Fri, 08/28/2020 - 13:36

Kentucky Derby: Money Moves is Pletcher's most likely starter

Barbara D. Livingston
Dr Post (right) and Happy Saver worked in company at Saratoga on Friday.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer Todd Pletcher worked a trio of 3-year-olds Friday at Saratoga with Money Moves still seeming to be the one he would run in the Derby if he runs one at all.

Since he has no qualifying points, Money Moves would need 19 or fewer other horses to be entered in the Derby to make it into the field. On Friday, he worked five furlongs with You’re to Blame in 1:00.14, getting his last quarter in 24.13 with a strong gallop out of 1:12.99, 1:26.09, and a mile in 1:40.34, indicative of a pre-Derby type of work for Pletcher.

Fri, 08/28/2020 - 13:26

Kentucky Derby: Art Collector one of five Friday workers to beat the rain

Coady Photography
In his final Kentucky Derby work, Art Collector breezed five furlong under jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. in 1:00.80.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – With the remnants of Hurricane Laura expected to douse this region later in the day, a handful of contenders for Kentucky Derby 146 led by Art Collector were out for their final pre-race workouts Friday morning at Churchill Downs amid humid but dry conditions.

Fri, 08/28/2020 - 10:27

Caracaro will miss Kentucky Derby due to injury

Barbara D. Livingston
Caracaro works six furlongs in 1:12.31 over the main track Friday at Saratoga. He pulled up with an injury after the drill and will miss a planned start in the Kentucky Derby.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Runhappy Travers runner-up Caracaro was removed from consideration for the Kentucky Derby on Sept. 5 after pulling up bad following a workout Friday morning at Saratoga.

Trainer Gustavo Delgado said exercise rider J.J. Delgado told him the horse took a bad step after completing a six-furlong workout in 1:12.31 over the main track.

Delgado followed the horse back to the barn and didn’t like what he saw.

“I don’t like the ligament,” Delgado said.

Thu, 08/27/2020 - 17:18

Kentucky Derby: Art Collector back training at Churchill

Coady Photography
Art Collector, shown training on Aug. 1, was shipped from the Skylight training center to Churchill Downs on Wednesday.

Art Collector, who figures as the second or third wagering choice behind Tiz the Law in the Derby, was back on familiar ground Thursday when galloping a mile during the designated training period reserved for Derby and Oaks horses. The colt arrived Wednesday from the nearby Skylight training center, trainer Tommy Drury’s main base.

Brian Hernandez Jr., the colt’s regular jockey, was aboard for the gallop because regular exercise rider James Lopez was unavailable due to coronavirus-related protocols.

Thu, 08/27/2020 - 12:30

Kentucky Derby: Attachment Rate a confirmed starter

Coady Photography
Attachment Rate earned a 95 Beyer Figure while finishing second to Art Collector in the Runhappy Ellis Park Derby.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – After a couple of weeks of indecision, Attachment Rate has been confirmed as a starter for the 146th Kentucky Derby next Saturday.

“My mind was actually made up when he was cooling out after his last race,” in the Aug. 9 Runhappy Ellis Park Derby, trainer Dale Romans said Thursday morning from New York. “It just took a little arm-twisting to convince the owners to head that way. They’d been on the fence.”

Wed, 08/26/2020 - 15:30

Dr Post likely to bypass Kentucky Derby

Barbara D. Livingston
Dr Post might run next in the Jim Dandy on Sept. 5 or the Preakness on Oct. 3.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Dr Post, runner-up to Tiz the Law in the Belmont Stakes and third to Authentic in the Haskell, is likely to bypass the Kentucky Derby on Sept. 5 and could run either in the Jim Dandy that same day at Saratoga or perhaps wait for the Preakness on Oct. 3.

Todd Pletcher trains Dr Post for Vinnie and Teresa Viola’s St. Elias Stable. Pletcher said Viola seems to be leaning more toward Dr Post taking his next shot against Tiz the Law in the Preakness.

Wed, 08/26/2020 - 14:40

Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: Storm the Court

Emily Shields
Storm the Court could make his next start on turf in either the Grade 3 La Jolla Handicap or Grade 2 Del Mar Derby.

Storm the Court

Court Vision – My Tejana Storm, by Tejano Run

Bred in Kentucky by Stepping Stone Farm ($5,000 Fasig-Tipton February weanling purchase by Bryan Rice; $60,000 OBS spring 2-year-old purchase by Exline-Border Racing)

:: Play the Kentucky Derby with DRF! Visit our Kentucky Derby shop for Packages, PPs, Betting Strategies, and more

Wed, 08/26/2020 - 14:10

Kentucky Derby: After months of waiting, the song remains the same

Benoit Photo
Authentic (right) won the San Felipe in March over Honor A. P. (left), who turned the tables in the June Santa Anita Derby.

DEL MAR, Calif. – If the waiting is the hardest part, as the late Tom Petty opined, then training for this year’s Kentucky Derby has brought an unprecedented challenge.

Wed, 08/26/2020 - 12:16

Kentucky Derby: Who's hot, who's not for Aug. 26, 2020

WHO’S HOT

There have been no adjustments to the Derby Watch top 20 lineup or the odds penned by Daily Racing Form’s Marty McGee since last week. Tiz the Law remains the 6-5 favorite. Assuming his starting price will be no higher than 9-5, he will be the first horse to go off at less than 2-1 in the Derby since Point Given in 2001. The last odds-on favorite was Arazi in 1992. Entries for the Derby are to be taken Tuesday morning, and posts drawn later that morning.

Wed, 08/26/2020 - 11:50

Kentucky Derby: Coast-to-coast final workouts scheduled

Coady Photography
Art Collector, shown training on Aug. 1, was shipped from the Skylight training center to Churchill Downs on Wednesday.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – As contenders for the 146th Kentucky Derby continue to settle into the stable area at Churchill Downs, the final round of breezes for the Sept. 5 race are set for a busy coming weekend – both at Churchill and elsewhere.

Tiz the Law, expected to be the heaviest Derby favorite since Arazi was 9-10 in 1992, is scheduled to work Sunday at Saratoga before being flown Monday to Louisville via equine charter. The New York-bred colt, winner of the Belmont Stakes and Runhappy Travers, will be bedded down in Barn 20 upon his arrival at Churchill.