After Frankel breezed through his seasonal debut in the Group 3 Greenham Stakes at Newbury on April 16, running his undefeated streak to five, it could be argued that the most talented 3-year-old colt in the world is not based in the United States.
Listed as the overwhelming 4-6 favorite for the Group 1 2000 Guineas at Newmarket on April 30, Frankel will likely be a handful in that English classic.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – What a difference one loss makes. Instead of a backstretch throng to greet him following a police escort from the airport – the preferred treatment for a racing superstar – Uncle Mo was met by maybe a dozen cameramen and media members when arriving Monday at his Churchill Downs barn at precisely noon Eastern, about two hours behind schedule, in advance of the 137th Kentucky Derby
There very well could be a European representative in this year's Kentucky Derby. Master of Hounds is being strongly considered for the race, according Monday to an Irish-based spokesman for Coolmore Stud's John Magnier, who owns Master of Hounds.
"At the moment, the plan is for Master of Hounds to run in the Derby," said the spokesman, who asked not to be identified but has spoken with authority on Coolmore-related matters in the past. "He still has a few pieces of work. After that, the trainer will decide."
Jockey Robby Albarado will work Spiral Stakes winner Animal Kingdom on dirt Saturday at Churchill Downs, a drill that is expected to determine Animal Kingdom's status for the May 7 Kentucky Derby, Barry Irwin, the president of owner Team Valor International, said on Monday.
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The inch or two that separated the victorious Brilliant Speed from runner-up Twinspired in the 87th Blue Grass Stakes on Saturday at Keeneland might be the difference in which horse makes the field for the May 7 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs.
Brilliant Speed, the 19-1 winner for Live Oak Plantation, most likely will run back in the Derby after earning the $450,000 winner’s share from the $750,000 purse, whereas the $150,000 second-place check for Twinspired currently leaves him short of what would be required to make the 20-horse cutoff in the Derby field.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark.- Archarcharch emerged from his Arkansas Derby win in excellent shape, his trainer, Jinks Fires, said the morning after the race, and on Monday night plans are to ship Archarcharch to Churchill Downs to begin preparations for the Kentucky Derby.
“If they don’t block the road we’ll be there,” said Fires, a trainer for 50 years who at the age 70 will have his first starter in the Kentucky Derby.
“I always wanted to go there with a horse I thought had a shot. And we do think we have a shot.”
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – After turning down more than one seven-figure offer for Archarcharch, the conviction owner Bob Yagos and his wife, Val, showed paid the best kind of dividend Saturday. The horse they kept will be taking them to the Kentucky Derby.
Archarcharch rallied from off the pace and held off a late threat from Nehro to win Saturday’s $1 million Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park.
KENTUCKY DERBY NEWS: Track all the 3-year-olds on the Triple Crown trail
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Live Oak Plantation of Charlotte Weber lost its major hope for the 137th Kentucky Derby when To Honor and Serve was declared from consideration earlier this month with a suspensory injury. But against the odds, Brilliant Speed gave Live Oak a brand new Derby prospect Saturday when the homebred colt rallied to nip Twinspired in leading a parade of longshots in a stunning 87th running of the Grade 1, $750,000 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland.
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Brilliant Speed, rallying down the center of the track under Joel Rosario, got up in the final stride to edge Twinspired by a nose in Saturday’s Grade 1, $750,000 Toyota Bluegrass Stakes at Keeneland.
The finish was so tight that it took several minutes for placing judges to determine the order of finish. The winning margin appeared to be an inch or two.
