Steve Asmussen

Top-level scorers Bellafina (Quality Road) and Mia Mischief (Into Mischief) will break from opposite ends of the gate Saturday at Oaklawn as the headliners of the Carousel S. A force to be reckoned with on the Santa Anita road to the GI Kentucky Oaks last spring, the bay has been winless since the GI Santa Anita Oaks in April, but finished off last term with a pair of strong seconds. Closing strongly to finish within 3/4 of a length of dual champion Covfefe (Into Mischief) in the GI Breeders' Cup...

Grade I-winning 'TDN Rising Star' Eight Rings (Empire Maker) makes his seasonal bow Saturday in Oaklawn's Bachelor S. An impressive debut winner at Del Mar Aug. 4, the $520,000 KEESEP buy ducked in sharply at the start of the GI Del Mar Futurity S. Sept. 2, bumping his neighbor and losing his rider. The dark bay returned with a decisive score in the GI American Pharoah S. at Santa Anita Sept. 27 and could only manage sixth in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile in Arcadia when last seen Nov. 1....

Bellafina (Quality Road), tuning up for the Apr. 25 Carousel S. at Oaklawn Park, worked four furlongs in :47.80 (20/105) under Joe Talamo at the Hot Springs oval Saturday morning. Clockers caught the 4-year-old filly with a final quarter-mile of :23.60 and galloping out five furlongs in 1:00.20. "Unbelievable," Talamo said after getting on Bellafina for the first time. "Absolutely skipped over the track this morning." Bellafina, who shipped in from trainer Simon Callaghan's Southern California base Tuesday, was having her first work over the Oaklawn track Saturday. The three-time...

7th-Oaklawn, $60,000, Msw, 4-11, 3yo, 1 1/16m, 1:44.41, ft. EARNER (c, 3, Carpe Diem--Devious d'Oro {SP, $169,047}, by Medaglia d'Oro) was pounded into 4-5 favoritism off a debut second to 'TDN Rising Star' and subsequent Oaklawn allowance scorer Echo Town (Speightstown) in a six-furlong Fair Grounds maiden Jan. 18 and gave trainer Steve Asmussen a rolling personal Pick 3 with a dominating maiden victory Saturday at Oaklawn Park. Drawn outside in gate 11, the chestnut raced three deep around the first turn in the second flight of horses and improved...

Dispatched as the 6-5 favorite to remain unbeaten and build on a debut success sprinting six furlongs over this main track Feb. 15, Winchell Thoroughbreds' homebred Pneumatic (Uncle Mo) handled a stretch out to two turns with aplomb to become the newest 'TDN Rising Star' Saturday in Hot Springs. Pneumatic bounced well from gate seven and was four wide entering the first turn before tucking in a path or two while tugging eagerly for his head. Settled a bit better when steered out into the clear midway down the backstretch,...

5th-Oaklawn, $60,000, Msw, 4-11, 3yo, f, 6f, 1:09.24, ft. CASUAL (f, 3, Curlin--Lady Tak {MGISW, $1,160,782}, by Mutakddim), off at 9-2 following a string of sharp morning drills, settled just behind the leading draft led by Millennium Force (Declaration of War) through a quick :21.60 quarter. Still cruising through a half mile in :44.85, Casual was locked and loaded entering the home turn, but was still blocked behind a wall of horses. Finally finding the sliver of daylight she needed, she cut her way through rivals in the stretch, and...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency WELL-BRED CURLIN FILLY DEBUTS AT OAKLAWN 5th-OP, $60K, Msw, 3yo, f, 6f, 3:41p.m. Steve Asmussen unveils a blue-blooded filly in Hill 'n' Dale and Stretch Run homebred CASUAL (Curlin). Out of MGISW and millionaire Lady Tak (Mutakddim), the chestnut is a half-sister to SW & GSP Japanese runner and millionaire A Shin Spartan (Zensational and SW Melody Lady (Unbridled's Song), who is the dam of SW & GSP Buy Sell Hold (Violence). TJCIS PPs   PLETCHER UNVEILS EXPENSIVE LIAM'S MAP 8th-GP, $45K, Msw, 3yo/up, 1mT,...

After suffering the first loss of his young career last time, Thousand Words (Pioneerof the Nile) will try to get back in the winner's circle Saturday in the inaugural Oaklawn S. The $1-million KEESEP buy opened his account with a trio of victories, including the GII Los Alamitos Futurity S. Dec. 7 and the GIII Robert B. Lewis S. Feb. 1. The bay suffered his first loss at the hooves of his stablemate Authentic (Into Mischief) last time in the GII San Felipe S. Mar. 7. Steve Asmussen sends out...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency ASMUSSEN UNVEILS PRICEY CARPE DIEM 7th-OP, $60K, Msw, 3yo, 6f, 5:06p.m. Steve Asmussen unveils an expensive son of Carpe Diem in LEMON AND DIEM. Out of SW & MGSP Lemonette (Lemon Drop Kid), the $475,000 FTSAUG purchase is a a half to SP Basha (Uncle Mo) and was the second priciest of his sire (by Giant's Causeway)'s first-crop yearlings to sell in 2018. This is also the family of MGISWs Behrens (Pleasant Colony) and Commentator (Distorted Humor); and MGSW Cowboy Cal (Giant's Causeway). TJCIS PPs

Ed DeRosa of Brisnet.com takes on TDN's Steve Sherack and Brian DiDonato as they handicap Triple Crown prep races plus the big three races themselves. The three will make $100 Win/Place bets in the preps and $200 Win/Place bets in the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont. Highest bankroll at the end wins. DeRosa - Last Week's Results - Honor A. P. (+200) was second-best in the San Felipe. Necker Island (Gotham) and Letmeno (Tampa Bay Derby) failed to fire. Bankroll: $1395. GII Rebel S. - The Rebel is as compelling...

2nd-FG, $45K, Msw, 3yo, 6f, 6:28 p.m. FORTUNE TICKET (Candy Ride {Arg}), a full-brother to Horse of the Year Gun Runner, makes his debut for Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen. The Three Chimneys homebred, tabbed as the 7-2 morning-line favorite, worked five furlongs in 1:00 1/5 (3/35) at Fair Grounds Mar. 1. Established (Constitution), a $400,000 KEESEP yearling and half-brother to GISW Sweet Loretta (Tapit), has been assigned post one in this debut run for trainer Mike Stidham. TJCIS PPs

Undefeated Ring Leader (Paynter) looks to add another notch to her belt with a win in Saturday's 8 1/2-furlong GIII Honeybee S. at Oaklawn. A front-running debut winner going five furlongs at Canterbury last June, the Novogratz Racing Stables runner spent the the remainder of the season on the sidelines before returning with a muddy 5 1/4-length win while trying six panels in an Oaklawn optional claimer Jan. 24. Trying stakes company for the first time in the Feb. 15 Dixie Belle S. over that track and trip, she came...