Trainer Kelly Breen said his Holy Bull runner-up Sweet Ducky would likely skip the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth here lat Gulfstream Park ater this month to await the Grade 1 Florida Derby on April 3.
“Nothing’s definite yet but the last time I spoke to the owners we were thinking about not dancing every dance,” said Breen. “But he’s going to need to step up in the Florida Derby money wise, finish first or second money, just to qualify on graded earnings for the Kentucky Derby.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Jaycito, winner of the Grade 1 Norfolk Stakes at Hollywood Park last fall, will make his 3-year-old debut in the $150,000 San Vicente Stakes at Santa Anita on Feb. 20, trainer Bob Baffert said Friday.
Baffert had considered the $250,000 San Felipe Stakes over 1 1/16 miles on March 12 for Jaycito’s first start of the year but has pushed the timetable forward.
“He’s ready to go in the San Vicente,” Baffert said.
Todd Pletcher and Steve Asmussen were born into racing, being the sons of trainers who plied their trade largely in the Southwest. Both operate large stables that encompass several tracks and scores of horses. Both have won multiple Eclipse Awards as champion trainer, both have trained Eclipse Award-winning horses, and both have won Breeders’ Cup races. Both have won Triple Crown races. And, until last year, both had never won the Kentucky Derby.
John Velazquez rode To Honor and Serve to a victory in last year’s Remsen Stakes, and will be aboard the top Kentucky Derby prospect when he makes his 3-year-old debut later this month in the $400,000 Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park, trainer Bill Mott said on Thursday. Velazquez is also the regular rider of Uncle Mo, last year’s champion 2-year-old male.
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Grade 2 Robert Lewis - Santa Anita - Race 6
Est. Post Time: 6:05 p.m. Eastern - Feb. 12, 2010
ARCADIA, Calif. – Going into the Sham Stakes last month here at Santa Anita, trainer Steve Asmussen and his local assistant, Scott Blasi, leaned pretty hard on Tapizar. Between the ship to California from Kentucky, and a step up into stakes company, they wanted to leave nothing to chance.
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Grade 3 El Camino Real - Golden Gate Fields - Race 8
Est. Post Time: 7:15 p.m. Eastern - Feb. 12, 2010
Seven 3-year-olds are entered in Saturday’s 30th running of the Grade 3 El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate Fields, but all the attention will be on one horse: Comma to the Top.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - J P’s Gusto arrived at his new base of Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark., in the early evening hours Wednesday after a full day of travel from Southern California. One of the nation’s top 3-year-olds, he has been transferred from trainer David Hofmans to trainer Joe Petalino and is scheduled to run Feb. 21 in the Grade 3, $250,000 Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn.
KENTUCKY DERBY NEWS: Track all the 3-year-olds on the Triple Crown trail
PHILADELPHIA -- This time last year, trying to find a 3-year-old with a triple-digit Beyer was an exercise in futility. The figures suggested it was a very weak group. Remember Eskendereya did not blow up until late February when he got that 106 in the Fountain of Youth, followed by the 109 in the Wood Memorial. The story ended there, of course.
