Wed, 01/18/2012 - 16:06

Kentucky Derby Future Wager pool schedule finalized

Churchill Downs has scheduled its three Kentucky Derby Future Wager weekends for Feb. 10-12, March 2-4, and March 30-April 1. The lone Kentucky Oaks Future Wager pool will be held concurrently with the final Derby Future Wager weekend. All of the pools will offer win and exacta wagering.

Mon, 01/16/2012 - 18:54

Oaklawn: Junebugred by a neck in Smarty Jones

Coady Photography/Oaklawn Park
Junebugred, on the rail with Joe Bravo riding, wins the Smarty Jones.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Junebugred put himself on the 3-year-old fast track Monday at Oaklawn Park, when he won the $100,000 Smarty Jones at Oaklawn Park by a neck over Reckless Jerry. It was another length back in third to the multiple Grade 2 winning filly and favorite On Fire Baby.

The Smarty Jones was the first prep on Oaklawn's road to the Grade 1, $1 million Arkansas Derby, and Junebugred's connections said he will be pointed toward the series. The horse could run next in the Grade 3, $250,000 Southwest Stakes on Feb. 20.

Mon, 01/16/2012 - 11:28

Tampa Bay Downs: State of Play to try dirt in Sam F. Davis Stakes

Barbara D. Livingston
State of Play is being pointed to the Grade 3, $250,000 Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs.

OLDSMAR, Fla. – Could there be another Animal Kingdom residing on the backstretch at Tampa Bay Downs?

Saturday morning, State of Play, a horse with several similarities to the 2011 Kentucky Derby winner, breezed a leisurely five furlongs over the Tampa Bay main track in 1:03.

Fri, 01/13/2012 - 17:34

Santa Anita: Secret Circle may try Southwest

Tom Keyser
Secret Circle, with Rafael Bejarano riding, wins the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Sprint.

ARCADIA, Calif. -  Secret Circle, the winner of the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Sprint in November and second to Out of Bounds in the Sham Stakes on Jan. 7, is being considered for the $250,000 Southwest Stakes over a mile at Oaklawn Park in Arkansas on Feb. 20, Baffert said.

"He might get a shot in the Southwest,” trainer Bob Baffert said.

Fri, 01/13/2012 - 10:01

Countdown to the Crown: Week 2 - Jan. 13, 2012

Editor’s Note: Countdown to the Crown returns for a seventh season online as one of the most comprehensive handicapper’s scouting reports of the 3-year-old scene. Posted each Friday at DRF.com from Jan. 6 through the Belmont Stakes, Countdown keeps you apprised of the rising stars of the 3-year-old class from the maiden ranks through the Grade 1 stakes. You can access daily updates and interactive features at Countdowntothecrown.com as well.

Wed, 01/11/2012 - 11:01

Union Rags returns to work tab with easy three-furlong breeze

Barbara D. Livingston
Union Rags is pointing to the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth Stakes.

BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. – Union Rags, runner-up in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and among the finalists for an Eclipse Award in the 2-year-old division, breezed an easy three furlongs in 38.35 seconds at Palm Meadows on Wednesday in the first work of his 3-year-old campaign.

“It was pretty uneventful, he’s just getting started,” trainer Michael Matz said. “He went an easy three-eighths and galloped out good. He’s really grown and filled out since his last start.”

Mon, 01/09/2012 - 14:52

Aqueduct: Kentucky Derby hopeful Alpha is still learning gate behavior

Barbara D. Livingston
Alpha, with Ramon Dominguez riding, wins the Count Fleet.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – As solid a race as Alpha ran winning Saturday’s $150,000 Count Fleet Stakes at Aqueduct, if he is going to become a legitimate contender for the Kentucky Derby, he is going to have to behave better in the starting gate.

That’s why Alpha will undergo stringent gate-schooling sessions between now and his likely expected next start in the Grade 3, $200,000 Withers Stakes here on Feb. 4.

Sun, 01/08/2012 - 11:01

Turfway: Mr. Prankster heads one-two sweep for Maker in Prevue

Patrick Lang/Lang Photography
Heavy favorite Mr. Prankster, ridden by John McKee, takes the Turfway Prevue.

Trainer Mike Maker continued his dominance of Turfway Park when he swept  the top two spots Saturday night in the 24th running of the $50,000 Turfway Prevue at the Florence, Ky., track.

Mr. Prankster, ridden by John McKee, scored a 3 1/2-length victory in the 6 1/2-furlong Polytrack race, with his uncoupled Maker-trained stablemate, Magical Season, rallying from well back to be up for second at 11-1, another half-length ahead of Frankie Is Rock in a field of 12 3-year-olds.

Sat, 01/07/2012 - 17:24

Santa Anita: Out of Bounds upsets Secret Circle in Sham

Benoit Photo
Out of Bounds (left) defeats Secret Circle (center) and Longview Drive in the Sham.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Now that the calendar has turned to 2012, the West Coast’s 3-year-olds need to prove that they can stretch out and progress on their way to the Santa Anita Derby, and possibly the Kentucky Derby. The one-mile distance of the Grade 3, $100,000 Sham Stakes on Saturday at Santa Anita was a testament to the path ahead, as Out of Bounds successfully stretched out in his stakes debut, while heavily favored Secret Circle, the unbeaten winner of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Sprint, failed to reproduce his best form in his first try around two turns.

Sat, 01/07/2012 - 17:13

Aqueduct: Alpha looks like Kentucky Derby contender in Count Fleet win

Barbara D. Livingston
Alpha, one of three winners on the card for jockey Ramon Dominguez, wins the Count Fleet while racing on Lasix for the first time.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Can a legitimate Kentucky Derby prospect bloom in New York during the winter?

On a spring-like afternoon that rivaled any Wood Memorial Day seen around here in years, Alpha looked like a legitimate Derby contender with a solid 2 1/2-length victory in Saturday’s $150,000 Count Fleet Stakes over Aqueduct’s inner track. Stephanoatsee, a half-brother to 2011 Preakness winner Shackleford, rallied to get second by a neck over Il Villano.