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.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Top California jockey Flavien Prat has ridden Hot Rod Charlie once, finishing fifth as the 2-1 favorite in a maiden race on turf at Del Mar last September.
A lot has changed since then for Hot Rod Charlie.
This month, Prat has been reacquainted with Hot Rod Charlie in workouts, just in time to renew the partnership in the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 1.
On Saturday at Santa Anita, Prat was aboard Hot Rod Charlie for a six-furlong workout in 1:13.60 less than an hour before post time.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Crazy Beautiful and Millefeuille finished first and second in the Grade 1 Gulfstream Park Oaks four weeks ago. On Saturday, they were the only two 3-year-old fillies on the grounds to put in workouts for their next meeting in Friday’s Kentucky Oaks.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - When it was mentioned to trainer Chad Brown that Highly Motivated was starting to get some buzz on the backstretch at Churchill Downs leading into next Saturday’s Kentucky Derby, the four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer was all smiles.
“If you’re talking about a horse having a good chance, it’s a conversation I want to be in rather than someone talking about a horse that’s not training well,” Brown said.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Rock Your World solidified his role as legitimate Kentucky Derby contender with a solid five-furlong team work Saturday morning at Santa Anita, the colt’s final work before leaving for Kentucky.
Winner of the Santa Anita Derby by more than four lengths in just his third start for trainer John Sadler, undefeated Rock Your World worked in company after the 6:30 a.m. break Saturday, under exercise rider Cerapio Figueroa.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Arkansas Derby, on April 10 this year, was the last major Kentucky Derby prep, and since Super Stock won the Arkansas Derby just two weeks ago, the tenor of his final Derby workout Saturday at Churchill Downs was relatively muted.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Essential Quality, who has won all his races and will almost certainly be the Kentucky Derby favorite, and Mandaloun, soundly defeated last out as the favorite in the Louisiana Derby, put in their final Derby works Saturday morning at Churchill Downs for trainer Brad Cox.
Jeff Ruby Steaks winner Like the King turned in his final serious work for the Derby on Saturday morning at his Keeneland home base.
The colt, under regular work rider Julio Garcia, broke off two lengths behind stablemate Artie’s Princess, who earlier this month was named Canada’s champion female sprinter of 2020. Like the King collared his workmate easily in the stretch and was edging clear at the wire as Keeneland clockers credited him with five furlongs in 1:01. The duo galloped out in 1:15.40.
