Litmus Test

Several notable sophomores were out on track Saturday morning at Santa Anita Park, including Grade I winner Intrepido (Maximus Mischief) and fellow GIII Robert B. Lewis alumnus Secured Freedom (Practical Joke)--both of whom put in their first moves since the aforementioned race. The former finished closest to GISP Plutarch (Into Mischief) in the Lewis, that one claimed top prize by three-quarters of a length, and took a spin over the main track for trainer Jeff Mullins in an easy four-panel move. Clocked in :48.80 with jockey Hector Berrios in the...

Trainer Bob Baffert has confirmed that GII Los Alamitos Futurity winner Litmus Test (Nyquist) will be scratched from Friday's $1-million GIII Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park. Litmus Test was listed at 5-2 on the morning line. "We're waiting for the San Felipe," Baffert said via text. "Never intended to run him at Oaklawn." The GII San Felipe Stakes will be held at Santa Anita Mar. 7. Baffert will still be represented by Buetane (Tiz the Law) in the Southwest. He is the 4-1 second choice, but could go off favored...

A total of 367 of the world's top 3-year-old Thoroughbreds became eligible to compete in the 2026 Triple Crown series during the early nomination phase, which closed Monday, Jan. 26, Churchill Downs said in a press release on Tuesday. This year's early nominees span the globe and include several horses that have already made an impact on the 'Road to the Kentucky Derby', led by graded stakes winners 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard', Further Ado (Gun Runner), 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard', Golden Tempo (Curlin), 'TDN Rising Star,...

Last week's news that juvenile champ and 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Ted Noffey (Into Mischief) was off the GI Kentucky Derby trail because of bone bruising resulted in a No. 1 vacancy. I went right down to deadline trying to figure out which of the top three listed below should be the new kingpin. I felt I could have made a cogent case for any of them being No. 1. However, I also feel that from No. 4 on down right now it's a kaleidoscopic free-for-all to round...

Newly-turned 3-year-old 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Intrepido (Maximus Mischief) led a busy Saturday work tab at Santa Anita Park. The GI American Pharoah Stakes winner was joined on track by fellow 3-year-olds Litmus Test (Nyquist), Desert Gate (Omaha Beach), Acknowledgemeplz (Bucchero), Robusta (Accelerate) and Secured Freedom (Practical Joke) who all recorded timed workouts. Top sophomore fillies on the tab included Santa Ynez third-place finisher Revera (Lexitonian) and French Blue (Gun Runner), a promising debut winner for Bob Baffert earlier this month. Intrepido, Robusta and Secured Freedom are all...

We're inside the 16-week mark for the May 2 GI Kentucky Derby. These initial rankings are largely based on 2-year-old form, but a speculative element is baked into the equation with an eye toward projecting how these still-developing contenders will blossom over the winter and early spring. 1) TED NOFFEY (c, Into Mischief--Streak of Luck) 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard'. O-Spendthrift Farm LLC; B-Aaron & Marie Jones LLC (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher. Sales history: $650,000 Ylg '24 KEESEP. Lifetime record: MGISW, 4-4-0-0, $1,657,963. Last start: WON Oct. 31 GI...

In terms of upcoming centenaries, the good news is that we should be favored with plenty of Marilyn Monroe movies. True, her most enduring contribution to equine sport was to exclaim, in Some Like It Hot: "Water polo! Isn't that terribly dangerous?" "I'll say," replies Tony Curtis as the fake millionaire. "I had two ponies drowned under me." In the Thoroughbred world, therefore, we will instead be honoring another immortal female born in 1926. Through the next year, in fact, it might be fun to make a specific note of...

For the sixth time since December Thoroughbred racing on the Southern California circuit has been staged at Los Alamitos Race Course in Orange County, juveniles trained by Bob Baffert swept the winter meet's featured events--the GII Starlet Stakes and GII Los Alamitos Futurity Stakes. One week after Juddmonte homebred Consequent (Into Mischief) took out the fillies' event, earning 10 points on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks, favored Litmus Test (Nyquist) followed suit in the Dec. 14 Futurity and picked up 10 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby....

When the GII Los Alamitos Futurity--formerly the Hollywood Futurity, which was also known for a time as the CashCall Futurity--was renamed in 2014, perhaps it should have been labeled as the Bob Baffert Futurity, as the Hall of Famer has now won the race a record 15 times since 1997, including seven straight from 2014 to 2020. To put an exclamation point on his domination in the race, the silver-haired trainer finished one-two-three Saturday, with 3-5 choice Litmus Test (c, 2, Nyquist--Study Hard, by Malibu Moon) bringing home a Baffert...

In recent years, trainer Bob Baffert has shown an affinity for the GII Los Alamitos Futurity, winning five of 11 editions since the race was moved to Los Alamitos. On Saturday, the Hall of Fame trainer will attempt to add another notch to his belt with a trio of entrants--Litmus Test (Nyquist), Provenance (Into Mischief) and Blacksmith (Liam's Map). Owned by SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Diane Bashor, Determined Stables, Golconda Stable, Waves Edge Capital LLC and Catherine Donovan, Litmus Test will be making his first...

The first of six opportunities to bet on Kentucky Derby 152 opens Wednesday, Oct. 29 through Friday, Oct. 31 with Pool 1 of the Future Wager and MGISW Ted Noffey (Into Mischief) headlines the 40 betting choices with 'All Other Colts and Geldings Foaled in 2023' the ever-popular favorite, Churchill Downs announced Monday. Wagering will open Wednesday at noon EDT and will close prior to Friday's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile at approximately 6:00pm EDT. Ted Noffey is one of eight likely entrants for the contest and equally likely the horse...

With a rocket in his pocket and a willingness to take on all comers in stride, 'TDN Rising Star' Brant (Gun Runner--Tynan, by Liam's Map) put up his dukes in the GI Del Mar Futurity Stakes and landed Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert his record 19th score in the seaside oval's signature race on closing day. Every moment the colt has had an opportunity to hit the track he has done so with a gusto to the stop the clock as soon as possible--no sundials here. After going to...