GI Kentucky Derby

On a brisk spring morning, Juddmonte Farm's Mandaloun (Into Mischief) began his serious preparation toward the GI Kentucky Derby with a half-mile breeze in :49.80 under jockey Florent Geroux Saturday. The GII Risen Star S. winner worked outside of stakes winner Australasia through a moderate :25.40 opening quarter-mile fraction. The duo galloped out together through five furlongs in 1:02.60 and completed the work with a six-furlong time of 1:16.40, according to Churchill Downs clocker John Nichols. Trained by Brad Cox, Mandaloun was the 6-5 favorite in the Mar. 20 GII...

With one month to the running of the GI Kentucky Derby, NBC Sports presents live coverage of the GII Wood Memorial, GII Blue Grass S. and GI Santa Anita Derby Saturday at 5:30 p.m. ET. This weekend's "triplecast" continues NBC Sports' "Road to the Kentucky Derby" coverage on four consecutive Saturday afternoons, which also includes next weekend's GI Arkansas Derby. NBC Sports will present the 147th Kentucky Derby Saturday, May 1 at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBC. Saturday's live coverage begins from Aqueduct Racetrack with the Wood Memorial, which has...

Godolphin has been riding a high since annexing last weekend's GI Dubai World Cup with homebred Mystic Guide (Ghostzapper) and the operation looks to assert its dominance in the sophomore division Saturday with a pair of TDN Rising Stars, defending juvenile champion Essential Quality (Tapit), slated to run in Keeneland's GII Toyota Blue Grass S. and Aqueduct's GII Wood Memorial contender Prevalence (Medaglia d'Oro). Essential Quality earned his Rising Star status courtesy of a four-length victory sprinting six panels at Churchill Downs last September before handling his step up to...

Greatest Honour (Tapit) rides a three-race win streak heading into the GI Curlin Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park, however, the Courtlandt Farm homebred certainly hasn't scared anyone away as 10 other sophomores have also signed on in Saturday's Classic prep. A large part of the draw is that the Florida Derby will offer 170 qualifying points for the May 1 Kentucky Derby on a 100-40-20-10 basis. The 1 1/8-mile test has produced the winners of 60 Triple Crown events. The imposing bay kicked off his career with a trio of...

Unbeaten star 3-year-old 'TDN Rising Star' Life Is Good (Into Mischief) came out of a workout Saturday at Santa Anita with what appears to be a minor problem, one that will keep him from starting in the GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby. According to Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, the horse was off in his left hind leg. Baffert said it was too early to tell if Life Is Good could still make the GI Kentucky Derby. But Elliott Walden, the president and CEO of WinStar Farm, the co-owners...

Trainer Bob Baffert's arsenal was on full display Saturday morning at Santa Anita in preparation for their respective Breeders' Cup engagements at Keeneland Nov. 6 and 7. Heading the charge was GI Kentucky Derby hero Authentic (Into Mischief), who breezed seven furlongs in 1:24.40 (XBTV video) in advance of the GI Breeders' Cup Classic. In his latest start, the colt finished a neck behind winner Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil) in the Oct. 3 GI Preakness S. Undefeated TDN Rising Star Princess Noor (Not This Time) breezed six furlongs in a bullet...

The Week in Review, by Bill Finley Trainer Ken McPeek had set himself up for second guessing when he decided to run Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil) in the GI Preakness S.. Not only would she have to face males, the Preakness would be her ninth race of the year and Pimlico would be the ninth track she has competed at in 2020. With a start in October, she would have raced during every month on the calendar but April. By modern standards, it has been a bruising schedule and one that...