Kentucky Derby
The training and next-race status of sophomore 'TDN Rising Stars' Cave Rock (Arrogate) and Faustin (Curlin) remained unclear Thursday, with trainer Bob Baffert texting a "Don't Know" emoji when asked to outline the game plans for the colts respectively slotted at Nos. 5 and 6 on the most recent TDN Top 12 rankings for the GI Kentucky Derby. The two were apparently not among a contingent of at least 11 other 3-year-old colts transferred out of Baffert's care prior to a Feb. 28 deadline that would have enabled them to...
Turfway Park and Jeff Ruby Culinary Entertainment have announced an extension to their partnership and will remain the presenting sponsor of the $700,000 GIII Jeff Ruby Steaks for an additional five years. Since 2018, Jeff Ruby has been the presenting sponsor of the Jeff Ruby Steaks. The race annually serves as a major steppingstone on the Road to the Kentucky Derby and produced last year's winner of the GI Kentucky Derby, Rich Strike. This year's 52nd running of the 1 1/8-mile event will take place Saturday, Mar. 25. "Turfway Park...
The first Saturday in May is the ultimate goal on the GI Kentucky Derby trail. But the first Saturday in March is often a make-or-break day on the national calendar, with key stakes in Florida, California and New York providing an uptick in intensity. 1) ARABIAN KNIGHT (c, Uncle Mo--Borealis Night, by Astrology) 'TDN Rising Star'. O-Zedan Racing Stables, Inc.; B-Corser Thoroughbreds LLC (KY); T-Tim Yakteen. Sales history: $250,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP; $2,300,000 2yo '22 OBSAPR. Lifetime Record: GSW, 2-2-0-0, $544.275 Last start: 1st GIII Southwest S. at Oaklawn Park,...
Woodford Reserve's commemorative 2023 Kentucky Derby bottle will celebrate the 50th anniversary of Secretariat's 1973 Derby victory. The bottle features the artwork of Kentucky native Jaime Corum. Her painting captures Secretariat in the winner's circle at Churchill Downs. "I hope that my painting for this year's Woodford Reserve Derby bottle, "Still The Greatest," allows us to remember that moment of dreamlike perfection when Secretariat won the 1973 Kentucky Derby," Corum said. "I have been honored to paint Secretariat many times over the years, but this one is truly special to...
When Robert Garrett sold his power line company last year, he knew just how to fill up his free time. The Oklahoman headed to Ocala where, with the help of trainer Chris Hartman, he purchased a son of Cloud Computing for $220,000 at last year's OBS Spring Sale. Now named Two Eagles River, stakes-placed and fresh off a dominant allowance victory at Oaklawn Park, the 3-year-old has Garrett enjoying retirement. "I've owned horses out here in Oklahoma and I owned a stallion and some broodmares, but that's the first one...
Arthur's Ride (Tapit), who impressed by taking pace pressure on the lead and clawing out a 1 1/2-length victory in a Feb. 11 one-turn-mile MSW at Gulfstream Park, has been sidelined and won't be pursuing prep races leading up to the GI Kentucky Derby. Trainer Bill Mott disclosed the news in a Tuesday phone call. The Hall-of-Fame conditioner did not want to elaborate on the colt's condition. "He's off the Derby trail. He's going to have to have some time off. He's on vacation, probably for the rest of the...
Richard E. Dutrow, Jr., the 63-year-old GI Kentucky Derby-winning trainer whose long and controversial history of racing infractions culminated in a 10-year license revocation in New York for a period that concluded last month, on Monday was granted approval for a trainer's license by the New York State Gaming Commission (NYSGC). The announcement was read into the record during the regularly scheduled Feb. 27 NYSGC meeting without any commentary by commissioners. "The former New York State Racing and Wagering Board revoked the Thoroughbred trainer's license of Richard E. Dutrow, Jr.,...
According to a report in the Los Angeles Times, four more possible GI Kentucky Derby starters made the move Sunday from the Bob Baffert barn to the stable of Tim Yakteen. The four are possible Derby favorite Arabian Knight (Uncle Mo), National Treasure (Quality Road), Fort Bragg (Tapit) and Mr. Fisk (Arrogate). They join Arabian Lion (Justify), Carmel Road (Quality Road), Hejazi (Bernardini) and Reincarnate (Good Magic) who landed in the Yakteen barn earlier this month. Reincarnate finished a troubled third in Saturday's GII Rebel S. for Yakteen, Baffert's former...
Had he done this once, maybe twice, the easy conclusion would be that trainer Keith Desormeaux is just lucky. Anyone can stumble onto a good horse that slipped through the cracks at the sales and was bought for a song. But with Desormeaux there's obviously a lot more to it than that. He keeps finding these good horses that most everyone else overlooks, the latest example being Confidence Game (Candy Ride {Arg}), the $25,000 buy at Keeneland September who won Saturday's $1-million GII Rebel S. at Oaklawn, securing a spot...
Don't Tell My Wife Stables' Confidence Game (Candy Ride {Arg}) exited his upset win in Saturday's GII Rebel S. in fine shape, according to trainer Keith Desormeaux. "He's happy," Desormeaux said Sunday. "He looks a lot more calm and happy than he was in that damn [indoor] paddock." The Rebel victory propelled Confidence Game to the top of the Kentucky Derby leaderboard with 57 points. Confidence Game shipped back to Desormeaux's Fair Grounds base Sunday afternoon, but could return to Oaklawn Park for the GI Arkansas Derby Apr. 1. "For...
Gold Square LLC's Slip Mahoney (Arrogate) tuned up for the Mar. 4 GIII Gotham S. with a four-furlong work in :48.87 (6/54) over the Belmont training track Saturday. The gray colt worked in company with unraced stablemate Global Image (Liam's Map). "It wasn't as quick to watch it, but they moved pretty well," said Dustin Dugas, trainer Brad Cox's Belmont-based assistant. "It was really good and he came out of it in great shape and we're all systems go. Trevor [McCarthy] was happy with him and he's going to ride...
Brad Cox joined this edition of the TDN Writers' Room to discuss his impressive list of 3-year-old colts pointing toward the Kentucky Derby.