Wed, 04/12/2023 - 11:25

2023 Kentucky Derby: McPeek not in a hurry to decide about Sun Thunder

Sun Thunder wins maiden race at Op Dec 31 2022
Coady Photography
Sun Thunder wins a maiden race at Oaklawn Park in December. He has accumulated enough points to get into the Kentucky Derby.

Kenny McPeek can keep everybody else jammed up if he wants. There’s no looming timetable as to when the veteran trainer must decide whether Sun Thunder will be entered in the May 6 Kentucky Derby, and he can take pretty much all the time he needs.

Sun Thunder, a no-factor fourth by 6 1/2 lengths as a 13-1 shot last Saturday in the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland, is in the Derby if so desired. Owned by R.T. Racing Stable and Cypress Creek Equine, the son of uber-sire Into Mischief is 14th on the list of qualifiers with 54 points, safely above the 20-horse cutoff.

Tue, 04/11/2023 - 14:11

Wild On Ice will target Kentucky Derby

Coady photo
Wild On Ice arrived at Churchill Sunday after working a half-mile Friday at Sunland Park.

Wild On Ice emerged from his first work since his Sunland Park Derby victory in good order and is now being pointed for the Kentucky Derby, trainer Joel Marr said Tuesday. Wild On Ice arrived at Churchill Downs on Sunday.

“We’re in Kentucky,” Marr said. “We trained yesterday and today and so far everything is going smoothly.”

Wild On Ice worked last Friday at Sunland Park, going a half-mile by himself in 49.40 seconds. The horse’s regular rider, Ken Tohill, was aboard for the move, said Marr.

Tue, 04/11/2023 - 09:11

Road to the 2023 Kentucky Derby: Wood Memorial analysis

Debra A. Roma
Lord Miles (left) gets up to win the Wood Memorial after a roughly run stretch drive.

$750,000 Wood, April 8, 2023 [100 qualifying points for first, 40 for second, 30 for third, 20 for fourth, and 10 for fifth] 

Winner: Lord Miles, by Curlin
Trainer: Saffie Joseph Jr.
Jockey: Paco Lopez
Owner: Vegso Racing Stable
Distance / time: 1 1/8 miles / 1:51.17
Win margin: Nose
Beyer: 93 

Mon, 04/10/2023 - 17:26

Road to the 2023 Kentucky Derby: Blue Grass Stakes analysis

Tapit Trice and jockey Luis Saez edge past Verifying and Tyler Gaffalione at the wire in the Blue Grass Stakes on Saturday at Keeneland.
Coady Photography
Tapit Trice and jockey Luis Saez edge past Verifying and Tyler Gaffalione at the wire in the Blue Grass Stakes on Saturday at Keeneland.

$1 million Blue Grass, April 8, 2023 [100 qualifying points for first, 40 for second, 30 for third, 20 for fourth, and 10 for fifth]

Sun, 04/09/2023 - 19:45

Road to the 2023 Kentucky Derby: Santa Anita Derby analysis

Benoit Photo
Practical Move (right) edges Mandarin Hero (center) and Skinner in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby.

Grade 1, $751,500 Santa Anita Derby, April 8, 2023
(100 qualifying points for first, 40 for second, 30 for third, 20 for fourth, and 10 for fifth)

Winner: Practical Move, by Practical Joke
Trainer: Tim Yakteen
Jockey: Ramon Vazquez
Owner: Leslie Amestoy, Pierre Amestoy, and Roger Beasley
Distance / time: 1 1/8 miles / 1:48.69
Win margin: Nose
Beyer: 100

Sun, 04/09/2023 - 13:48

Practical Move pairs 100 Beyers; Skinner, Mandarin Hero need defections for Derby berths

Benoit Photo
Practical Move (right) holds off Mandarin Hero (center) and Skinner to win the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Practical Move will head to the Kentucky Derby with the top figures in the field, while the two-three finishers he narrowly defeated Saturday in the Grade 1 Runhappy Santa Anita Derby need help to crack the Kentucky Derby lineup at Churchill Downs.

Practical Move earned a 100 Beyer defeating the surprising Japan shipper Mandarin Hero by a nose; Skinner finished a half-length back in third and earned a 99 Beyer.

Sun, 04/09/2023 - 13:22

Lord Miles, Hit Show headed home to prep for Kentucky Derby

Barbara D. Livingston
Lord Miles (left), Hit Show (center), and Dreamlike hit the wire together in the Grade 2 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Lord Miles was on his way back to South Florida on Sunday morning and Hit Show was to depart New York for Kentucky on Monday as the one-two finishers from Saturday’s Grade 2 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct point to the Kentucky Derby on May 6 at Churchill Downs.

Lord Miles and Hit Show both survived some bumping in the stretch – and Lord Miles withstood an inquiry and objection – to emerge from their performances unscathed and with enough qualifying points to crack the competitive 20-horse field.

Sun, 04/09/2023 - 10:43

Pletcher planning to send Kentucky Derby brigade to Churchill on April 16

Coady Photography
Tapit Trice outfinishes Verifying to win the Grade 1 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland. Both horses earned Beyer Speed Figures of 99.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Tapit Trice will spend another week at Keeneland before heading over next Sunday (April 16) to Churchill Downs in Louisville, where the Blue Grass Stakes winner will embark on final preparations as one of the favorites for the 149th Kentucky Derby.

Sat, 04/08/2023 - 19:02

Lord Miles ($120.50) survives bumpy Wood Memorial, clinches Kentucky Derby berth

Debra A. Roma
Lord Miles (8) runs clear as Hit Show (center) and Dreamlike appear to bump during Saturday's running of the Wood Memorial at Aqueduct.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - On a day full of surprises at Aqueduct, Lord Miles - at 59-1 the third-longest price in the field of 12 - pulled off the biggest and arguably most important one, outlasting Hit Show and Dreamlike to the wire to win the Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial by a nose and earn his way into the Kentucky Derby.

Sat, 04/08/2023 - 18:15

Tapit Trice outruns Verifying in Blue Grass Stakes

Coady photo
Tapit Trice (left) beats Verifying by a neck in the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland on Saturday.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Tapit Trice joined his Todd Pletcher stablemates as major contenders for the 149th Kentucky Derby by getting the best of Verifying in an exciting stretch duel Saturday in the Keeneland spring showcase, the Grade 1, $998,125 Blue Grass Stakes.

Racing closer to the pace than he did last month in winning the Tampa Bay Derby, Tapit Trice used another determined stretch run in defeating Verifying by a neck. The winner returned $5.28 as the favorite in a field of 11 when finishing the 1 1/8-mile distance in 1:50 over a fast track.