Kentucky Oaks

Grade I winner Bottle of Rouge (Vino Rosso), one of two GI Kentucky Oaks hopefuls for trainer Bob Baffert, will not contest Churchill's Classic for fillies, according to the Hall of Fame trainer on Sunday. At 5:30 a.m. Sunday morning, Bottle of Rouge who worked a half-mile in :48.80 with Martin Garcia aboard in company with the Grade III stakes-winning filly Forced Entry (Charlatan). Last year's GI Del Mar Debutante winner started to cough shortly after returning to the barn and subsequently failed to scope cleanly, prompting Baffert to scratch...

Renegade (Into Mischief), a spectacular, come-from-behind winner for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher in the GI Arkansas Derby, was tabbed as the 4-1 morning-line favorite despite drawing the rail in a field of 20 set for next Saturday's GI Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. Irad Ortiz, Jr. rides. Renegade, a $975,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase, is campaigned in partnership by Repole Stable and breeders Robert and Lawana Low. Pletcher has won the Kentucky Derby twice with Super Saver (2010) and Always Dreaming (2017). The last horse to win the...

With one week to go until next Saturday's GI Kentucky Derby, contenders began putting in their final works Friday. At Keeneland, Golden Tempo (Curlin) had his final timed drill for first-time Derby trainer Cherie DeVaux. Working inside of MGSW Brilliant Berti (Noble Mission {GB}), the GIII Lecomte Stakes winner clocked a half-mile in :47.40 (2/72). "He's had different company, and he's outworked each one," DeVaux said. "This was just a maintenance work and Brilliant Berti is a pretty good workhorse and he's older. We didn't want him (Golden Tempo) doing...

A trio of California-based Kentucky Derby 152 hopefuls were on the track in Kentucky Wednesday morning after arriving from the West Coast Tuesday. Norman Stables and Saints and Sinners' GI Santa Anita Derby winner So Happy (Runhappy) jogged a mile under Gustavo Alvarado during the 7:15-7:30 training window for Derby and Kentucky Oaks runners. Also at the same time, Reddam Racing's Pavlovian (Pavel) jogged a mile under Tony Romero and Dutch Girl Holdings and Irving Ventures' Intrepido (Maximus Mischief) jogged two miles under Alejandro Galindo. Trainer Michael McCarthy sent out...

From his home in Fenton, Michigan, some 60 miles northwest of Detroit and 40 miles due north of Ann Arbor, 87-year-old Fred Allor paid a top price of $230,000 for Citizen Judy (American Freedom) during the Fasig-Tipton Digital April Sale, which closed on Tuesday, Apr. 21. Consigned by Eaton Sales, agent, the 4-year-old filly--offered on a Mar. 4 cover and believed to be in foal to Girvin--is something of a poster child and a terrific advertisement for the Fasig-Tipton digital platform, which offers the buying public ready access to bloodstock...

Red White and Blue Racing's Pashmina (Constitution), second in the Apr. 4 GIII Gazelle Stakes, will now take a shot in the May 1 GI Kentucky Oaks. The bay filly worked four furlongs over Belmont's dirt training track in :47.97 (19/88) Friday. It was her first breeze back since her pacesetting 1 1/4-length defeat to Always a Runner in the nine-furlong Gazelle. "She worked really good on Friday," trainer Rob Atras said. "The track was a little quick, the clocker said. I didn't think she was moving that fast, but...

OGMA Investments LLC, JR Ranch and High Step Racing LLC's The Puma (Essential Quality) tuned up for a scheduled start in the May 2 GI Kentucky Derby Saturday morning at Gulfstream Park during a maintenance-style half-mile breeze. "It was getting him back into his routine two weeks after a race. It was pretty easy. Maybe the exercise rider got a little too comfortable, but next week is when he'll have his important work," trainer Gustavo Delgado's son and assistant Gustavo Delgado Jr. said. "We're planning to do that Friday or...

The prep season for the GI Kentucky Oaks came to a conclusion last week and the field looks more or less set. It should be a quality, competitive race with no clear standout. The big story last week was the win in the GI Ashland Stakes by Percy's Bar (Upstart). It was a powerful, eye-opening performance, one that was good that she has moved up in this poll from the 10th spot to the top spot. So, here goes, your latest and last Top 10 for the Kentucky Oaks: 1)...

Gary and Mary West's GII Gulfstream Park Oaks winner Prom Queen (Quality Road) began her serious preparation for the GI Longines Kentucky Oaks on Thursday when she breezed a half-mile in :49.40 (30/37) at Churchill Downs. The 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' began her work from the three-furlong pole with trainer Brad Cox's exercise rider Edvin Vargas in the irons while completing an opening eighth-mile in :13.40. She continued through the wire clocking three furlongs in :37.20 while completing her move with a five-furlong gallop out in 1:02.40. "We...

Five years ago, Stonehaven Steadings enjoyed one of its biggest days in the sales ring when a colt by Quality Road, co-bred by the Reddoch family's operation, topped the 2021 Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's Spring sale on a bid of $1.5 million. The youngster went on to become champion Corniche. Leah and Aidan O'Meara, daughter and son-in-law of the farm's founders Jeff and Chiquita Reddoch, will be back in Ocala next week and dreaming of a similar result when they send a filly by Curlin (hip 800) through the ring...

First race post time at Santa Anita on Friday, May 1, will be 3:15 p.m. PT, it was announced Thursday. The move to push the first race came after Churchill Downs moved the featured Kentucky Oaks to 5:40 p.m. PT, running the race on NBC in primetime. This will enable Santa Anita to run several races after the Oaks. "Sunset in Arcadia on May 1st is 7:37 p.m., so we will have plenty of daylight," said Nate Newby, General Manager of Santa Anita Park. "The Kentucky Oaks is trying something...

An exclusive Kentucky Derby and Oaks Package donated by racehorse owner Ken Freirich will be auctioned off to support Thoroughbred Charities of America and the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance. The package is being offered via an online auction through Apr. 17 at 5 p.m. EST. Bidding is open and available here. The proceeds will be split evenly between the two non-profit organizations. The package includes: a behind-the-scenes barn visit with a top trainer on Kentucky Oaks Day, front row reserved outdoor table for four in the exclusive Woodford Reserve Paddock Club...