Heart of Honor (GB)
While no immediate plans for the GI Belmont Stakes have been made for Saturday's sensational Preakness 150 hero Journalism (Curlin), connections report that when their colt leaves the Pimlico grounds in a couple days, he will either go directly to Saratoga or to Michael McCarthy's Kentucky base at Churchill Downs. With the son of Curlin under consideration for the GI Belmont Stakes June 7 at Saratoga, McCarthy and Eclipse Thoroughbreds' Aron Wellman spoke to the press Sunday morning and said the decision will be made in the next day or...
BALTIMORE, MD -- Much has been said about the genuine friendship between Hall of Famers D. Wayne Lukas and Bob Baffert that has developed over the years. And the lively banter between the two, as well as several of the other members of the training ranks in attendance at Thursday's Preakness Alibi Breakfast, did nothing to dispel that notion. Completely sidestepping the suggested seating assignments, Baffert planted himself at Lukas's table, which also included John Bellinger, who makes up BC Stables with partner Brian Coelho. The team is represented in...
GISW Sandman (Tapit) has picked up the services of John Velazquez for his anticipated start in Preakness 150, who will replace Jose Ortiz due to another commitment for the contest. Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse promised he'd have a Hall of Fame rider for his grey son of Tapit, and a legend he has procured. Velazquez will be replacing Jose Ortiz, who had the mount in the Derby, as Ortiz has a prior commitment aboard Clever Again (American Pharoah) for trainer Steve Asmussen. The Triple Crown trail has been...
Japan earned their fourth consecutive $1-million G2 UAE Derby and fifth overall with the narrow victory of Admire Daytona (Jpn) (Drefong) over the ultra game Heart Of Honor (GB) (Honor A. P.) at Meydan on Saturday. The latter's jockey Saffie Osborne was attempting to become the first female rider to win a race on Dubai World Cup night. It was jockey Christophe Lemaire's second UAE Derby win after he was aboard Derma Sotogake (Jpn) (Mind Your Biscuits) in 2023. One of the fastest from the bell, he immediately glued himself...
TDN's Senior Racing Editor Steve Sherack provides analysis for Saturday's three GI Kentucky Derby preps--the GI Santa Anita Derby, GII Wood Memorial S. & G2 UAE Derby--and Tuesday's postponed GI Toyota Blue Grass S. GI Toyota Blue Grass S. - I'm banking on a big performance from Chancer McPatrick, who should move forward nicely off his runner-up effort while making his sophomore debut in the GIII Tampa Bay Derby. Despite just a field of seven entered, there figures to be plenty of pace (East Avenue sporting first-time blinkers, the rail-drawn...
Previews by Alan Carasso, Brian Sheerin, Adam Houghton & Heather Anderson DUBAI, UAE -- After Forever Young (Jpn) (Real Steel {Jpn}) overcame a torrid trip to take out the G2 UAE Derby some 373 days ago, big-spending Japanese owner Susumu Fujita boldly commented: "Looking forward, I would like to underline that I would like to win the Dubai World Cup." If ante-post markets are to be believed, those dreams are likely to become reality under the Saturday evening lights at Meydan Racecourse, as Forever Young is expected to jump a...