LOUISVILLE, Ky. – When trainer Kiaran McLaughlin puts Soldat on the plane that will take his Kentucky Derby prospect to Louisville on Saturday, he will do so with the confidence that his horse couldn’t be doing any better coming into the biggest race of his young career.
KENTUCKY DERBY NEWS: Track all the 3-year-olds on the Triple Crown trail
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Though no official announcement has yet been made, jockey Garrett Gomez is expected to ride Master of Hounds if the Irish-based colt, as expected, ships to Kentucky next Tuesday for the May 7 Kentucky Derby.
Master of Hounds was not entered in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket on Saturday. According to a spokesman for owner Coolmore Stud, the plan has been for Master of Hounds, who is trained by Aidan O'Brien, to ship here on Tuesday from Ireland.
Entries for the Derby are to be taken Wednesday.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Uncle Mo and Stay Thirsty, the two Kentucky Derby prospects whom Todd Pletcher trains for owner Mike Repole, will work in company on Sunday morning in their final preps for the May 7 Derby, Pletcher said Friday morning.
KENTUCKY DERBY NEWS: Track all the 3-year-olds on the Triple Crown trail
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LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The sun finally broke through for the first time in more than a week Friday at Churchill Downs, but the racetrack still had some moisture in it and was rated good when opening at 5:45 a.m. before ultimately being upgraded to fast by the time the special 15 minute Derby-Oaks training session began nearly three hours later.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Mr. Commons, third in the Santa Anita Derby and all but ruled out of the Kentucky Derby due to insufficient graded stakes earnings, would have worked shorter than seven furlongs Thursday at Hollywood Park. But when Churchill Downs officials phoned trainer John Shirreffs earlier that morning to inquire about Mr. Commons’s status, Shirreffs called an audible.
“I wasn’t planning on going long with him,” Shirreffs said. “But when I heard how close it’s getting, I decided to work him long just on the off chance [he gets in].”
Fountain of Youth winner Soldat worked four furlongs in 49 seconds early Friday at the Palm Meadows training center in Boynton Beach in his final prep for next Saturday’s Kentucky Derby.
With no official clocker on hand, trainer Kiaran McLaughlin reported Soldat went his opening quarter in 25 and came home in 24 before galloping out five-eighths in 1:01.40 and pulling up six furlongs in 1:15.80.
ELMONT, N.Y. – There are defining moments in every athlete’s career, and jockey Eddie Castro had several before the age of 21. At 18, he won the 2003 Eclipse Award as North America’s leading apprentice. In June 2005, two months after he turned 20, Castro won nine races on a single card at Calder. At 21, Castro pulled off an upset in the 2006 Breeders’ Cup Mile aboard 24-1 shot Miesque’s Approval.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The first program of the spring meet at Churchill Downs has always been cause for celebration, and why not? Spring is in the air, the horses are back in town, and most importantly, the Kentucky Derby is only a week away.
Still, opening day under the old Twin Spires has always been somewhat subdued. Not any more: Churchill will open Saturday with a glitzy night program for the first time in track history, an innovation that will try to give new meaning to breaking swiftly from the gate.
Who is the horse to beat?
Brad Free: Dialed In. Mile and one-quarter ideal for improving colt, two-time Derby winner Zito knows how job gets done, low odds main knock.
Marcus Hersh: Dialed In. Win over the track, best overall 2011 form, master Derby trainer, the right running style, and likely ability to get the distance.
Among the surprising prep race winners, which one is for real?
Pants On Fire turned back the promising Nehro in the Louisiana Derby, and Archarcharch also outlasted Nehro in the Arkansas Derby. Nehro, who didn’t win a prep race, may be the most “for real” surprise of all.
