Nycon

After Bill Mott confirmed that Kentucky Derby fourth Chief Wallabee (Constitution) would not make the trip to Laurel for the May 16 GI Preakness, trainer Donnie Von Hemel confirmed Monday that Junior Alvarado will ride Crupper (Candy Ride {Arg}) in the second jewel of the Triple Crown. "I talked to them this morning," Von Hemel said on Monday. "Since Bill's not going, that's what we were waiting on." Alvarado rode Crupper in Oaklawn's nine-furlong Bathhouse Row Stakes on Apr. 18, a victory that gave Crupper a free entry into the...

The beautifully-bred Paradise (Gun Runner) made easy work of a short field in Saturday's Busher Stakes to claim her first points on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks. A $700,000 Saratoga yearling purchase for a partnership which is now NK Racing and LNJ Foxwoods, the daughter of MGSW/MGISP Venetian Harbor (Munnings) just broke her maiden at Gulfstream going this same one-mile distance Jan. 4 before shipping into New York to face just four rivals for 37.5 Oaks points. Third in the opening furlong but clearly wanting to do more under...