LOUISVILLE, Ky. – In vivid contrast to the previous day, Sunday morning at Churchill Downs was a place of serenity.
Bob Baffert, who on Saturday tied the legendary Ben A. Jones for the all-time record for most wins (six) by a Kentucky Derby trainer when Authentic triumphed under John Velazquez, made a morning-after appearance at his Barn 33 in front of just a handful of media – as opposed to the usual swarm that congregates in non-coronavirus years.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Bell’s the One and Serengeti Empress, who were separated by a nose in the Grade 1 Derby City Distaff on Saturday at Churchill Downs, could have a rematch in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint on Nov. 7 at Keeneland.
Bell’s the One ran down Serengeti Empress in the final yards to give both herself and trainer Neil Pessin a first Grade 1 victory.
“I was just happy that she ran her race and ran a good race, and didn’t care if she won or not,” a proud Pessin said of the close finish.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Trainer Brad Cox reported that both his Kentucky Oaks winners, newly-minted heroine Shedaresthedevil and 2018 divisional champion Monomoy Girl, emerged in good order from their victories Friday at Churchill Downs.
“It was such an unbelievable day,” Cox, who saddled Shedaresthedevil to upset the Oaks less than an hour after Monomoy Girl won the Grade 1 La Troienne Stakes, said Saturday morning. “This filly has a ton of heart, and [jockey Florent Geroux] gave her the perfect ride.”
Total betting on the 13-race Kentucky Oaks card run Friday at Churchill Downs was $30.65 million, according to charts of the races, roughly half of the record amount bet last year on the Oaks card.
The drop in betting reflects the impact of the race’s rescheduling due to the coronavirus pandemic from its historical location on the calendar on the first Friday in May to Sept. 4. It also reflects the loss of about $10 million in ontrack handle, as no spectators were allowed on the grounds.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Todd Pletcher, a 13-time leading trainer at Saratoga, led Chad Brown, winner of three of the last four meets, by one win, 27-26, heading into the final four days of the Saratoga meet.
It’s conceivable the battle for leading trainer could come down to Monday’s Grade 1 Runhappy Hopeful, where Pletcher will send out Mutasaabeq and Brown saddles Reinvestment Risk. Those two were among the most impressive maiden winners at the meet.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer Gary Gullo will be retiring from training at the end of September to become racing manager for one of his longtime owners, Anthony Melfi.
Gullo, who began training in 1980, said the transition to racing manager from trainer will afford him a better quality of life.
“It’s time for me to transition in that direction because I’m working with somebody who’s good and who I have a lot of faith in,” said Gullo, 60. “I have confidence that everything is going to be better.”
The Grade 1 Runhappy Del Mar Futurity on Monday has a projected field of six led by the recent maiden race winner Dr. Schivel and Weston, the unbeaten winner of the Grade 2 Best Pal Stakes on Aug. 8.
The $250,000 Del Mar Futurity at seven furlongs is the main race on Monday’s final program of the Del Mar summer meeting. Santa Anita opens its autumn meeting on Sept. 19.
The other expected starters in the Del Mar Futurity field are the maidens Dixies Two Stents, Dyn O Mite, Scooby, and Spielberg. They were all second here in a maiden special weight race in their last start.
King Guillermo will be scratched from Saturday's Kentucky Derby after developing a fever on Wednesday afternoon, his trainer, Juan Carlos Avila, said on Thursday.
King Guillermo turned in a regular gallop on Wednesday morning, but did not train on Thursday morning. Avila said that the colt had developed “a little problem” and would be thoroughly examined by a veterinarian. He posted on his Twitter account just after 4:30 p.m. on Thursday that the colt would indeed need to withdraw from the race.
