Belmont Park’s two meets in 2021 and he will again have a presence in New York this summer as he plans to have 16 horses based here for the spring/summer meet that begins Thursday.
Among the group that will ultimately be here is Skippylongstocking, the third-place finisher in the Grade 2 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct on April 9. Skippylongstocking is scheduled to have his first work since the Wood on Friday at Gulfstream Park.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – April has been a breakthrough month for Saffie Joseph Jr., but he’s hoping May brings an even greater first.
Joseph won the Florida Derby for the first time in his ascendant training career, sending out White Abarrio to victory in the Gulfstream Park showcase April 2. The next day, Joseph wrapped up the Gulfstream Championship meet training title, ending an 18-year reign by Todd Pletcher.
“It was quite amazing,” Joseph said earlier this week via Zoom from his South Florida base.
There are several undefeated fillies in a deep group preparing to contest this Kentucky Oaks - and of those, Shahama is flying under the radar.
The filly, a half-sister to Preakness Stakes winner Lookin At Lucky, has won all four of her starts in Dubai for KHK Racing and trainer Fawzi Nass, and has since been transferred to Todd Pletcher to target the Oaks. The filly classic will be her first U.S. start, and her first start since Feb. 18.
"She's been really straightforward," Pletcher said. "She's been super professional since she came in. She's trained impressively."
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Fearless, who was second in the Oaklawn Handicap last Saturday, is being considered for a start in the Grade 3, $300,000 Pimlico Special, according to his trainer, Todd Pletcher.
Fearless raced just off the pace in the Grade 2, $1 million Oaklawn Handicap and finished four lengths behind winner Last Samurai. The Oaklawn Handicap was run at 1 1/8 miles, the same distance Fearless won over April 2 in the Grade 3 Ghostzapper at Gulfstream Park. For his effort in the Oaklawn Handicap, Fearless - a son of Ghostzapper - earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 96.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. -- Clairiere emerged from her runner-up finish in the Apple Blossom at Oaklawn in excellent condition and is now settled in at Churchill Downs, trainer Steve Asmussen said Tuesday.
Clairiere was a fast-closing second in the Grade 1, $1 million Apple Blossom last Saturday. She finished 1 1/4 lengths behind champion Letruska and a half-length in front of third-place finisher and champion Ce Ce.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Greeley and Ben, who was one of the winningest horses in North America in 2021, hit a milestone of 20 career wins Sunday at Oaklawn Park.
And he did it with style.
Greeley and Ben tracked the pace from the rail in a conditioned allowance that carried a $62,500 claiming option, got through along the inside in the stretch, and shuttled home to cover six furlongs in a super-quick 1:08.67. For the effort, Greeley and Ben earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 94.
