ELMONT, N.Y. – Grande, the Wood Memorial runner-up, was scheduled to leave New York for Kentucky by van on Thursday afternoon. He will make a pit stop at Keeneland before shipping to Louisville for the May 3 Kentucky Derby.
At Belmont Park on Thursday, trainer Todd Pletcher said Grande will have one work before the Kentucky Derby. It will take place at Keeneland, not Churchill Downs.
Haulin Ice is on schedule to make her next start in the Grade 1, $1 million Derby City Distaff at Churchill Downs, trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said Wednesday. The seven-furlong race for fillies and mares is May 3.
“She’s going to work Friday and all being well, we’ll probably take a chance in the Grade 1,” Joseph said.
Free Like a Girl emerged from her runner-up finish in the Grade 1, $1.25 million Apple Blossom Handicap at Oaklawn last Saturday in good order and is scheduled to make her next start in the La Troienne at Churchill Downs, trainer Chasey Deville-Pomier said Wednesday.
The Grade 1, $1 million La Troienne will be run May 2. Thorpedo Anna, the reigning Horse of the Year who won the Apple Blossom by 4 1/4 lengths, is also being pointed for the La Troienne, according to her trainer, Kenny McPeek.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Oaklawn Park leading trainer Steve Asmussen is coming off an outstanding weekend with his sprinters, as Booth gave him his seventh win in the Grade 3, $500,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap on Saturday and Skelly popped a Beyer Speed Figure of 107 for an allowance win last Friday in his first out since November.
Skelly’s big Beyer is tied for highest of the meet, equaling the number Booth earned last month winning the Grade 3 Whitmore. The Beyers also are North America’s highest for male runners at distances of up to one mile on the main track so far in 2025.
Laurel Park will run its first turf races of the year this weekend, including three stakes races. Average field sizes at the track will increase significantly as many turf runners either ship back to Maryland or return from long winter breaks.
Parx Racing does not intend to schedule any turf racing until at least August due to potentially unsafe racing conditions. The Pennsylvania track, which typically hosts its first turf races in late spring, had issues maintaining the course last year and claims that adverse conditions over the winter have rendered the surface unsatisfactory for racing.
“This winter was a particularly challenging one, with extreme weather across the country,” a Parx spokesperson said in a statement. “We will not schedule any turf racing until we can properly evaluate the course this spring.”
Colonial Downs has released an expanded stakes schedule for the track's 41-day meet in 2025. Between July 9 and Sept. 13, the Virginia track will host 31 stakes races, including four graded stakes.
The highlight of the meet will be the Colonial Downs Festival of Racing, scheduled for Aug. 9, when the Grade 1 Arlington Million, Grade 2 Beverly D., and Grade 2 Secretariat will all be run on the same card alongside four ungraded stakes races. All the graded stakes that day will be run on the Secretariat Turf Course.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Sandman and Coal Battle, first and third, respectively, in the Arkansas Derby, both turned in maintenance moves toward the Kentucky Derby on a brisk and windy Tuesday morning at Churchill Downs.
Working on a fast track at about 7:15 a.m., just after the first renovation break, Sandman was credited with a half-mile in 49.60 seconds by the Churchill Downs clockers.
"We just wanted him to stretch his legs," said assistant trainer Allen Hardy, who oversaw the work.
Journalism, the early favorite for the Kentucky Derby after overcoming trouble to win the Santa Anita Derby by three-quarters of a length, is tentatively scheduled for his first work back this coming weekend at Santa Anita.
“I have to figure out his travel schedule first,” trainer Michael McCarthy said. “He’ll work this weekend.”
McCarthy added that Journalism is “doing very well, seems like he’s in a pretty good groove at the moment.”
ARCADIA, Calif. – The best 3-year-old who is not already qualified for the Kentucky Derby worked an easy half-mile Monday morning at Santa Anita in preparation for a potential Derby start.
Baeza, runner-up to Journalism in the Santa Anita Derby, needs defections to make the Kentucky Derby lineup. He ranked 24th on the points list as of Monday morning, and only 20 horses can start. Trainer John Shirreffs is proceeding as if Baeza will get in. Monday’s workout was slow, by design.
