Mon, 05/18/2020 - 13:40

Tagg sending Tiz the Law back to New York to train for Belmont Stakes

Barbara D. Livingston
Tiz the Law is scheduled to ship back to New York on June 1 to continue preparations for the Belmont Stakes.

Tiz the Law is ready to go home.

Trainer Barclay Tagg said Monday that in light of the recent announcement that racing will begin again at Belmont Park the first week of June, he is tentatively planning to ship Tiz the Law and the rest of his stable back to New York on June 1.

Sun, 05/17/2020 - 19:05

Authentic works for Santa Anita Derby

Emily Shields
Authentic led throughout en route to a 2 1/4-length win in Saturday's Grade 2 San Felipe.

Authentic, an undefeated two-time stakes winner, worked six furlongs in 1:11 on Sunday at Santa Anita for a scheduled start in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby on June 6.

Authentic won the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on March 7 in what was intended to be a prep for the original date of the Santa Anita Derby on April 4.

Tue, 05/12/2020 - 11:41

Churchill announces partial schedule for Kentucky Derby qualifying races

Amanda Hodges Weir/Hodges Photography
Major Fed is being pointed to the Grade 3 Matt Winn Stakes on May 23 at Churchill Downs.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Churchill Downs officials announced Tuesday a partially updated list of qualifying races for the Kentucky Derby and Oaks while also making contingencies for the Preakness and/or Belmont Stakes in case either precedes the Derby.

Nine new points races for the Derby are listed, starting with the May 23 Matt Winn Stakes at Churchill. Points for the Matt Winn have been increased to 85 (50-20-10-5), up substantially from the 17 points originally (10-4-2-1) designated for the race when Churchill began to reset its schedule earlier this month.

Wed, 05/06/2020 - 13:40

Kentucky Derby: Trainers biding time as waiting game drags on

Lauren King/Coglianese Photos
Trainer Barclay Tagg is keeping Florida Derby winner Tiz the Law ready and waiting for racing and stakes schedules to be sorted out.

On the day he could have been going for his second victory in the Kentucky Derby, trainer Barclay Tagg was a little more than 1,000 miles away from Churchill Downs, at the Palm Meadows training center in South Florida. And instead of running for the roses with his colt Tiz the Law in the biggest race in the country, one he won in 2003 with Funny Cide, Tagg was sending Tiz the Law through a five-furlong work, marking time, waiting to see what’s next.

“We’re all just treading water,” Tagg said in a telephone interview earlier this week.

Wed, 05/06/2020 - 12:58

Hill 'n' Dale acquires breeding rights to Charlatan

Coady Photography
Charlatan will stand at Hill 'n' Dale after his racing career ends.

Hill 'n' Dale Farm has acquired the future breeding rights to Kentucky Derby hopeful Charlatan, who remained unbeaten with a dominant victory in a division of the Arkansas Derby last Saturday.

The 3-year-old son of Speightstown is campaigned in partnership by SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Stonestreet Farm, Madaket Stables, Fred Hertrich III, John D. Fielding, and Golconda Stables, and is trained by Bob Baffert.

Wed, 05/06/2020 - 12:30

Kentucky Derby: Who's hot, who's not for May 6, 2020

WHO’S HOT

Wed, 05/06/2020 - 11:36

Maxfield targets return in Matt Winn Stakes

Coady Photography
Maxfield is being pointed to the Grade 3 Matt Winn Stakes on May 23 at Churchill Downs.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Brendan Walsh got the extra time he needed with Maxfield. Soon it’ll be up to the colt to capitalize on the reprieve.

Maxfield is widely regarded as a major contender for the 146th Kentucky Derby, but only because the coronavirus crisis forced Churchill Downs officials to postpone it from May 2 to Sept. 5. If the race had been run as originally scheduled, Maxfield would have been hard-pressed to make the race – let alone win it.

Wed, 05/06/2020 - 11:36

Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: Nadal

Coady Photography
Nadal is by the versatile stallion Blame, who won the 1 1/4-mile Breeders' Cup Classic over Zenyatta at Churchill Downs in 2010.

Nadal

Blame – Ascending Angel, by Pulpit

Bred in Kentucky by Sierra Farm ($65,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase by Randy Bradshaw, agent; $700,000 Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream juvenile purchase by Kerri Radcliffe Bloodstock)

 

Mon, 05/04/2020 - 18:39

Road to the 2020 Kentucky Derby: Arkansas Derby (Division 2) analysis

Coady Photography
Nadal remains undefeated in four career starts. His jockey, Joel Rosario, won five races Saturday.

Grade 1, $500,000 Arkansas Derby (Division 2), 1 1/8 miles, Oaklawn Park, May 2, 2020

(100 Derby qualifying points for a win, 40 for second, 20 for third, 10 for fourth)

Winner: Nadal, by Blame
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Jockey: Joel Rosario
Owners: George Bolton, Arthur Hoyeau, Barry Lipman, and Mark Mathiesen
Beyer Speed Figure: 98

Mon, 05/04/2020 - 15:27

Road to the Derby: Arkansas Derby (Division 1) analysis

Coady Photography
Charlatan led throughout under jockey Martin Garcia.

Grade 1, $500,000 Arkansas Derby (Division 1); 1 1/8 miles; Oaklawn Park; May 2, 2020
(100 Derby qualifying points for a win, 40 for second, 20 for third, 10 for fourth)

Winner: Charlatan, by Speightstown

Trainer: Bob Baffert

Jockey: Martin Garcia

Owners: SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Stonestreet Stables, Hertrich

Beyer Speed Figure: 96