Prom Queen

Money Game (Candy Ride {Arg}--Miss Bling Bling, by Tapit) won on debut at Oaklawn Park in March of last year, then the chestnut cleared an optional claimer over course and distance in early May. Heading to the sidelines, the colt returned to action with a win at Fair Grounds Mar. 19. The 5-2 second choice here was squeezed at the break, but Money Game was able to take up a spot to the outside in the second flight by the first turn. Waiting to pounce up the backstretch, the 4-year-old...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - And it's only Belmont Stakes eve. Highlighted by a fantastic renewal of the GI DraftKings Acorn S. featuring four out of the top five finishers from the GI Kentucky Oaks, a stacked 14-race program awaits on day three of the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga Friday. Three Chimneys Farm and Douglas Scharbauer's 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Always a Runner (Gun Runner) made it a perfect three-for-three with a powerful, come-from-behind victory beneath the lights on the first Friday in May at Churchill Downs....

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Welcome to primetime, ladies. A fantastic renewal of the GI Kentucky Oaks is on tap, and, for the first time, will be held beneath the lights with an 8:40 p.m. ET post time at Churchill Downs Friday evening. Trainer Brad Cox will be shooting for a fourth Kentucky Oaks trophy with the very promising GII Gulfstream Park Oaks heroine and 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Prom Queen (Quality Road). The legendary and much-missed duo of Woody Stephens and D. Wayne Lukas share the record for most...

TDN's Chief Correspondent Bill Finley is joined by Senior Contributing Editor Alan Carasso and Senior Racing Editor Steve Sherack to handicap Friday's GI Longines Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs. FINLEY: As a whole, this is not a particularly fast group, which is why the focus here is on horses who have cracked the 90 Beyer level. Note that the Beyer par for the Kentucky Oaks is a 94. 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Prom Queen (Quality Road) earned a 90 Beyer when winning the GII Gulfstream Park Oaks and...

Gary and Mary West's GII Gulfstream Park Oaks winner Prom Queen (Quality Road) continued her preparation for the GI Longines Kentucky Oaks with a five-furlong move in 1:01.40 Thursday morning at Churchill Downs, according to a press release from the track on Thursday morning. Prom Queen, a 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard', breezed at 9:15 a.m. ET with Edvin Vargas in the irons. She completed an opening quarter-mile in :25.80 and galloped out six furlongs in 1:13.80, according to Churchill Downs clocker John Nichols. "It was a solid move...

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...

This week's rankings include two Oaks-bound fillies and a remarkable Arkansas-bred mare. 6-RASHMI, SA, Wilshire Stakes (Gr. III), 3/28, 1 mile (turf) (VIDEO) Beyer Speed Figure-89 (m, 5, Oscar Performance--Ponytail, by Lonhro ({Aus}) O-Augustin Stables. B-George Strawbridge (Ky). T-Jonathan Thomas. J-Kasushi Kimura. The Strawbridge homebred came out firing despite a year-plus layoff to decisively earn her second graded score at 2/5 odds against four rivals with no graded black type. Thomas explained that Rashmi's layoff involved no major issues and that she has returned a "bigger, stronger version of herself."...

Wathnan Racing's Commandment (Into Mischief) appeared no worse for wear a day after eking out a win over The Puma (Essential Quality) in the GI Curlin Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park. "He looks really good this morning," said trainer Brad Cox, who joined Woody Stephens and Todd Pletcher in garnering wins in the Florida Derby and Gulfstream Park Oaks (Bonnie Miss) in the same year. On the Florida Derby undercard, Cox won the Oaks with Prom Queen (Quality Road). "That's obviously a great accomplishment," said Cox. "We have a great...

Prom Queen (Quality Road) is heading to the big dance. Tabbed as a 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' off an eight-length maiden victory at second asking going two turns at Gulfstream Park Feb. 12, the Gary and Mary West homebred punched her ticket to Louisville with a powerful 2 3/4-length victory in Saturday's GII Gulfstream Park Oaks, good for 100 points on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks. My Miss Mo (Uncle Mo) held second after setting the pace. Favored She Be Smooth (Lexitonian), an impressive winner of the...

There's still time for this flashy maiden winner to earn her way to the big dance. One of three upcoming GI Kentucky Oaks preps--the GII Gulfstream Park Oaks Mar. 28, GII Fair Grounds Oaks Mar. 21 or GI Central Bank Ashland S. at Keeneland Apr. 3--could be in play for Prom Queen (Quality Road), an eight-length winner at second asking for trainer Brad Cox at Gulfstream Park Feb. 12. "Just a little early to say which one makes the most sense right now," Cox said. "I sure like her. Longer...

Horses obviously derive no comfort from the legacy they might leave. A stallion's reproductive ardor is presumably driven sooner by the means than the ends! In our own case, on the other hand, foreknowledge of mortality allows us to think about legacy. Racehorse trainers, for instance, can impart horsemanship to the next generation; or disclose, in horses, a genetic prowess that may have remained undisturbed in less skilled hands. Everyone intimate with her quirks is unanimous that Zenyatta (Street Cry {Ire}) could easily have slipped through the cracks in a...