Steve Asmussen

George Hall and SportBLX Thoroughbred Corp.'s Max Player (Honor Code) put in his final work ahead of Saturday's GI Kentucky Derby with an easy half-mile in :49.80 (26/50) Monday morning at Churchill Downs. The colt put up splits of :12.40 and :24.40 and galloped out in 1:02.80. "He's continuing to do well," Steve Asmussen, who has taken over training duties from Linda Rice, said. "I'm extremely excited about how he's going to run in the Kentucky Derby. I love how he looks going over the racetrack. His attitude is really...

Yaupon took his record to a perfect three-for-three and became the second graded winner of the day for Uncle Mo with a victory in the GII Amsterdam S. Hustled up to the front by Joel Rosario, the dark bay clicked off an opening quarter in :21.93 with Long Weekend giving chase in second. Registering a half-mile in :44.68 with a host of pursuers ranging up menacingly, Yaupon kept on finding over the sloppy going, pulling clear in the lane for a decisive score. "He's extremely fast. He's got an elite...

Max Player (Honor Code), third in both the GI Belmont S. and GI Runhappy Travers S. behind expected GI Kentucky Derby favorite Tiz the Law (Constitution), worked in company Monday morning at Churchill Downs as he continued his preparations for the Sept. 5 Derby. Under jockey Florent Geroux, Max Player completed a five-eighths work in :59.60 during the 15-minute window set aside exclusively for Derby and GI Kentucky Oaks contenders. Off at approximately 7:30 a.m., Max Player began the move two lengths behind his stablemate, Allege (Uncle Mo), and finished...

What a name, for a mare salvaging her sire from extinction: Unicorn Girl. Certainly the faint footprint of A. P. Five Hundred on the North American breed would otherwise, by now, have been thoroughly effaced. His eligibility to compete with other sons of A.P. Indy at stud was marginal in the first place, third place in the GII Super Derby being as good as it got in a light career. And, really, he never got off the grid. After a single spring trying his luck in Florida, in 2004, he...

Stonestreet Stable's Cantata (Medaglia d'Oro) became the newest 'TDN Rising Star' with an effortless-looking debut romp at Saratoga Sunday. Sent off the 6-5 favorite, the $950,000 KEESEP yearling purchase was content to let the two pacesetters go and settled in third. She inched closer entering the turn, stuck a head in front at top of the stretch and glided clear without being asked to win by 10 1/4 lengths. Nevisian Sunrise (War Front) was second and School of Thought (Empire Maker) was third. The time for the 6 1/2 furlongs...

Pneumatic debuted going six panels at Oaklawn Feb. 15 with a neck score over next out winner Skol Factor (The Factor) before earning TDN Rising Star status stretching to a mile in optional claiming company at the Hot Springs oval Apr. 11. Tiring to third after prompting the early pace in Churchill's GIII Matt Winn S. May 23, the dark bay finished fourth most recently in the GI Belmont S. June 20. Installed the 4-5 favorite in this field of eight, Pneumatic sat close to the pace-setting two-for-two Arkaan through...

6th-Saratoga, $72,000, Msw, 8-15, 2yo, 6 1/2f, 1:17.55, ft. CALIBRATE (c, 2, Distorted Humor--Glamour and Style, by Dynaformer) was backed from a morning line of 5-1 to be off as the 2-1 chalk in this salty-looking Saratoga maiden and galloped home a 4 1/2-length winner for the in-form Steve Asmussen barn. Ridden for speed by first-call jockey Ricardo Santana, Jr., the $340,000 Keeneland September purchase argued the pace to the inside of the once-raced Unitedandresolute (Violence) as Restored Order (Frosted) stalked that duo from the three path. Shaken up off...

1st-SAR, $72K, Msw, 2yo, f, 6 1/2f, 1:10 p.m. ET Stonestreet Stable's CANTATA (Medaglia d'Oro) debuts for Steve Asmussen, who is winning with 20% of his runners at the current meet. Purchased for $950,000 at Keeneland last September, the bay is the second foal out of Stoweshoe, who is also responsible for Desert Peace (Curlin), who realized $1.3 million from Godolphin at the same venue one year earlier. The Doug and Felicia Branham-bred filly has been training steadily at Saratoga, including a four-furlong move two back Aug. 6 (XBTV Video)....

'TDN Rising Star' Thoughtfully (Tapit) continued a red-hot run with juveniles for trainer Steve Asmussen as she powered away a convincing winner of the GII Adirondack S. Wednesday at the Spa. Off since airing by 8 3/4 lengths at odds-on first out at Churchill June 11, the $950,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga purchase prepped for this by firing a five-furlong bullet in 1:00.91 over the strip Aug. 3 in company with unraced colt Calibrate (Distorted Humor) (XBTV Video). Pounded down to 4-5 from a 2-1 morning line quote, the dark bay tucked...

George Hall and SportBLX Thoroughbreds's GI Kentucky Derby contender Max Player (Honor Code) has been moved from trainer Linda Rice to the Steve Asmussen barn, Rice confirmed via Twitter Tuesday. "Max Player has been moved to the Asmussen barn in order to prepare for the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs," Rice said. "We are disappointed to see him go, but we wish George Hall and SportBLX the best of luck!" Winner of the GIII Withers S. this February at Aqueduct, Max Player finished third behind Tiz the Law (Constitution) off...

County Final topped last month's Fasig-Tipton July Horses of Racing Age sale at $475,0000 last month, and began chipping away at that investment first time for the new connections here. A four-length debut winner turf sprinting for trainer John Ennis at Churchill June 5, the grey was second in the GIII Bashford Manor S. on the Louisville dirt 22 days later behind soon-to-be stablemate Cazadero (Street Sense). While Cazadero could only manage fifth in Friday's GII Saratoga Special S., fellow Steve Asmussen pupil Jackie's Warrior (Maclean's Music) impressed in that...

J. Kirk Robison's Jackie's Warrior (Maclean's Music), the "other" Steve Asmussen runner signed on for Friday's GII Saratoga Special S., out-footed them all and never looked back en route to a powerful score at the Spa. The imposing bay took his Churchill debut by 2 1/2 lengths June 19, and was flattered when the runner-up that day, re-opposing Therideofalifetime (Candy Ride {Arg}) returned to romp at Keeneland and earn 'TDN Rising Star' status. He was less proven on paper than stablemate, GIII Bashford Manor S. winner and 'Rising Star' Cazadero...