WHO’S HOT

Sole Volante

Karakontie – Light Blow, by Kingmambo

Bred in Kentucky by Flaxman Holdings ($6,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase by New Hope AB; $20,000 OBS April juvenile purchase by Patrick Biancone, agent)

Red roses are top of mind this weekend. Valentine’s Day is Friday, and on Saturday, the most important races to date in 2020 will be held for aspirants to the Run for the Roses.

The Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds was split into two divisions that each will award 50 points to the victors, a number that virtually guarantees spots in the inevitable 20-horse field for the Kentucky Derby, to be held this year on May 2 at Churchill Downs.

It’s not every Friday that a top Kentucky Derby prospect breaks from the starting gate at Tampa Bay Downs. But that will be the case this Friday when Gouverneur Morris makes his 3-year-old debut among a field of five in a $27,500 first-level allowance.

In two starts at 2, Gouverneur Morris sparked high hopes that he would develop into a serious Derby candidate, winning a Saratoga maiden race by nine lengths before finishing second as the favorite in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland.

No Parole is poised to jump onto the Kentucky Derby trail after winning the first three starts of his career by a combined margin of 34 lengths. His latest score came Saturday night at Delta Downs, in the $100,000 Louisiana Premier Night Prince.

No Parole was making his two-turn debut and set a measured pace under jockey James Graham, responded when asked for run into the stretch, and was in hand late while getting the mile in 1:39.93. The score came off a pair of wins at six furlongs.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. -- Chase Tracker has put himself in the Grade 3, $750,000 Southwest Stakes on Monday at Oaklawn Park after a strong recent workout, trainer Todd Pletcher said Monday.

The Southwest carries qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby, with the first four finishers to earn points on a scale of 10-4-2-1. The race also anchors a card of three Grade 3 stakes, the others the $500,000 Razorback Handicap and the $200,000 Bayakoa.  

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – The biggest name on the work tab around the local area Monday was Tiz the Law, who turned in his first breeze since his impressive triumph in the Grade 3 Holy Bull on Feb. 1 at Gulfstream. Tiz the Law’s connections confirmed they are pointing him to the $1 million Florida Derby here March 28 for his final Kentucky Derby prep.

Flavien Prat will ride Kentucky Derby prospect Dennis’ Moment when he makes his 3-year-old debut in the Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park on Feb. 29, trainer Dale Romans said Monday.

:: Fountain of Youth Day 2020: News, analysis, picks, past performances, and more

The mutuel field, the 24th or “all others” option, closed as the favorite over Nadal after three days of betting into Pool 2 of the 2020 Kentucky Derby Future Wager. The pool opened Friday at noon Eastern and ran through 6 p.m. Sunday.

The field closed at 2-1, followed by Nadal (8-1), Tiz the Law (8-1), Dennis’ Moment (10-1), Maxfield (13-1), Authentic (15-1), and Thousand Words (16-1). The lowest $2 exacta will-pay is the field over Tiz the Law (24-22), worth $54.40.

Twenty-three horses were entered Saturday in the Grade 2, $400,000 Risen Star Stakes – and so there will be two Grade 2, $400,000 Risen Star Stakes next Saturday at Fair Grounds.