ARCADIA, Calif. – Authentic is ready to spring forward.
On the final day of standard time, the unbeaten 3-year-old colt continued to enhance his Kentucky Derby credentials with a front-running victory over several high-class rivals in the Grade 2, $401,000 San Felipe Stakes for 3-year-olds on Saturday at Santa Anita.
OLDSMAR, Fla. – Just imagine how they’ll react if they win the next Derby on their schedule.
The connections of King Guillermo launched into a celebration of the most boisterous kind when the Uncle Mo colt sped to victory Saturday in the Tampa Bay Derby, returning the second-biggest price in the 40-year history of the Tampa Bay Downs showcase while earning his way into the May 2 Kentucky Derby.
Churchill Downs officials announced Friday that wagering on O Seraphina (No. 17) in the Kentucky Oaks Future Wager will not be accepted. The filly was reported by trainer Joe Sharp to have suffered a minor injury since an easy win in a Feb. 22 maiden race at Oaklawn Park.
The announcement was made shortly before noon Eastern, when the first of three days of wagering into the Oaks pool and Kentucky Derby Pool 3 began. The Oaks pool closes Sunday at 6:30 p.m. Eastern, 30 minutes after Pool 3 closes.
Storm the Court won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, which brought him the Eclipse Award as champion 2-year-old male, eight days before Authentic ever raced.
Honor A. P. crushed maidens authoritatively on Oct. 13, 13 days before Thousand Words made his debut.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – As a race, Saturday’s Grade 3, $300,000 Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct is solid. It drew a healthy 11-horse field with a legitimate favorite in Mischevious Alex and a host of intriguing, albeit less accomplished, challengers.
OLDSMAR, Fla. – Saffie Joseph Jr. got what he wished for – well, so far. Now all he needs is for Chance It to win.
Joseph scratched Chance It last Saturday at Gulfstream Park after the colt was assigned the outside post for the Fountain of Youth Stakes. One week later, Chance It will break from post 4 when he vies for favoritism with a familiar rival in Sole Volante among a full field of 12 in the 40th running of the Grade 2, $350,000 Tampa Bay Derby, the annual highlight at Tampa Bay Downs.
OLDSMAR, Fla. – Sole Volante was assigned post 7 as the morning-line favorite in a capacity field of 12 3-year-olds entered in the Grade 2, $350,000 Tampa Bay Derby, to be run for the 40th time Saturday at Tampa Bay Downs.
The 1 1/16-mile Tampa Bay Derby is one of three Kentucky Derby qualifiers across the country this weekend, along with the Gotham at Aqueduct and the San Felipe at Santa Anita. All three are worth 85 points (50-20-10-5).
Major Fed managed to finish second behind Modernist in the slower second division of the Risen Star while making only his third career start, second around two turns, and first against other winners. Major Fed is a colt with clear ability and classic lines, and Greg Foley, who trains him for owner-breeder Lloyd Madison, thinks Major Fed will find improvement in the Louisiana Derby.
“The horse, right this minute, is doing great and is just ready to go,” Foley said Wednesday.
His connections see no reason to force the pace of Enforceable’s training, and so the most accomplished 3-year-old dirt-route horse stabled at Fair Grounds will have only two works between the Feb. 15 Risen Star and the March 21 Louisiana Derby.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – A double Rebel?
Oaklawn Park split its Grade 2, $1 million Rebel into two $750,000 divisions last year in a move that helped accommodate Southern California-based horsemen when racing at Santa Anita was temporarily suspended the week of the Grade 2 San Felipe.
This year, it remains to be seen whether Oaklawn will split the Rebel, which runs on March 14, but the track is open to running two divisions of the points race for the Kentucky Derby, said Jed Doro, vice president of racing for Oaklawn.
