Baeza

GI Kentucky Derby third-place runner Baeza (McKinzie) returned to the work tab Friday at Santa Anita with an easy four-furlong drill in :53.60 (43/43) for trainer John Shirreffs. He was joined on the tab by fellow 3-year-old Barnes (Into Mischief) who also worked four furlongs (:48.00 {6/43}) for the first time since finishing last of five in the GI Santa Anita Derby April 5 for trainer Bob Baffert. After choosing to skip Saturday's GI Preakness Stakes, Baeza is slated to start next in the GI Belmont Stakes at Saratoga June...

One day removed from a big win with Sovereignty (Into Mischief) in the GI Kentucky Derby, the media converged on Bill Mott's barn on the Churchill Downs backside Sunday Morning. Accompanied by Godolphin's Michael Banahan, Mott indicated the colt exited the 10-furlong Classic in good order, however, had also sustained 'a small scrape--about four inches' on his right front pastern during the early part of the race. "He did sustain a little scrape on the outside of his pastern, most likely leaving the gate," Mott said Sunday. "He broke and...

The GII Wood Memorial Stakes winner and Bob Baffert trainee Rodriguez (Authentic) has been scratched with a sensitive foot bruise from Saturday's GI Kentucky Derby, according a tweet from SF Racing's Tom Ryan. "Out of an abundance of caution, we have made a very tough decision to scratch our Derby horse, Rodriguez," the post by Ryan said. "He has a small but slightly sensitive foot bruise that will need a few more days. Therefore, we are resetting our plans and will target him for the Preakness." The 'TDN Rising Star'...

The field for the GI Kentucky Derby, ranked in "likeliest winner" order. 1) JOURNALISM (c, Curlin--Mopotism, by Uncle Mo). O-Bridlewood Farm, Don Alberto Stable, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Elayne Stables 5 LLC, LaPenta, Robert V., Magnier, Mrs. John, Smith, Derrick and Tabor, Michael B.; B-Don Alberto Corporation (KY); T-Michael W. McCarthy. Sales history: $825,000 Ylg '23 FTSAUG. Lifetime record: GISW, 5-4-0-1, $638,880. Last start: WON Apr. 5 GI Santa Anita Derby. Journalism is the legitimate and deserving favorite. He checks many of the Derby desirability boxes by being a big, long-striding...

Citizen Bull (Into Mischief), last year's Eclipse champion juvenile, completed his major preparations for Saturday's GI Kentucky Derby with a bullet five-furlong work in :58.40 (1/15) Monday at Churchill Downs. Churchill Downs clockers caught Citizen Bull in fractions of :11.60, :23, :45.80, :58.40 and out six furlongs in 1:12.40 and seven-eighths in 1:27.20. "He worked really good out there," said jockey Martin Garcia, who was aboard for the work. "But he was just messin' around. He did it easy." Garcia also revealed that trainer Bob Baffert, who has radio contact...

Five Kentucky Derby hopefuls were on track Saturday morning during the special training period for Oaks and Derby horses at Churchill Downs, but one, GISW Tappan Street (Into Mischief), has been withdrawn from the big race with an injury. As reported early Saturday morning, the son of Into Mischief had just completed a five furlong breeze when regular rider Luis Saez felt that 'something was off' afterwards. X-rays back at the barn revealed a condylar fracture, and while trainer Brad Cox reports it is not a major injury, it will...

Journalism (Curlin), widely regarded as the favorite for the GI Kentucky Derby on May 3, has been made the 8-1 choice for the single-pool Preakness Stakes Future Win Wager according to a release from the new Maryland Jockey Club. Trained by Michael McCarthy, the $825,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling was third over an insufficient six furlongs on career debut last October, but has since rattled off four straight victories at a mile and beyond, most recently overcoming trouble to take the GI Santa Anita Derby Apr. 5. 'TDN Rising Star' Cornucopian...

The Easter weekend that would conclude the mission of Argentina's most revered expatriate had begun, in our rather more trivial field of endeavor, with a remarkable testament to the influence of South America on the American Turf. At Keeneland, the late Pope's compatriot Ignacio Correas saddled his latest big winner, Utah Beach (English Channel) in the GII Elkhorn Stakes. Over at Santa Anita, the flourishing Chilean import Richi (Chi) (Practical Joke) impressed in the GII Santa Maria Stakes. And at Oaklawn the weekend's biggest prize was won by First Mission...

The Southern California-based duo of Rodriguez (Authentic) and Baeza (McKinzie) turned in their final local works before shipping to Churchill Downs for the May 3 GI Kentucky Derby Sunday at Santa Anita. Baeza worked in company with stablemate Atitlan (The Factor), a multiple graded stakes winner on turf, for trainer John Shirreffs. Working under jockey Hector Berrios, the GI Santa Anita Derby runner-up was officially credited with a seven-furlong work in 1:28.00 (3/4). Shirreffs clocked the colt in 1:28.20. "Because his morning gallops have been a little on the easy...

As first reported by the Daily Racing Form's David Grening, MGSP Madaket Road (Quality Road) will be pointed to the GII Pat Day Mile on the Kentucky Derby undercard instead of the marquee race that Saturday. After working Friday morning at Santa Anita, where he posted a five furlong move in 1:00.80 (13.32), Madaket Road will now be pointed to the Pat Day and will ship to Churchill Downs with stablemates 'TDN Rising Stars' MGISW Citizen Bull (Into Mischief) and GSW Rodriguez (Authentic). "That's sort of been our goal all...

The connections of Baeza (McKinzie) have had a change of heart and will ship him to Churchill Downs after all. Though some believe Baeza, the runner-up in the GI Santa Anita Derby, is among the best 3-year-olds in the sport, he has only 37.5 Derby points. That puts him at 23rd on the list. Only 20 horses can start in the race. Had this been last year, Baeza would have made it in no problem. His second-place finish in the Santa Anita Derby would have earned him 50 points, which,...

There are more than three weeks to go before the running of the GI Kentucky Derby, but it wasn't too early for the TDN Writers' Room Podcast team to dive into last weekend's preps and look ahead to the first Saturday in May. The podcast is presented by Keeneland. The team of Randy Moss, Bill Finley and T.D. Thornton, all thought the best race of the week was the GI Santa Anita Derby, won by Journalism (Curlin). He overcame trouble to win the race and earned a solid 102 Beyer...