Kentucky Derby

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- A trio of GI Kentucky Derby workers enjoyed the spotlight during training hours on a brisk Tuesday morning beneath the Twin Spires. Derma Sotogake (Jpn) (Mind Your Biscuits) was hard held beneath Masatoshi Segawa and ready to do much more as he hit the top of the stretch. He finished up strongly once let loose down the lane and completed his four-furlong breeze in :49.60 (13/20). The G2 UAE Derby winner will be ridden in the Kentucky Derby by Christophe Lemaire. His countrymate Mandarin Hero (Jpn) (Shanghai...

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - TDN Senior Racing Editor Steve Sherack catches up with the connections of leading GI Kentucky Derby contenders to get their 'Early Impressions.' Albaugh Family Stables purchased a total of nine yearlings either alone or in partnership out of the 2021 Keeneland September Sale for a total of $3.37 million. Two of them have made the 20-horse field for the Kentucky Derby and a third will need a scratch to draw into the body of the field. Angel of Empire (Classic Empire) punched his ticket to Louisville following...

Winchell Thoroughbreds' Disarm (Gun Runner) completed his major preparations for Saturday's GI Kentucky Derby with a half-mile work in :49.20 (15/30) at Churchill Downs Monday. With exercise rider Wilson Fabian in the saddle, Disarm was accompanied to the track by assistant trainer Scott Blasi aboard one pony, while trainer Steve Asmussen followed close behind on another. Disarm completed an opening quarter-mile of :25 and was not asked to gallop out past the wire, which is typical in Asmussen's works less than one week out of a race. "We've been behind...

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- There was very little suspense during Monday afternoon's GI Kentucky Derby post position draw held in the Aristides Lounge at Churchill Downs as Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable's champion 2-year-old colt and 'TDN Rising Star' Forte (Violence) immediately kicked things off by drawing very well on the outside in post 15. Tabbed as the 3-1 morning-line favorite in the full field of 20, last year's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner overcame more than his share of adversity beneath regular rider Irad Ortiz, Jr. while punching his...

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - TDN Senior Racing Editor Steve Sherack catches up with the connections of leading GI Kentucky Derby contenders to get their 'Early Impressions.' Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable's champion 2-year-old colt and 'TDN Rising Star' Forte (Violence) will look to join Street Sense and Nyquist as GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile winners to capture the roses the following spring. The dark bay heads to the Kentucky Derby as the one to beat following impressive victories in this term's GII Fountain of Youth S. and GI Curlin Florida Derby...

Thomas Lambert, an applied economist at the University of Louisville's College of Business, wasn't quite sure if he could trust the dollar amounts that were routinely cited regarding the impact of the GI Kentucky Derby on the region's economy. So he took on the task of finding out for himself, and has just published the results in a study titled, "Horse Sense or Horse Hype? Estimating the True Economic Impact of Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Derby on the Louisville Metro Area." Lambert started by noting that the results of...

Frank Fletcher's Rocket Can (Into Mischief) turned in his final work ahead of Saturday's GI Kentucky Derby going five furlongs in :59.80 (4/35) at Churchill Downs Sunday. With regular exercise rider Guelser Cardona aboard and working inside of stablemate Mr. McGregor (Into Mischief), the colt  worked in splits of :12.80, :24.40, :36. He galloped out six furlongs in 1:13. "I thought it went very well," trainer Bill Mott said of the work. "That's racehorse time for this track. He had a workmate out there, both riders did a good job,...

Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable's likely GI Kentucky Derby favorite and last out GI Curlin Florida Derby winner Forte (Violence) headlined a busy morning beneath the Twin Spires at Churchill Downs as 12 candidates for this year's Run for the Roses turned in their final works for the first leg of the Triple Crown. Last year's champion 2-year-old colt and 'TDN Rising Star' Forte, who worked a half-mile in company in :49.80 over a fast track, was one of four breezers for trainer Todd Pletcher. Other Pletcher half-mile workers...

8th-AQU, $84K, OC, 4yo/up, 1m, 5:06 p.m. ZANDON (Upstart), last seen running fourth Dec. 3 in the GI Cigar Mile at Aqueduct, returns to the scene on Saturday in this spot for owner Jeff Drown. Receiving Lasix for the first time, the Chad Brown trainee will be ridden by Flavien Prat and will leave from gate two. Zandon's 3-year-old campaign included a victory in the GI Toyota Blue Grass S., and a pair of third-place finishes in the GI Kentucky Derby and GI Runhappy Travers S. His dam Memories Prevail...

LG&E and KU Energy have partnered with Churchill Downs to become the first Green Energy partner of the Kentucky Derby. LG&E and KU Energy, the holding company for Kentucky's two largest utilities--Louisville Gas and Electric Company and Kentucky Utilities Company--will be the presenting sponsor of Saturday's 10-race opening night program, which is now officially billed as "Opening Night Powered by LG&E" and kicks off the first "green" Kentucky Derby Week. Through participation in LG&E and KU's Green Energy program, Churchill Downs Racetrack has agreed to purchase blocks of Green Energy...

Edited Press Release A horse ownership stake with Skychai Racing, an outdoor cigar lounge and multiple ready-for-Instagram backgrounds are just a few of the new features added this year to Second Stride's 12th annual Derby week Champions Night at Molly Malone's in the Highlands section of Louisville Monday, May 1 from 6-9 pm. Of all fundraisers taking place Derby week, it is the only event raising money for the horses, enabling the Louisville-based organization to continue to provide professional rehabilitation, retraining and placement of retired thoroughbred racehorses.  Placing over 100...

Grammy® Award-winning country music singer, songwriter and Kentucky native Carly Pearce will sing the National Anthem at this year's GI Kentucky Derby, which will be contested for the 149th time on May 6, Churchill Downs announced Tuesday. Also, singer and songwriter Rachel Platten will kick off Derby weekend by performing the National Anthem and her hit "Fight Song" during the Kentucky Oaks Survivor's Parade at the GI Longines Kentucky Oaks May 5. "Carly Pearce has been taking the country music world by storm with an impressive year of musical performances,"...