LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Tyler Gaffalione finally took a leg up on Soup and Sandwich for the colt’s penultimate Kentucky Derby breeze on April 17 at Churchill Downs. It was the moment he’d been waiting for since Jan. 28, when he watched the gray colt win his debut by 7 1/4 lengths under Irad Ortiz Jr. at Gulfstream Park.

“I’ve been following this horse since his first race,” Gaffalione said. “I texted [trainer Mark Casse] after the race that day, and said, ‘If it ever comes up, I’d love a chance to ride this horse.’ ”

Among those who welcomed the elevation of the Grade 3 Jeff Ruby at Turfway into a 100-point Kentucky Derby prep after Churchill Downs’s acquisition of the track was Kentucky trainer Wesley Ward, who would rather stay home than chase points on the road. Ward did just that with Like the King, who won the Jeff Ruby and goes next in the Kentucky Derby.

“Them buying the track certainly is great for me, because it’s my winter home track,” Ward said. “I’ll keep them right here and under my thumb rather than going to another jurisdiction.”

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Overshadowed by the Kentucky Derby and Oaks horses, champions Monomoy Girl and Swiss Skydiver were relatively unnoticed as they turned in light training sessions Monday morning at Churchill Downs as their connections begin to consider their next target. They met in the Grade 1 Apple Blossom Handicap on April 17 at Oaklawn Park and were upset by Letruska, with Monomoy Girl second by a nose and Swiss Skydiver another 6 1/2 lengths back in third.

Like the King is looking for his first victory on dirt in the Kentucky Derby, and Wesley Ward will be saddling the colt as his first starter in the classic. But Ward has someone in his camp who knows the ins and outs of Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Derby well, and who has given him additional confidence that his colt’s synthetic and turf abilities could be an asset.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Gregorian Chant briefly left the stakes division on Sunday at Santa Anita, long enough to win an allowance race at six furlongs on turf.

The winner of two turf sprint stakes earlier this year, Gregorian Chant could start in the Grade 3 Daytona Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs on turf at Santa Anita on May 29, or the Grade 1 Jaipur Stakes at six furlongs on turf at Belmont Park on June 5.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Six months from now, As Time Goes By could be at the center of discussions regarding the older filly and mare division.

On Saturday at Santa Anita, As Time Goes By displayed the sort of performance in the Grade 2 Santa Margarita Stakes at 1 1/8 miles to suggest she belongs in that group. Winning her first stakes, As Time Goes By led throughout the $200,000 Santa Margarita, pulling clear through the stretch to win by 9 1/4 lengths as the 3-5 favorite.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Very quickly on Saturday at Santa Anita, Flightline gave trainer John Sadler and Hronis Racing intriguing depth to their 3-year-old male division.

Flightline won his debut in a maiden special weight race at six furlongs, disputing the pace before pulling clear to win by 13 1/4 lengths in 1:08.75.

“He might have as much potential as any young horse I’ve ever trained,” Sadler said, walking out of the winner’s circle. “But you don’t want to get too hyped until you run them.”

CHURCHILL DOWNS
Weather: Cloudy 
Temp: 53 
Main Track: Muddy 
Turf: Good

Before trainer Steve Asmussen sent his two Kentucky Oaks runners, Clairiere and Pauline’s Pearl, out to work at Churchill Downs on Sunday morning, one of Asmussen’s two Kentucky Derby hopefuls, Midnight Bourbon, had a spirited gallop under exercise rider Wilson Fabian.

His tail tied while training over a wet track, Midnight Bourbon galloped about 1 3/4 miles, Asmussen said. Going down the backstretch the first time, Midnight Bourbon increased his tempo, going at nearly a two-minute-lick clip.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Average daily wagering for the Keeneland spring meet in Lexington jumped nearly 15 percent compared to the last time the spring meet was held in 2019, according to figures released by the track Friday night.

Average daily wagering was $10.99 million for the 15-day meet, which had one less live racing day than the meet in 2019 because Easter fell on a live racing day this year. Total handle for the meet was up 7.6 percent to $164.7 million, up from $153.1 million in 2019.

Keeneland did not hold a spring meet last year due to the coronavirus pandemic.