Mon, 03/27/2023 - 13:20

Japan's Kentucky Derby candidates sport U.S. pedigree interests

Dubai Racing Club

Derma Sotogake, winning the UAE Derby on Saturday at Meydan, is a son of Mind Your Biscuits, a Grade 1-winning sprinter in the U.S. who stands in Japan.

Prominent U.S. runners have played a key role in the development of the Japanese breeding and racing program into an international superpower. Chief among those, of course, is Horse of the Year Sunday Silence, with the 1989 Kentucky Derby, Preakness, and Breeders’ Cup Classic winner becoming a breed-shaping sire in Japan.

Sunday Silence appears in the pedigree of all four Japanese-bred colts who are considered potential Kentucky Derby candidates. However, other American expatriates figure prominently in this quartet, as well.

Sun, 03/26/2023 - 19:28

Wild On Ice ($72.80) upsets Sunland Park Derby, considers Kentucky Derby

By Mary Rampellini

Coady photo

Wild On Ice broke last, but went on to win the Sunland Park Derby on Sunday.

Wild On Ice upset the Grade 3, $600,000 Sunland Park Derby at 35-1 on Sunday and, while he picked up 50 Kentucky Derby points, his status for the race is to be determined, according to trainer Joel Marr.

Wild On Ice is not currently nominated to the Triple Crown. Late nominations for the race close Monday at a cost of $6,000. Marr said in a post-race interview broadcast by Sunland that he did not know yet whether the horse would advance to the May 6 classic at Churchill Downs.

“We weren’t thinking about any of that until a few minutes ago,” Marr said.

Sun, 03/26/2023 - 14:19

Kingsbarns shows he knows way to Kentucky Derby

By David Grening

Barbara D. Livingston

Kingsbarns was given a 95 Beyer Speed Figure for Saturday's victory in the Louisiana Derby.

When the principals of Spendthrift Farm sent Kingsbarns to Todd Pletcher last October, they weren’t necessarily thinking he was going to have time to develop into a Kentucky Derby horse.

Kingsbarns, a son of Uncle Mo, was purchased for $800,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream auction after breezing a quarter in 20.60 seconds, and needed some time to get over some seemingly minor issues.

Sat, 03/25/2023 - 14:48

Forte will have to overcome post 11 in Florida Derby

By Mike Welsch

Lauren King

Forte started his 3-year-old season with this 4 1/2-length victory in the Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - The road to the Kentucky Derby got a little trickier for the undisputed division leader Forte early Saturday afternoon after the reigning 2-year-old champion drew post position 11 in a surprisingly full field of 12 3-year-olds entered for next Saturday’s $1 million Florida Derby.

Horses breaking from post position 11 in races run at the Florida Derby distance of a mile and one-eighth over the main track at Gulfstream Park have won just 2 of 49 starts, due in large part to the short run to the first turn since the track was reconfigured in 2006.

Sat, 03/25/2023 - 10:49

Derma Sotogake punches ticket to Kentucky Derby with UAE Derby win

By Marcus Hersh

Dubai Racing Club

Derma Sotogake wins the Grade 2, $1 million UAE Derby by 5 1/2 lengths.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – Dirt racing is a second-class citizen in Japan, where turf is king, but Japanese dirt horses are doing just fine in Dubai. A year after Japan-based Crown Pride won the UAE Derby, Japan-based Derma Sotogake dominated the 2023 renewal, breaking from the rail and leading from start to finish under Christophe Lemaire en route to a 5 1/2-length victory.

Fri, 03/24/2023 - 13:19

Fort Bragg, Mage join Florida Derby lineup

By Mike Welsch

Emily Shields

Fort Bragg was entered in Sunday's Sunland Derby, but will scratched in favor of the April 1 Florida Derby.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – The complexion of the starting lineup for next Saturday’s $1 million Florida Derby took a turn for the better Friday with confirmation that Fort Bragg and Mage are now both being pointed to the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby prep.

Fort Bragg was one of seven 3-year-olds entered in Sunday’s Sunland Park Derby before his connections called an audible and decided to re-route him to Gulfstream Park six days later. Fort Bragg is coming off a fifth-place finish behind stablemate Practical Move in the Grade 2 San Felipe at Santa Anita in his only start this season.

Fri, 03/24/2023 - 12:25

Sunland Park Derby matches Henry Q vs. Hard to Figure

By Mary Rampellini

Coady Photography

Henry Q was highly impressive winning the Feb. 28 Mine That Bird Derby. He has worked twice at Sunland since that race.

Henry Q and the trainer of Hard to Figure, Bob Baffert, are honorary locals when it comes to Sunland Park in New Mexico.

The Southern California-based horses will vie for favoritism Sunday in the Grade 3, $600,000 Sunland Park Derby. Fort Bragg, another leading contender entered in the 1 1/8-mile race, will not start and will re-route to the Florida Derby, according to trainer Tim Yakteen.

Thu, 03/23/2023 - 11:30

Louisiana Derby deeper than might appear at first glance

By Marcus Hersh

Coady Photography

Instant Coffee comes into the Louisiana Derby off wins in the Lecomte and Kentucky Jockey Club but may not be all that much better than some of his Saturday rivals.

You could bet on Instant Coffee to win the Louisiana Derby. He won his career debut at Saratoga, finished a decent fourth facing strong competition in the Breeders’ Futurity, overcame a slow pace to capture the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes, and rallied steadily into stronger splits winning his most recent start, the Jan. 21 Lecomte at Fair Grounds, by 2 1/2 lengths.

Wed, 03/22/2023 - 17:00

Major Dude, Two Phil's switch to Tapeta for Jeff Ruby Steaks

By Nicole Russo

Major Dude wins the Kitten's Joy at GP Feb 4 2023

Barbara Livingston

Major Dude is 2 for 4 on turf, 1 for 3 on dirt, and will make his synthetic-track debut in the Jeff Ruby.

Major Dude and Two Phil’s, the top two choices on the morning line for Saturday’s Grade 3, $700,000 Jeff Ruby at Turfway Park, make a surface switch to Tapeta as they collide with local prep winners Funtastic Again and Congruent.

Wed, 03/22/2023 - 12:55

Kentucky Derby: Hit Show's final rehearsal will be in Wood Memorial

By David Grening

Barbara D. Livingston

Hit Show has opted for the Wood Memorial on April 8 over the Arkansas Derby, which will be run April 1.

Hit Show, the Grade 3 Withers Stakes winner, will return to New York for the Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial on April 8 at Aqueduct, trainer Brad Cox confirmed Wednesday.

In the days after he won the Withers, Hit Show shipped to Fair Grounds to train while Cox and owner Gary West were contemplating whether to run back in the Wood or perhaps go to the Grade 1, $1.25 million Arkansas Derby on April 1 at Oaklawn Park, where the horse won an allowance race in February.

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