Mon, 04/08/2013 - 16:12

Kentucky Derby: Velazquez, other jockeys have decisions to make

Barbara D. Livingston
John Velazquez must choose between Wood Memorial winner Verrazano and Florida Derby winner Orb – that is, if he is healthy enough to ride.

There are less than four weeks until the Kentucky Derby, do you know who’s riding your horse?

For the connections of many of the top contenders, the answer as of Monday afternoon was no.

Mon, 04/08/2013 - 15:46

Aqueduct: West Hills Giant shows readiness for Blue Grass

Michael Amoruso
West Hills Giant, en route to running second in the Gotham, missed the Wood but will run in the Blue Grass at Keeneland.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - West Hills Giant, the runner-up in the Grade 3 Gotham Stakes here on March 2, appears fully recovered from the respiratory infection that forced him to miss a workout a few weeks ago and last Saturday’s $1 million Wood Memorial.

On Monday, West Hills Giant drilled five furlongs in 1:00.47 on the Belmont training track under exercise rider Simon Harris, and later that afternoon was put on a van bound for Lexington, Ky., and Saturday’s Blue Grass Stakes.

Mon, 04/08/2013 - 15:29

Kentucky Derby dropout list adds Flashback

Benoit & Associates
Goldencents may be the only horse to come out of the Santa Anita Derby and go on to the Kentucky Derby.

ARCADIA, Calif. – The first three finishers from the Wood Memorial all are set to head to Kentucky, and quite soon, but the Santa Anita Derby might have the victorious Goldencents as its lone representative in the May 4 Kentucky Derby, the result of injuries to two top West Coast contenders both before and after the Santa Anita Derby.

[DERBY WATCH: Top 20 Kentucky Derby contenders with odds and video]

Mon, 04/08/2013 - 14:26

Keeneland: Chad Brown changing horses for Blue Grass

Coady Photography/Keeneland
Balance the Books, here winning the Bourbon last year, ran 11th in his 3-year-old debut, the March 23 Spiral Stakes over the Turfway Park Polytrack.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Chad Brown is swapping out Noble Tune in favor of Balance the Books for the Blue Grass Stakes, a move that changes up things in his own stable – but not the bulkiness of the field for the 89th running of the Keeneland showcase Saturday.

Keeneland officials are expecting more than the 14-horse limit when entries are drawn Wednesday at the annual media breakfast for the Grade 1, $750,000 Blue Grass, a situation that likely will necessitate having an also-eligibles list for the 1 1/8-mile Polytrack race.

Mon, 04/08/2013 - 12:52

Kentucky Derby Under the Radar: Footbridge

Shigeki Kikkawa
Footbridge finally reached the winner’s circle following a one-mile maiden special weight at Santa Anita on March 17.

It’s possible the clock has already struck midnight for Footbridge’s Kentucky Derby dreams as the Darley homebred’s last-minute blitz on Saturday’s Blue Grass Stakes may be denied because of the possibility of an overflow field. If the 100-point Kentucky Derby race is oversubscribed, maiden winner Footbridge could be excluded from the body of Keeneland’s signature event.

[ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY: Prep races, point standings, replays]

Mon, 04/08/2013 - 00:22

Flashback off Kentucky Derby trail with knee chip

Shigeki Kikkawa
Flashback (above) will be joined by stablemates Super Ninety Nine and Power Broker in the Santa Anita Handicap, but not by Hear the Ghost, who has been sidelined by an injury.

Flashback, who finished second to Goldencents in the Santa Anita Derby on Saturday, was found on Sunday afternoon to have a small chip in his right knee, trainer Bob Baffert said Sunday night. He is off the Kentucky Derby trail, but is expected to make a full recovery after having surgery in Kentucky with Dr. Larry Bramlage.

"There was heat in his right knee and we took X-rays and had them sent to Bramlage," Baffert said Sunday night. "He's got a chip. It's small. It's fresh. When you take it out right away they can make a full recovery."

Sun, 04/07/2013 - 21:33

Kentucky Derby: Velazquez injured at Aqueduct, hopes for quick return

Barbara D. Livingston
A day after winning the Wood Memorial on Verrazano, John Velazquez fractured a rib and chipped a bone in his wrist during a spill at Aqueduct.

MANHASSET, N.Y. - Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez fractured a rib on his right side and chipped a bone in his right wrist as a result of being involved in a spill Sunday at Aqueduct.

 While Velazquez will not be able to ride Horse of the Year Wise Dan in his seasonal debut in Friday’s Maker’s 46 Mile at Keeneland, Velazquez said he hopes to be back in time to ride the Kentucky Derby.

[ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY: Prep races, point standings, replays]

Sun, 04/07/2013 - 17:26

Kentucky Derby: Verrazano heads Wood Memorial trio heading to Louisville

Barbara D. Livingston
John Velazquez has to decide whether he wants to ride Wood Memorial winner Verrazano (above) or Florida Derby winner Orb in the Kentucky Derby.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. -  Led by undefeated Verrazano, the top three finishers from Saturday’s $1 million Wood Memorial at Aqueduct will all head to Churchill Downs early to begin preparing for the May 4 Kentucky Derby.

Sun, 04/07/2013 - 12:58

Goldencents will follow same pattern to Kentucky Derby that worked for O'Neill last year

Shigeki Kikkawa
Goldencents, in the Santa Anita winner's circle with jockey Kevin Krigger, earned a career-high 105 Beyer Speed Figure for his Santa Anita Derby victory.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Goldencents, who won the Santa Anita Derby on Saturday, emerged from the race “great,” trainer Doug O’Neill said Sunday morning, and will move on to the May 4 Kentucky Derby, a race O’Neill won last year with I’ll Have Another, who also won the Santa Anita Derby in his final prep.

“We’re flying high,” O’Neill said Sunday morning.

Goldencents was awarded a career-best 105 Beyer Speed Figure for his performance in the Santa Anita Derby.

Sat, 04/06/2013 - 19:25

Santa Anita Derby: Goldencents sends O'Neill, Pitino to Kentucky Derby

Benoit & Associates
Goldencents, ridden by Kevin Krigger, takes the Santa Anita Derby, sending trainer Doug O'Neill back to the Kentucky Derby for the second straight year. The horse is owned by a partnership that includes University of Louisville basketball coach Rick Pitino.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Trainer Doug O’Neill enjoyed winning the Santa Anita Derby last year so much he decided to do it again. Guess he said, I’ll Have Another.

Goldencents, now starting on the path O’Neill trod last year with I’ll Have Another, ran his way into the May 4 Kentucky Derby with a 1 1/4-length victory over favored Flashback on Saturday in the Grade 1, $750,750 Santa Anita Derby before an ontrack crowd of 33,005.