Kiaran McLaughlin will officially become the jockey agent for Luis Saez on Monday. When exactly his training career ends is not quite certain.
McLaughlin entered two maidens for Sunday at Gulfstream Park, and both wound up on the also-eligible list for their respective race. Both Prairie Wings, a filly entered in the fourth, and Ashiham, a colt entered in the sixth, would be live if they got in.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Taishan, who was an impressive winner on the Rebel Stakes undercard earlier this month at Oaklawn Park, is being pointed to the Grade 1, $750,000 Arkansas Derby, according to trainer Richard Baltas.
The 1 1/8-mile race has been moved to the closing-day May 2 card in response to the Kentucky Derby being postponed to September due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Arkansas Derby continues to carry points for the Kentucky Derby.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla – Chance It, considered a leading Kentucky Derby candidate prior to his disappointing performance in the Tampa Bay Derby, will spend the next two months on his owner’s farm in Ocala, Fla., trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. confirmed Friday.
Chance It won the Mucho Macho Man at Gulfstream over As Seen On Tv to kick off his 3-year-old campaign. Joseph opted to skip the Fountain of Youth after Chance It drew post 11 to run the following week in the Tampa Bay Derby, where he finished a tiring fifth, beaten 8 1/2 lengths by longshot winner King Guillermo.
Who knows how much longer racing is going to keep going in the face of social distancing and stay-at-home, so let’s enjoy it while we have it – and there’s plenty to enjoy Saturday at Gulfstream Park.
Sometimes these mega multi-stakes days present as overkill. Not this one. The very first stakes, the $100,000 Cutler Bay for 3-year-old turf horses, could easily have come up allowance-like, but this race is excellent for the level and sets the tone for the card.
It wasn’t easy to just pick three races, but here they are.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – With an uncertain future ahead and an empty grandstand behind, a dozen 3-year-olds will take to the track late Saturday afternoon at Gulfstream Park to decide the premier event of the 2019-20 Championship meeting, the Grade 1 Curlin Florida Derby. The marquee race of the season highlights an outstanding 14-race program that will feature a mandatory payout of the Rainbow 6 pool, which will have a carryover in the vicinity of $1.5 million if it’s not hit Thursday or Friday.
First post time is 11:30 a.m. Eastern.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – With several unexpected entrants coming out of the woodwork Wednesday morning, a full field of 12 3-year-olds, plus one also-eligible, was drawn for the marquee race of the Gulfstream Park Championship meet, the Grade 1 Florida Derby.
As the managing partner of Sackatoga Stable, Jack Knowlton desperately wants to watch the Florida Derby on-site. Sackatoga owns Florida Derby favorite Tiz the Law.
Florida Derby: News, contenders, and videos
Gulfstream Park is not allowing fans on the grounds, but Knowlton was hoping to be able watch from beyond the outer rail in midstretch to upper stretch.
That Gulfstream Park figures to be extremely quiet on Saturday because there will be no fans or owners in attendance may actually help Independence Hall.
Florida Derby: News, contenders, and videos
Independence Hall has been a handful for his handlers in the paddock, at least in his two races at Aqueduct. A more serene environment may help Independence Hall with his pre-race behavior.
“It should be pretty quiet,” trainer Michael Trombetta said. “That should help me.”
Jockey Florent Geroux on Sunday was about two hours into a drive from New Orleans to his home in Louisville – where he had hoped to spend a couple of days off – when he got a call alerting him that if he wanted to ride in the Florida Derby on Saturday, he needed to be in Florida by that night. As he has all spring, Geroux sped across the finish line with plenty of room to spare.
Trainer Todd Pletcher ran his first horse in the Florida Derby in 2001 and since then has missed only one running of Gulfstream Park’s marquee race for 3-year-olds. More significantly, Pletcher has won a record five Florida Derbies, including four of the last six.
Saturday, Pletcher will be back for another go at the Florida Derby when he sends out Gouverneur Morris and Candy Tycoon in the last of 14 races on a blockbuster card.
