Sat, 05/05/2007 - 00:00

Take the Ribbon takes Distaff by nose

LOUISVILLE – Trainer Wally Dollase got his Churchill Downs meet off to a rousing start, winning two races on Saturday's card, including the Grade 3, $166,350 Churchill Downs Distaff Turf Mile with Take the Ribbon who got her nose down on the wire in the last jump to beat Quite a Bride. It was 2 1/2 lengths back to Rich Fantasy in third.

Magnificent Song, the 6-5 favorite, finished fourth followed by Culpeper Moon.

"I can't do anything wrong," said Dollase, who is now 3 for 3 at the meet. "Whenever you win by one inch that's what I call a luck-out win."

Sat, 05/05/2007 - 00:00

Saint Anddan wins Churchill Downs Handicap

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Less than 24 hours after a daughter of A.P. Indy splashed to victory in the Kentucky Oaks, Saint Anddan, a 5-year-old horse by the renowned sire, also turned in a terrific performance on a wet Churchill Downs surface Saturday when he drew off to a clear-cut victory in the 73rd running of the Grade 2 Churchill Downs Handicap on the Kentucky Derby undercard.

Sat, 05/05/2007 - 00:00

Kentucky Derby odds

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – With $371,212 bet into the win pool, Street Sense was the 9-2 favorite for the 133th Kentucky Derby as of 7 p.m. Eastern on Friday. Scat Daddy was a slight second choice over Curlin, with both being 6-1, while Hard Spun was the fourth choice at 10-1, followed by Tiago, also at 10-1. Stormello, at 48-1, was the longest longest shot in the field of 20.

Advance Derby odds

1, Sedgefield, 46-1

2, Curlin, 6-1

3, Zanjero, 34-1

4, Storm In May, 20-1

5, Imawildandcrazyguy, 18-1

6, Cowtown Cat, 18-1

Sat, 05/05/2007 - 00:00

Derby Day pick six carryover is $288K

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – As if there wasn’t already enough incentive to wager on Kentucky Derby Day, there will be a pick-six carryover of $288,768 at Churchill Downs on Saturday.

Though favored Rags to Riches ($5) capped the pick six by winning the Kentucky Oaks, there were enough high-priced winners in the sequence to force the carryover. The winning sequence of 8-7-6-5-4-11 consisted of Swingit ($17.80), Tora ($17.80), Gaff ($9.60), Fiery Pursuit ($25.60), Duveen ($11.20) and Rags to Riches ($5).

Fri, 05/04/2007 - 00:00

Oaks-Derby Double will pays

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – With Rags to Riches winning the Kentucky Oaks at a $5 mutuel Friday, the lowest Oaks-Derby Double will-pay into the Kentucky Derby on Saturday was with Street Sense at $23.80 for $2. Curlin was the second choice in the double pool at $33.60.

More than $2.3 million was bet from all sources, a record handle in the 12-year history of the Oaks-Derby Double.

Oaks-Derby Double $2 will pays

All-sources handle: $2,309,972

No. 11, Rags to Riches, with:

1, Sedgefield, $667.20

2, Curlin, 33.60

Fri, 05/04/2007 - 00:00

Rags to Riches romps in Kentucky Oaks

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The weather at Churchill Downs was gray and drab Friday, but the performance by favored Rags to Riches in the 133rd running of the Kentucky Oaks was anything but.

Fri, 05/04/2007 - 00:00

Mandella barn at crossroads

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - The next week will determine the impact that trainer Richard Mandella's stable will have in several divisions this spring and summer.

Sunday at Hollywood Park, Mandella starts Horse Greeley in an optional claimer over 6 1/2 furlongs. Horse Greeley won the Grade 2 Del Mar Futurity last summer.

Next Saturday, Mandella has runners in two stakes - Prospect Park in the $250,000 Jim Murray Memorial Handicap over 1 1/2 miles on turf, and the rapidly improving Peace Chant in the $100,000 Los Angeles Handicap over six furlongs.

Fri, 05/04/2007 - 00:00

Wanderin Boy's speed secures Alysheba win

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Wanderin Boy's class was evident last year in runner-up finishes behind Invasor in the Pimlico Special and Bernardini in the Jockey Club Gold Cup. But it was his intimidating speed that won him Friday's Grade 3, $112,300 Alysheba Stakes at Churchill Downs on the Kentucky Oaks undercard.

With the previously unbeaten Half Ours rated early by John Velazquez, Wanderin Boy and Corey Nakatani found themselves loose on the lead, setting moderate fractions of 48.09 seconds and 1:12.86 in the 1 1/16-mile race in the slop.

Fri, 05/04/2007 - 00:00

Two Queen's Plate hopefuls in maiden route

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Mountain Wolf and Marchfield, who both are aiming for the $1 million Queen's Plate, will make their Woodbine season debuts in a 1 1/16-mile maiden special on Sunday.

The Queen's Plate, a 1 1/4-mile race for Canadian-bred 3-year-olds, will be run on June 24. Both Mountain Wolf and Marchfield ran in 1o1/8-mile races in their last appearances, which came at Gulfstream Park.

Mountain Wolf, owned and bred by Team Stronach and trained by Brian Lynch, finished first on March 31 but was disqualified and placed third.

Fri, 05/04/2007 - 00:00

Lone Star Derby cast coming into focus

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - The field for the Grade 3, $300,000 Lone Star Derby next Saturday was just beginning to take shape on Friday, with trainer Tony Reinstedler committing both Harrow Land and Moyer's Pond, trainer Eoin Harty giving serious consideration to starting Sahara Heat, and Lone Star Park leading trainer Bret Calhoun putting his representative, Mr. Nightlinger, through his final major work for the race.