Renegade

1) We still have one more Saturday of nine-furlong qualifying stakes for the GI Kentucky Derby, but it's a safe bet the GI Florida Derby will be the odds-on choice for being the prep race most likely to yield the winner on the first Saturday in May. Commandment (Into Mischief), The Puma (Essential Quality), and 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Chief Wallabee (Constitution) each overcame different aspects of in-race adversity to arrive at the Gulfstream finish wire separated by one nose and half a length. All three will be...

Mike Repole and Robert and Lawana Low's Renegade (Into Mischief) exited his victory in Saturday's GI Arkansas Derby in fine form and will return to his South Florida base of Palm Beach Downs on Tuesday, according to trainer Todd Pletcher. "I just love the progression that he's making," Pletcher said. "Very, very happy for the Lows and the Repoles. Great win for them. We're just fortunate to have a colt of this quality." In his previous start, Renegade was a 3 ¾-length winner of the Sam F. Davis Stakes at...

HOT SPRINGS, Ark.--Legendary college football coach Mike Leach believed fervently in the power of pirate culture. Despite its cut, thrust and swagger image, according to Leach the swashbucklers of old were incredibly democratic, were forced at times to be surprisingly unconventional and they proved time and time again that taking risks could payoff handsomely--rings true for Thoroughbred racing too. Speaking of plundering and pirate treasure, in the 90th running of the GI Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park on Saturday a record 73,000 people watched an invader named Renegade (Into Mischief--Spice...

Looking every bit the 3-2 morning-line favorite for the GI Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park on Saturday, Renegade (Into Mischief) strode out of paddock schooling with top marks shortly before noon on Thursday. The colt had that, 'Take the test, don't let the test take you' sort of look. Renegade's trainer Todd Pletcher has won the Hot Springs track's signature race five times, but it hasn't been since 2018 when Magnum Moon (Malibu Moon) took the prize. Of course, that hero was campaigned by Robert and Lawana Low, who happen...

This coming weekend's nine-furlong stakes at Oaklawn and Gulfstream have the potential to usher in a major shake-up within the rankings, with seven of the Top 12 listed below entered in either the GI Arkansas Derby or the GI Curlin Florida Derby. 1) PALADIN (c, Gun Runner--Secret Sigh, by Tapit) O-Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Peter M. Brant, Brook T. Smith, and Summer Wind Equine, LLC; B-Summer Wind Equine LLC (KY); T-Chad C. Brown. Sales history: $1,900,000 Ylg '24 FTSAUG. Lifetime Record: MGSW, 3-3-0-0, $848,250. Last start: WON...

Sam F. Davis Stakes winner Renegade (Into Mischief) was installed as the 3-2 morning-line favorite for the $1.5 million GI Arkansas Derby March 28 at Oaklawn Park. Post positions for the 1 1/8-mile race were drawn Saturday afternoon, with Renegade leading nine horses entered in the track's fourth and final Kentucky Derby qualifying race. 5-2 shot Silent Tactic (Tacitus) will be the only horse to compete in all four qualifying races at Oaklawn after finishing second in the Smarty Jones Stakes Jan. 3, winning the $1-million GIII Southwest Stakes Feb....

John Oxley's Silent Tactic (Tacitus) drilled five furlongs in 1:01.60 (7/11) Thursday morning at Oaklawn Park in advance of the Mar. 28 GI Arkansas Derby, for which he figures one of the top few betting selections. A $60,000 Fasig-Tipton October yearling turned $500,000 OBS April juvenile, Silent Tactic was returning to the worktab for the first time since dropping a nose decision to Class President (Uncle Mo) in the GII Rebel Stakes on Mar. 1. Prior to that the bay flew home to post an impressive victory in the GIII...

Only Todd Pletcher could lose the prohibitive early favorite for the GI Kentucky Derby and the 2-year-old champion in Ted Noffey (Into Mischief) and still be stocked with talented horses that are on the road to the first leg of the Triple Crown. Pletcher has GIII Holy Bull Stakes winner Nearly, Sam F. Davis Stakes winner Renegade (Into Mischief) and recent allowance winner Jackson Hole (Nyquist), who will be among the favorites for Saturday's GII Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park. To discuss his plethora of talented colts, their...

With nominations for the $500,000 Virginia Derby closing Wednesday, Feb. 25, GSW Incredibolt (Bolt d'Oro) and Ocelli (Connect) have emerged as likely starters, Colonial Downs said in a press release on Friday. The 1 1/8-mile Virginia Derby will be run Saturday, Mar. 14, highlighting Colonial Downs's three-day meet held Mar. 12-14. Nominations for all seven opening week stakes also close Feb. 25. Held just under two months from the GI Kentucky Derby, the Virginia Derby awards 50-25-15-10-5 qualifying points to the top five finishers toward a berth in the "Run...

With 11 weeks left to the GI Kentucky Derby, 'All Others' maintains a firm grip on favoritism in the future pool wagering as Paladin (Gun Runner) scooped up second-choice honors at 9-1 odds at the conclusion of Pool 4 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager (KDFW). The Gun Runner colt rose to the top of the named heap after a game victory in last Saturday's GII Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds. The odds shifted on several contenders and the betting public displayed interest in a number of rising sophomores,...

IGNITER (c, 3, Volatile--Malibu Prayer {GISW, $618,026}, by Malibu Moon), after being featured in TDN's Second Chances series, broke his maiden by a length during the Belmont At The Big A meet in late September. The homebred was off for two months, then was entered in the GII Remsen Stakes at the Big A Dec. 6 where he posted a sixth-place finish behind GII Risen Star Stakes entrant Paladin (Gun Runner) and recent Sam F. Davis Stake hero Renegade (Into Mischief). Well-backed at a shade over even-money here, the colt...

Repole Stable and Robert and Lawana Low's Renegade (Into Mischief) entered Saturday's Sam F. Davis as a high-profile, three-start maiden. After 8 1/2 furlongs in the diminishing Oldsmar daylight, the impeccably bred colt emerged as a leading Classics contender, as he turned in an irresistible late rally to score convincingly and give trainer Todd Pletcher a record-extending eighth success in the race. Carrying the Repole colors, the last-out GII Remsen Stakes runner-up was content to drop out to near the tail of the field as longshot Wayne's Law (Tiz the...