NEW ORLEANS – Revolutionary, who overcame severe traffic problems to win the Withers Stakes at Aqueduct in his last start, drew post 3 in a full field of 14 on Wednesday for the Grade 2, $1 million Louisiana Derby on Saturday at Fair Grounds.
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HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – And then there were 10.
What originally was shaping up to be a small field due to the imposing presence of Itsmyluckyday, Orb and Shanghai Bobby – three of the top four horses on Daily Racing Form’s Derby Watch – swelled to 10 when entries were drawn Wednesday for Saturday’s $1 million Florida Derby.
The Grade 1 Florida Derby will top a 13-race program at Gulfstream Park which also includes its filly counterpart, the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Oaks. The Florida Derby is worth 170 qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby, including 100 to the winner.
The maiden race winner Summer Exclusive will skip the $750,000 Santa Anita Derby on April 6 in favor of the $250,000 Bay Shore Stakes over seven furlongs for 3-year-olds on the same day at Aqueduct.
Summer Exclusive worked seven furlongs in 1:26 at Hollywood Park on Monday, but trainer Peter Miller said he was not pleased with the way the colt finished. Miller timed the workout in 1:25.40.
“He didn’t relax and didn’t finish as I’d liked for him to,” Miller said. “We’ll stick to one turn now and stretch him out later.”
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Few have questioned his ability. No one has questioned his desire. Many have questioned whether Shanghai Bobby, last year’s 2-year-old champion male, is a legitimate Kentucky Derby contender.
Cot Campbell gave a number of reasons why he picked out the Louisiana Derby for Palace Malice, the colt who will represent Dogwood Stable on Saturday in the Fair Grounds showcase.
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HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Jockey Gary Stevens, who has been aboard two of D. Wayne Lukas’s four Kentucky Derby winners, will be teaming with the Hall of Fame trainer in a major Kentucky Derby prep next month at Oaklawn Park. Lukas on Tuesday said that Stevens has the mount on Oxbow in the Grade 1, $1 million Arkansas Derby on April 13.
When trainer Lloyd Mason’s assistant, Faith Taylor, brought Nina’s Dragon to Mason’s barn at Golden Gate Fields last year after breaking him at her nearby ranch in Clayton, she made a bold prediction.
“When he went to the track, I told Lloyd, ‘Next year, we’ll be in Kentucky,’ and I never say that,” Taylor said.
Nina’s Dragon isn’t in Kentucky yet and isn’t even nominated to the Triple Crown races.
But he is in Louisiana, where he will run in the 100th edition of the $1 million Louisiana Derby on Saturday at Fair Grounds.
Black Onyx, who all but secured a spot in the starting lineup for the Kentucky Derby with his victory Saturday in Turfway Park’s Grade 3 Spiral Stakes, was among 13 late nominations received by Saturday night’s deadline for the 2013 Triple Crown series.
INDIANTOWN, Fla. – One visit to Payson Park and it’s easy to see why Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey has used the training center located approximately 90 miles north of Gulfstream Park as his major base of operations in south Florida for the past 30 years.
NEW ORLEANS – A little improvement.
That’s all trainers Dallas Stewart, Tom Amoss, and Steve Asmussen want to see from the 3-year-olds they’re running in the Louisiana Derby on Saturday.
Sure, Golden Soul, Mylute, and Proud Strike were also-rans in the Risen Star on Feb. 23, but only 3 1/2 lengths separated the first eight finishers.
