Flavien Prat

After a lengthy delay following the gate scratch of Bernieandtherose (Accelerate), 2-5 choice Directive (Gun Runner) took it all in stride, going on to earn her second consecutive victory at Saratoga on Thursday. A debut second sprinting at the Big A on Apr. 3, the Juddmonte homebred relished the wet going while extending to a mile at that venue on Apr. 30. Joined by a red-hot Flavien Prat, who already won the first two races on Thursday's card, the Chad Brown trainee allowed U Lite Up My Life (City of...

Goodall (f, 3, Yaupon--Moon Over Mag Bay, by Malibu Moon) cut back after what seemed like a head scratcher to earn black-type in Thursday's Jersey Girl Stakes at the Spa. Breaking quickly from post 3, she settled just off 5-2 chance Carmel Coast, who carved out an opening quarter mile in :21.92. Joined by Mythical to her outside as the fillies ran past the quarter pole, Goodall began to inch closer to the pacesetter through the stretch, caught her nearing the sixteenth pole and drew off to win by 2...

It was reported earlier in the week that Boyd Racing and By Talla Racing's Splendora (Audible) would not take her spot in the field for Saturday's GII Shawnee Stakes on Stephen Foster Preview Day at Churchill Downs. Ultimately--and to the surprise of most--she was given her chance by trainer Bob Baffert and the reigning GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint winner sat a pace-pressing trip, easily seeing out the 8 1/2-furlong trip to validate 6-5 favoritism. The Maryland-bred showed good pace from gate five, but was beaten to the...

Connections of Stark Contrast (c, 3, Caravaggio--Catch the Eye, by Quality Road), second in the GIII Jeff Ruby Steaks Mar. 21 behind scratched GI Kentucky Derby contender Fulleffort (Liam's Map), could have entertained a Derby bid with the 50 points he earned at Turfway, but opted instead for the 35th running of the GI American Turf Stakes Saturday on the Derby undercard at Churchill Downs. And boy, did it pay off for the Michael McCarthy-trained Amerman homebred, who took home his first Grade I score. Sent as the 6-5 favorite,...

With jockey Flavien Prat urging his mount on down the lane, Yellow Card (Lost Treasure (Ire)--Paris Girl, by Pulpit) was up in time to take the GII Twin Spires Turf Sprint Stakes on Saturday's Derby undercard, which was the first higher-level win of the horse's career. Yellow Card captured his first black-type when he won the restricted Clocker's Corner Stakes at Santa Anita Feb. 8. Shipping to Keeneland for the GII Valvoline Global Shakertown Stakes, the Michael McCarthy trainee encountered some traffic troubles up the backstretch, but he showed heart...

The Bill Mott barn was poised for a big Saturday at Oaklawn Park but Stars and Stripes (Not This Time) made sure it was equally exciting for the Keeneland division with a powerful performance in the GIII Ben Ali Stakes. A horse with buzz about him after he dazzled in his June graduation at the Belmont Big A meet last year--a 10 1/2-length masterclass--in start number two, he followed that up with an equally sterling effort in mid-July at Saratoga. Blitzing a field of first-level allowance runners by 7 1/4...

In a photo finish that took the stewards several minutes to decipher, the GI Jenny Wiley at Keeneland Saturday finished in a thrilling dead-heat between Expensive Queen (Ire) (Lope de Vega (Ire) and Segesta (Ghostzapper). The race dynamic changed hours before the race Saturday as a pair of early-morning favorite, Lush Lips (GB) (Ten Sovereigns {Ire}) and Destino d'Oro (Bolt d'Oro), both scratched. That opened the door for Juddmonte homebred Segesta to inherit the favorite's role in her first start since winning the GI Matriarch Stakes at Del Mar Nov....

In the GI Maker's Mark Mile at Keeneland on Friday, Zulu Kingdom (Ire) (r, 4, Ten Sovereigns {Ire}--Zindziswa, by Smart Strike) went gate to wire to hand trainer Chad Brown the 3,000th win of his career. The speedy turf star won on debut for trainer Andre Fabre at Saint-Cloud as a juvenile that June. A private purchase by Hubert Guy in France, the bay was unveiled under the care of Chad Brown and delivered a win less than three months later in the Aug. 29 running of the GIII With...

Last seen running fourth as the favorite in the GIII Robert B. Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita Feb. 7, heavily-favored Desert Gate (Omaha Beach) had no issue with a short field in the Hot Springs Stakes Thursday at Oaklawn Park, taking just three rivals gate to wire to win easily. The 2-5 choice, who was racing with blinkers on for the first time, broke just a step slow but rushed up to lead from the rail ahead of 9-5 second choice Soldier N Diplomat (Army Mule). The pair quickly separated...

Brad Cox always seems to be loaded when it comes to top 3-year-old fillies, and he's got another good one in Life of Joy (Gun Runner), who pulled off an impressive victory in the GII Fair Grounds Oaks. With the GII Fantasy Stakes and the GII Gulfstream Park Oaks on tap this week, the picture for the GI Kentucky Oaks should become all the more clear. So, here goes, your latest Top 10: 1) ZANY (American Pharoah--Mo' Green, by Uncle Mo) O-Repole Stable; B-D.J. Stable (KY); T-Todd Pletcher. Sales history:...

It can be hazardous to one's betting bankroll to drink the hype-flavored Kool-Aid that flows freely when an undefeated sophomore with limited experience wins a nine-furlong prep for the GI Kentucky Derby in eye-catching fashion. Yet despite the well-documented risks against backing horses who have made only two lifetime starts prior to the first Saturday in May, Emerging Market just might be the type of real-deal, rapidly rising phenom to convince me to saunter over to the punch bowl and try a sip. In the case of this ''TDN Rising...

And you thought a March Madness-esque upset would be limited to basketball. A proverbial 16 seed nearly took down the favorite in the Louisiana Region when maiden winner and 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Emerging Market (Candy Ride {Arg}), the narrow 2-1 favorite, had to gut out a win over 21-1 longshot Pavlovian (Pavel) to win Saturday's GII Louisiana Derby by a head. Named a 'Rising Star' for his debut win at Tampa Bay Downs Feb. 7 that netted him an eye-catching 97 Beyer Speed Figure, Triple Crown-nominated Emerging...