Mon, 03/06/2023 - 16:10

Road to the 2023 Kentucky Derby: Gotham analysis

Barbara D. Livingston
Neither a sloppy track, nor a loose horse could stop Raise Cain from winning the Gotham on Saturday at Aqueduct.

$402,000 Gotham; Aqueduct; March 4, 2023
(50 qualifying points for first, 20 for second, 15 for third, 10 for fourth, and 5 for fifth) 

Winner: Raise Cain, by Violence
Trainer: Ben Colebrook
Jockey: Jose Lezcano
Owner: Andrew Warren and Rania Warren
Distance/time: 1 mile / 1:38.09 (muddy, sealed)
Win margin: 7 1/2 lengths
Beyer: 90 

Sun, 03/05/2023 - 16:27

Road to 2023 Kentucky Derby: San Felipe Stakes analysis

Benoit Photo
Practical Move got a 100 Beyer Speed Figure for winning the San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita on Saturday.

$402,000 San Felipe, March 4, 2023
(50 qualifying points for first, 20 for second, 15 for third, 10 for fourth, and 5 for fifth) 

Winner: Practical Move, by Practical Joke
Trainer: Tim Yakteen
Jockey: Ramon Vazquez
Owner: Leslie Amestoy, Pierre Amestoy, Roger Beasley
Distance / time: 1 1/16 miles / 1:42.01
Win margin: 2 1/2 lengths
Beyer: 100 

Sun, 03/05/2023 - 14:23

Road to the 2023 Kentucky Derby: Fountain of Youth analysis

Lauren King
Forte, winning the Fountain of Youth on March 4, was the 3-1 favorite at the end of Pool 5 wagering.

$400,000 Fountain of Youth Stakes, March 4, 2023
(50 qualifying points for first, 20 for second, 15 for third, 10 for fourth, and 5 for fifth) 

Winner: Forte, by Violence
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr
Owner: Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable
Distance / time: 1 1/16 miles / 1:43.12
Win margin: 4 1/2 lengths
Beyer: 98 

Sun, 03/05/2023 - 12:46

For Practical Move, time to get serious about Kentucky Derby

Benoit photo
Practical Move got a 100 Beyer Speed Figure for Saturday's triumph in the San Felipe Stakes.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Practical Move earned a triple-digit Beyer in scoring a decisive victory in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes on Saturday at Santa Anita and emerging as a serious contender for the Kentucky Derby, while two-three finishers Geaux Rocket Ride and Skinner ran well enough to earn a start in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby on April 8.

Sat, 03/04/2023 - 18:58

Raise Cain rallies in stretch, takes big Gotham Stakes triumph

Barbara D. Livingston
Raise Cain (left) runs alongside riderless Howgreatisnate en route to victory in the Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Trainer Ben Colebrook gave jockey Jose Lezcano a leg up on Raise Cain in the Aqueduct paddock, made a quick pitstop in the film theater and then jumped into an Uber headed to John F. Kennedy Airport before the horses went to post for Saturday’s Grade 3, $300,000 Gotham Stakes. After all, whatever was to happen in the race was now out of his control and he needed to be at Turfway Park Saturday night to saddle Scoobie Quando in the John Battaglia Memorial Stakes.

Sat, 03/04/2023 - 18:13

Fountain of Youth: Champion Forte powerful in season opener

Ryan Thompson
Forte rolls home an easy 4 1/2-length winner for Irad Ortiz Jr. in the Fountain of Youth, his first start since winning the Breeders' Cup Juvenile.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Aside from a few anxious moments, perhaps, in the run down the backstretch, the $400,000 Fountain of Youth played out about as perfectly as trainer Todd Pletcher could have hoped for his leading Kentucky Derby candidate Forte.

The reigning juvenile champion rallying to a one-sided and very easy 4 1/2-length victory over Holy Bull winner Rocket Can in his first start since capturing the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile four months earlier.

Fri, 03/03/2023 - 15:46

Cairo wins at short odds in Irish qualifier for Kentucky Derby

Cairo, an Irish-bred Quality Road colt trained by Aidan O’Brien, moved to the fore of the European-based hopefuls for the Kentucky Derby with a two-length win in his 3-year-old debut in Friday’s $42,300 Patton Stakes at a mile on the all-weather surface at Dundalk Racecourse in Ireland.

Cairo earned 20 qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby with the win. One berth in the Kentucky Derby is available to the runner with the most qualifying points from the European series.

Thu, 03/02/2023 - 14:00

Juvenile champion Forte starts drive to Kentucky Derby in Fountain of Youth

Barbara D. Livingston
Forte, trained by Todd Pletcher, wins the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile by 1 1/2 lengths on Nov. 4 at Keeneland.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – The much anticipated 3-year-old debut of reigning juvenile champion Forte will take place Saturday at Gulfstream Park when the top-rated Kentucky Derby hopeful goes a mile and one-sixteenth against eight rivals in the $400,000 Fountain of Youth. The Grade 2 fixture, which dates back to 1945, is the final event on a 14-race program that includes seven other graded stakes, including the Grade 2, $200,000 Davona Dale for 3-year-old fillies.

Thu, 03/02/2023 - 13:26

Cox has two leading contenders in wide-open Gotham

Coady Photography
Eyeing Clover comes into the Gotham 2 for 2 for Brad Cox after an Oaklawn maiden win (above) and an allowance romp at Fair Grounds.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Eyeing Clover and Slip Mahoney won’t be mentioned on many people’s top 20 lists for the Kentucky Derby. Heck, either would have a difficult time cracking the top 10 of 3-year-olds in the barn of their trainer, Brad Cox.

Wed, 03/01/2023 - 13:26

Illness forces Arctic Arrogance out of Gotham

Barbara D. Livingston
According to owner Chester Broman, Arctic Arrogance caught an illness that has been going through the barn he is stabled in at Belmont Park.

Arctic Arrogance, who accrued 16 Kentucky Derby points by running second in the Grade 2 Remsen, Jerome and Grade 3 Withers, will miss Saturday’s Grade 3, $300,000 Gotham Stakes due to illness.

Owner Chester Broman said he was informed that there is an illness going through the barn that Arctic Arrogance is stabled in on the Belmont Park backstretch. Arctic Arrogance is trained by Linda Rice, but she was on 10-day suspension through Wednesday and could not be at the barn. Her nephew Adam Rice has been overseeing the stable.