Right to Party

The runner-up from the GII Wood Memorial Stakes at Aqueduct, Right to Party (Constitution) was scratched from the GI Kentucky Derby by state regulatory veterinarians on Friday morning and Robusta (Accelerate) will take his place in the Churchill Downs starting gate on Saturday. Trainer Kenny McPeek said he was upset with the scratch itself and the timing, as well as what he feels is a growing trend of regulatory scratches in Kentucky. "They said he [Right to Party] was lame all week." said McPeek. "Why didn't they call it before...

The field for the GI Kentucky Derby, ranked in "likeliest winner" order followed by program number. On Wednesday #13 Silent Tactic (Tacitus) scratched with a foot bruise, allowing #21 Great White (Volatile) to draw in off the also-eligible list. 1) #6 COMMANDMENT (c, Into Mischief--Sippican Harbor, by Orb) O-Wathnan Racing; B-Lee Pokoik (KY); T-Brad H. Cox. Sales history: $485,000 RNA Wlg '23 FTKNOV; $475,000 RNA Ylg '24 FTSAUG; $500,000 Ylg '24 KEESEP. Lifetime record: GISW, 5-4-0-0, $1,017,339. Last start: WON Mar. 28 GI Florida Derby. Commandment rides a four-race win...

Trainer Brad Cox's trio of Kentucky Derby hopefuls--Commandment (Into Mischief), Fulleffort (Liam's Map) and 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard,' Further Ado (Gun Runner)--highlighted a bustling morning at Churchill Downs a week out from Derby 152. Working during the 7:15-7:30 (all times Eastern) training period reserved for Kentucky Derby and Oaks prospects, the Cox trio was joined by Chester Broman's Right to Party (Constitution) (five furlongs in 1:01.20) for trainer Kenny McPeek. For Team Cox the group included Wathnan Racing's Commandment (five furlongs in 1:01.40 in company with the 4-year-old...

It truly is spring in Kentucky when the penultimate preps for the marquee event in May start rolling out, and so was the story Saturday morning as Albus (Yaupon) and Right to Party (Constitution) led the work tab for GI Kentucky Derby hopefuls at Churchill Downs. The top two from last month's GII Wood Memorial Stakes both went out Saturday morning with winner Albus spotted first for trainer Riey Mott. He breezed four panels in :49 flat (35/65) for his first move over the track since arriving at the venue...

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...

Trainer Brad Cox had a pair of horses work Friday ahead of a projected next start in the GI Kentucky Derby. Both Wathnan Racing's GI Florida Derby winner Commandment (Into Mischief) (:48.40 {14/44}) and St. Elias Stable and Starlight Racing's GIII Jeff Ruby Steaks winner Fulleffort (Liam's Map) (:48.40 {14/44}) recorded published four-furlong workouts Friday morning. Commandment was the first of the two Cox trainees to breeze and worked in company with George Messina's Louisiana-bred stakes winner He's Late Again (Aurelius Maximus). The duo completed an opening quarter-mile in :24.40...

Chester Browman Sr.'s Right to Party (Constitution), runner-up in last weekend's GII Wood Memorial, was made one of five late Triple Crown nominees through a late $6,000 payment that was due Monday. The other late nominees (pending late mail) are Cypress Creek Equine and Ad Noir's Bourbon Dream (Quality Road); Eagle Up Stables, London Reid Thoroughbreds and Non Stop Stable's Let's Go Lando (Game Winner); SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Bashor Racing, Determined Stables, Golconda Stable, Waves Edge Capital and Catherine Donovan's Taj Mahal (Nyquist); and Resolute...

Trainer Riley Mott knew it would be a big ask for Albus (Yaupon) to go from a one-mile and 40-yard maiden victory to the nine-furlong GII Wood Memorial, but the colt responded with aplomb to win from well off-the-pace on Saturday at Aqueduct and punch his ticket to Louisville for the GI Kentucky Derby. "He came back covered in mud, and Jaime [Torres] said he wasn't fazed at all by the kickback--going around horses, splitting horses in a big field," Mott said. "It showed a lot of professionalism. I don't...

Make that two spots in the starting gate reserved for the Bernhard Family's Pin Oak Stud and trainer Riley Mott in the GI Kentucky Derby. Albus (Yaupon), a visually impressive maiden winner at third asking at Tampa Bay Downs Feb. 27, punched his ticket to Louisville with an 11-1 upset in Saturday's GII Wood Memorial S. at Aqueduct. Fellow longshots Right to Party (Constitution) and Ocelli (Connect) were second and third, respectively. Favored GIII Gotham S. winner Iron Honor (Nyquist) tired to seventh after getting bumped hard on the clubhouse...

Right to Party (Constitution), third beaten 9 lengths going six furlongs in his debut Dec. 13, went two better Saturday to break his maiden second time out. Relegated to the back after a bumpy beginning, the 5-2 second choice trailed the field up the long backstretch run in his first stretch out to the mile distance. Saving ground around the far turn and picking up momentum and positions, Right to Party hit the top of the lane and tipped out to close past late leader Dr. Sinatra (Speightstown), rallying to...