Instant Replay
Too much of a good thing? Not when it comes to maintaining the gold standard. For if we have only recently celebrated the way Medaglia d'Oro is confounding the self-fulfilling prejudice against aging stallions by continuing to produce runners like Good Cheer and East Avenue, then he now demands a sequel addressing his equal prowess in the kind of role more conventionally reserved for a stallion of 26--namely, as broodmare sire. Last weekend, daughters of Medaglia d'Oro gave us GI Gamely Stakes winner Be Your Best (Muhaarar {GB}); GII Santa...
Instant Replay (c, 3, Maximum Security--Academy Gal, by Medaglia d'Oro), a very good closing third in the GII Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds Mar. 22, became the first stakes winner for his second-crop sire in Saturday's Bathhouse Row S. at Oaklawn Park, a 'Win and You're In' for the GI Preakness Stakes. Favored at 3-5, the Gary and Mary West homebred raced much closer to the front this time around, chasing in fifth through fractions of :23.54 and :49.42. He began to launch while four wide on the far turn...
Having already sent out the ultra-impressive Magnitude (Not This Time) to take last month's GII Risen Star Stakes, Steve Asmussen was back at it Saturday afternoon in New Orleans, as the Hall of Famer added the GII TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby with 15-2 chance Tiztastic (Tiz the Law). It was the Hall of Fame conditioner's fifth victory in the marquee event of the meeting in the Big Easy, equaling the record held by Todd Pletcher. An even fifth to Coal Battle (Coal Front) from an awkward draw in 12 in the...
Typically, Scott Dilworth, along with his wife Evan, are found on the other side of the ticket. Longtime successful pinhookers, they notably purchased a yearling son of Uncle Mo for $250,000 at KEESEP in 2021 only to sell him as a 2-year-old seven months later for a sales-topping $2,300,000 at OBS April. That colt, under the tutelage of Bob Baffert, became Arabian Knight, a Grade I winner who joined the roster at Hill 'n' Dale for his first season at stud this year. Fast forward three years and it's a...
A year after recording a GII TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby-GII Fasig-Tipton Fair Grounds Oaks double with Catching Freedom and Tarifa, trainer Brad Cox will saddle the morning-line favorites in both races Saturday. The rail-drawn John Hancock (Constitution), a game wire-to-wire winner over next-out GIII Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby winner Owen Almighty (Speightstown) in the Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs Feb. 8, will put his two-for-two record on the line in the Louisiana Derby. The WinStar Farm and CHC, Inc. colorbearer is the 7-2 program favorite. The stretch-running...
TDN's Senior Racing Editor Steve Sherack provides analysis for Saturday's pair of GI Kentucky Derby preps--the GII TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby and GIII Jeff Ruby Steaks. GII TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby - After being offered in a pair of maiden claimers at two, #9 Instant Replay (Maximum Security) really elevated his game for Brad Cox in his 3-year-old debut, closing impressively (albeit into a hot pace) from last of six to win with authority (came home in :31) by five lengths in an optional claimer at Fair Grounds Feb. 17. He should...