Mon, 04/20/2015 - 16:50

WinStar buys interest in Upstart

Barbara D. Livingston
Upstart, runner-up in the Florida Derby, appears fully recovered from a sinus infection.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - WinStar Farm announced Monday that it has acquired a minority interest in leading Kentucky Derby contender Upstart from his principal owner, Ralph Evans. Upstart will continue to be trained by Rick Violette.

Details of the transaction were not revealed. Upstart will give WinStar two horses in this year’s Derby field. It is also partners with Stonestreet Stable in Carpe Diem.

Mon, 04/20/2015 - 15:01

Regret's Derby at 100: Filly made a case for equality


“You’re the top! You’re the Tower of Babel. You’re the top! You’re the Whitney stable …” - Cole Porter

Mon, 04/20/2015 - 14:51

Judy the Beauty makes surprise appearance

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LOUISVILLE, Ky. – What figured to be a far-from-noteworthy Kentucky Derby-Oaks training session Monday got an unexpected boost when reigning female sprint champion Judy the Beauty worked six furlongs after the renovation break at 8:30 a.m. Judy the Beauty is scheduled to make her 2015 debut in the Grade 1 Humana Distaff here a week from Saturday.

Churchill Downs
Weather: Overcast
Temperature: 58
Track: Muddy, upgraded to good after the break

Sun, 04/19/2015 - 14:08

Bejarano will ride Bolo in Kentucky Derby

Shigeki Kikkawa
Bolo, winning the Eddie Logan in December, may stick with grass racing for the time being.

The first fallout from the injury to One Lucky Dane occurred Sunday, when Keith Brackpool, a co-owner of Bolo, announced via Twitter that Rafael Bejarano would ride Bolo in the Kentucky Derby on May 2, the first of several jockey assignments that are expected to be made in the next 48 hours.

Bejarano would have ridden One Lucky Dane in the Derby, but One Lucky Dane suffered a condylar fracture to his left front ankle during a workout Saturday at Santa Anita and is off the Derby trail.

Sun, 04/19/2015 - 13:59

Kentucky Derby Clocker: American Pharoah among five to gallop

Barbara D. Livingston
After five consecutive starts with blinkers, Mr. Z is taking them off on Saturday.

Churchill Downs
Weather: Raining; temperature  65 
Track: Fast early/Sloppy after break

LOUISVILLE, Ky . -  In the past, no trainer would dare run a horse in the Kentucky Derby without at least one work over the Churchill Downs racing strip. But Funny Cide’s victory in 2003 changed all that. This year is a prime case in point, with not even half the field  on the grounds yet and at least a half a dozen, and possibly more,  members of the prospective starting lineup not expected to have a breeze over the track prior to Derby Day.

Sun, 04/19/2015 - 12:59

El Kabeir looks sharp working towards Kentucky Derby

Barbara D. Livingston
El Kabeir (above) finished third in the Wood Memorial, 5 3/4 lengths behind the winner, Frosted.

ELMONT, N.Y. - If the busy four-race campaign and harsh New York winter were supposed to take their toll on El Kabeir, well, they haven’t.

The multiple Grade 3 stakes-winning El Kabeir demonstrated his fitness and energy levels were very strong during a five-furlong work timed in 1:00.15 Sunday morning over Belmont Park’s main track.

Sat, 04/18/2015 - 15:14

Worst news comes from last of 11 Derby workers

Keeneland/Coady Photography
Todd Pletcher (left) watches as Carpe Diem works a half-mile Saturday morning at Keeneland. Earlier in the morning three other Derby hopefuls worked for Pletcher at Palm Beach Downs in Florida.

ARCADIA, Calif. – When it came to Kentucky Derby workouts on Saturday, they saved the worst news for last.

One Lucky Dane, second last time out in the Santa Anita Derby, was taken off the Kentucky Derby trail after suffering a condylar fracture to his left front ankle in a workout here at Santa Anita.

Sat, 04/18/2015 - 13:33

One Lucky Dane injured, off Derby trail

Barbara D. Livingston
One Lucky Dane will make his first start since the Nov. 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile in a one-mile optional claimer Thursday at Santa Anita Park.

One Lucky Dane is off the Kentucky Derby trail after suffering an injury to his left front leg during a workout on Saturday at Santa Anita, trainer Bob Baffert said.

One Lucky Dane had just completed a five-furlong work in 59.20 seconds and was galloping out around the clubhouse turn when he was brought to a halt by jockey Rafael Bejarano. One Lucky Dane got a ride back in a horse ambulance to Baffert's barn. He was missing his left front shoe. He also began to favor his left front as he cooled out.

Sat, 04/18/2015 - 12:00

Dortmund, Firing Line shine in works

Coady Photography
Firing Line wins the Grade 3 Sunland Derby, earing a Beyer Speed Figure of 97.

ARCADIA, Calif. -- Kentucky Derby aspirants Dortmund and Firing Line worked shortly after 7:45 Saturday morning at Santa Anita.

Dortmund broke off first, and went five furlongs in 58.80 seconds under jockey Martin Garcia for trainer Bob Baffert. He had a couple of tag-team workmates -- one early, one late -- who couldn't keep up.

Sat, 04/18/2015 - 11:48

Three Derby hopefuls breeze at Churchill

Amanda Hodges Weir/Hodges Photography
International Star, shown winning the Louisiana Derby, has the stalking style that should fit well with the abundance of front-runners in the projected field for the Kentucky Derby.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Two weeks away from the Kentucky Derby, the activity from Derby hopefuls is picking up at Churchill Downs. Three potential Derby starters, International Star, Danzig Moon, and Keen Ice, recorded workouts Saturday morning – with each work noticeably different than the others.