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.
OLDSMAR, Fla. – For a moment there, it looked like Independence Hall might’ve been a 1-5 shot when the Sam F. Davis is run Saturday at Tampa Bay Downs.
But with the connections of Ajaaweed and Premier Star choosing the Davis over other Kentucky Derby preps, Independence Hall might well have to work harder than ever to remain unbeaten.
Just days before he is scheduled to make his first start at 3 after being named last year’s champion 2-year-old male, Storm the Court topped a list of 347 3-year-olds who were made early nominees to this year’s Triple Crown, it was announced Wednesday by Churchill Downs, host of the Kentucky Derby.
Storm the Court is scheduled to race on Sunday at Santa Anita in the Grade 2 San Vicente Stakes, which will mark his first start since winning the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile three months ago.
Ten new names are in the lineup for Pool 2 of the 2020 Kentucky Derby Future Wager, which opens Friday at noon Eastern for the customary three-day run.
The mutuel field, the 24th or “all others” option, has been pegged as the 5-2 morning-line favorite in Pool 2 by Churchill Downs linemaker Mike Battaglia, with Tiz the Law the shortest individually listed interest at 8-1. Next are Independence Hall (10-1), Dennis’ Moment (12-1), Nadal (12-1), Authentic (15-1), Maxfield (15-1), and Thousand Words (15-1).
