Sat, 04/19/2025 - 10:20
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – It’s been a busy 72 hours or so, with plenty of miles covered, for trainer Brad Cox.
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DRF Past Performances
Baeza, the Santa Anita Derby runner-up who needs several defections to make it into the Kentucky Derby field, will ship to Churchill Downs and be entered, at the very least, as an also-eligible for the race, trainer John Shirreffs said Thursday.
The Thoroughbred Daily News reported the change in plans Wednesday night.
Manny Franco has picked up the mount on East Avenue in the Kentucky Derby, while Javier Castellano will ride Owen Almighty.
Luan Machado rode East Avenue to a second-place finish in the Blue Grass Stakes, but he is committed to ride Jeff Ruby Steaks winner Final Gambit in the Derby.
East Avenue is owned by Godolphin and trained by Brendan Walsh. Franco filled in for the injured Junior Alvarado aboard the Godolphin-owned Sovereignty for the Grade 1 Florida Derby. Alvarado returned to action Wednesday and will ride Sovereignty in the Kentucky Derby.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Grande, the Wood Memorial runner-up, was scheduled to leave New York for Kentucky by van on Thursday afternoon. He will make a pit stop at Keeneland before shipping to Louisville for the May 3 Kentucky Derby.
At Belmont Park on Thursday, trainer Todd Pletcher said Grande will have one work before the Kentucky Derby. It will take place at Keeneland, not Churchill Downs.
Chunk of Gold
Preservationist – Play for Gold, by Cairo Prince
Bred in Kentucky by Brereton C. Jones ($2,500 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky fall yearling purchase by Chris Melton)
Louisiana Derby runner-up Chunk of Gold has never been worse than second and has already earned back more than 139 times his modest purchase price. The colt, a May foal, is from a steady, serviceable pedigree – a good description of Chunk of Gold himself.
WHO’S HOT
Except for the curious case of Owen Almighty, it was a relatively quiet week for Kentucky Derby aspirants. Some 24 horses remain under consideration according to Churchill Downs, including Journalism, the 3-1 early favorite on the Daily Racing Form Derby Watch Top 20 odds line by David Aragona.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Sandman and Coal Battle, first and third, respectively, in the Arkansas Derby, both turned in maintenance moves toward the Kentucky Derby on a brisk and windy Tuesday morning at Churchill Downs.
Working on a fast track at about 7:15 a.m., just after the first renovation break, Sandman was credited with a half-mile in 49.60 seconds by the Churchill Downs clockers.
"We just wanted him to stretch his legs," said assistant trainer Allen Hardy, who oversaw the work.
Journalism, the early favorite for the Kentucky Derby after overcoming trouble to win the Santa Anita Derby by three-quarters of a length, is tentatively scheduled for his first work back this coming weekend at Santa Anita.
“I have to figure out his travel schedule first,” trainer Michael McCarthy said. “He’ll work this weekend.”
McCarthy added that Journalism is “doing very well, seems like he’s in a pretty good groove at the moment.”
ARCADIA, Calif. – The best 3-year-old who is not already qualified for the Kentucky Derby worked an easy half-mile Monday morning at Santa Anita in preparation for a potential Derby start.
Baeza, runner-up to Journalism in the Santa Anita Derby, needs defections to make the Kentucky Derby lineup. He ranked 24th on the points list as of Monday morning, and only 20 horses can start. Trainer John Shirreffs is proceeding as if Baeza will get in. Monday’s workout was slow, by design.