Horses competing in Aqueduct’s upcoming $1 million Wood Memorial on April 5 will be subject to out-of-competition blood testing for banned substances, be required on the grounds by April 2, and are subject to 24-hour monitoring at their trainers’ own barns and stalls on the grounds, the New York State Gaming Commission announced.
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DRF Past Performances
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Strong Mandate has had a couple of eventful mornings this week at Oaklawn Park but remains on course for the Grade 1, $1 million Arkansas Derby on April 12 despite a less-than-ideal workout Wednesday.
Strong Mandate breezed a half-mile in 54 seconds soon after the track opened, then lost his exercise rider, Alberto Rodriguez, galloping out after the wire. Strong Mandate was caught by an outrider without incident and came back fine, as did Rodriguez, trainer D. Wayne Lukas said later in the morning.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Wednesday, Game On Dude worked a half-mile in 48 seconds, preparing for a start in the $1.5 million Charles Town Classic in West Virginia on April 19.
Trained by Bob Baffert, Game On Dude won the 2013 Charles Town Classic.
Wednesday, Baffert worked two of his leading 3-year-olds – Bayern and The Admiral.
[ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY: Prep races, point standings, replays]
NEW ORLEANS – They first burst on the scene in the spring of 2002 with Harlan’s Holiday, who won the Florida Derby and the Blue Grass Stakes and finished seventh as the favorite in the Kentucky Derby. They raced under the name of Starlight Racing, but because co-owners Jack and Laurie Wolf surrounded themselves with a large, fun-loving entourage, they became known as “The Wolfpack.”
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Eight 3-year-olds, led by likely favorite Cairo Prince, were entered Wednesday for Saturday’s $1 million Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park.
Cairo Prince, an easy winner of the Grade 2 Holy Bull Stakes in his only start at 3, will break from post 3 with Luis Saez aboard in the Grade 1 Florida Derby. Wildcat Red, the winner of the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth, drew the rail, much to the delight of his trainer, Jose Garoffalo.
Wildcat Red will be ridden for the first time in the 1 1/8-mile Florida Derby by John Velazquez.
I was not expecting much from the two 3-year-old stakes last weekend and definitely was underwhelmed by the Spiral Stakes at Turfway Park on Saturday. Then, I caught Chitu in the Sunland Derby on Sunday. He looked good all the way and finished like a serious Kentucky Derby contender with a 102 Beyer Speed Figure.
Trainer Tony Dutrow said Tuesday he will enter In Trouble in the Louisiana Derby on Wednesday, but that a final decision on whether to ship the horse to New Orleans on Thursday or wait and run in the Wood Memorial hadn’t yet been made. Joe Rocco would ride In Trouble if the colt starts in the Louisiana Derby.
[ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY: Prep races, point standings, replays]
Just five likely for Oaks
Harvey Clarke said he never lamented the Kentucky Derby winner he virtually gave away. He is simply glad to have another chance to make it back to America’s most famous horse race.
In 2010, Clarke sold a yearling son of Flower Alley for $11,000 at the Keeneland September sale. That colt, out of the dam Arch’s Gal Edith, turned out to be I’ll Have Another, who in 2012 won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes but was scratched from the Belmont Stakes due to an injury, thus ending his bid to become Thoroughbred racing’s 12th Triple Crown winner.
Trainer Tom Amoss is making no secret of the tactics Rise Up will employ when he starts Saturday in the Louisiana Derby. Rise Up is going to the front and taking the Louisiana Derby field as far as he can.
“My instructions are going to be, ‘Damn the torpedoes,’ ” Amoss said Monday morning.