Weekly Update Friday, March 3, 2017
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Weekly Update Friday, March 3, 2017 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY #TRENDING CHAMPOINSHIP SERIES CONTINUES 1. Two-year-old champion Classic Empire , who has accrued 32 WITH FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH, GOTHAM points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, had another setback Friday morning. In what was to be his first workout since popping an LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Friday, March 3, 2017) – Irish War Cry , one abscess in his right front hoof after the Feb. 4 Holy Bull, Classic of the early favorites for this year’s $2 million Kentucky Derby Empire refused to breeze, was taken off the track by jockey Julien Presented by Yum! Brands (Grade I), headlines Saturday’s $400,000 Leparoux and displayed signs of back discomfort at the barn, as first Fountain of Youth (GII) at Gulfstream Park – one of two reported by Daily Racing Form ’s Jay Privman . Trainer Mark Championship Series races on the Road to the Kentucky Derby Casse was hoping to use the April 8 Blue Grass (GII) as Classic Presented by TwinSpires.com. The other is the $300,000 Gotham Empire’s steppingstone to the Derby. (GIII) at Aqueduct. 2. Sam F. Davis (GIII) winner and Kentucky Derby Future Wager The Gotham is scheduled as Aqueduct’s eighth race at 4:50 p.m. (all Pool 3 favorite McCraken will miss the March 11 Tampa Bay Derby times Eastern). The Fountain of Youth is the 13 th and final race on because of a minor ankle injury. Instead, trainer Ian Wilkes will point Gulfstream Park’s card which is scheduled for 6:05 p.m. the unbeaten son of Ghostzapper to the Blue Grass at Keeneland. 3. Holy Bull winner Irish War Cry is attempting to become the first Both 1 1/16-mile races will award 50 points to the winner and 20 to Dance the runner-up. The third and fourth-place finishers will earn 10 and 5 New Jersey-bred to compete in the Kentucky Derby since Floor finished third in 1992. Two horses bred in the Garden State points, respectively. The top points earners in the 37-race Road to the have won the Derby: Cavalcade (1934) and the filly Regret (1915). Kentucky Derby series will have preference to compete in the 20- horse “Run for the Roses” on Saturday, May 6. 4. Trainer Todd Pletcher has won the Fountain of Youth three times – a record shared with D. Wayne Lukas . Made You Look , a Irish War Cry, trained by Graham Motion who won the 2011 Derby multiple graded stakes winner on turf, will attempt to give the 49- with Animal Kingdom , became one of the Derby’s early favorites year-old No. 4 in his dirt debut. Pletcher’s previous Holy Bull after his front-running, 3 ¾-length win in the Feb. 4 Holy Bull (GIII). winners: Scat Daddy (2007), Eskendereya (2010) and Itsaknockout (2015). Delta Jackpot (GIII) winner and Holy Bull runner-up Gunnevara and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (GI) third place finisher Practical Joke , 5. The Bob Baffert -trained Los Alamitos Futurity (GI) winner who makes his 3-year-old debut, appear to be Irish War Cry’s main Mastery continued his preparation for his first start as a 3-year-old in threats in the race, which attracted 11 entrants. next weekend’s San Felipe (GII) by working six furlongs in 1:15 Tuesday at Santa Anita. Maryland-based El Areeb returns to New York to face nine rivals in the Gotham after scoring a dominant 4 ¼-length victory in the Feb. 4 6. Gotham participants are 0-for-40 in the Kentucky Derby since Withers Stakes (GIII). 1980 and only two horses have hit the Derby board during that span: runner-ups Easy Goer (1989) and Aptitude (2000). Legendary On the Road to the Kentucky Oaks – the Derby’s companion race Secretariat , the 1973 winner, is the lone horse to exit the Gotham for 3-year-old fillies on Friday, May 5 – ultra-impressive Unique and win the “Run for the Roses.” Bella is the odds-on favorite for Saturday’s 1 1/16-mile, $100,000 Santa Ysabel (GIII) at Santa Anita (Race 6, 6 p.m.) against six 7. En Hanse , winner of WEBN Stakes in early February, looks to challengers. continue his march toward the March 25 Spiral Stakes (GII) as the 5-2 morning line favorite in Saturday’s John Battaglia Memorial Stakes at Meanwhile, Demoiselle (GII) winner Miss Sky Warrior will make her Turfway Park. En Hanse is one of five Mike Maker trainees entered 3-year-old debut against a full field, including Spinaway (GI) winner in the 8:40 p.m. race. Pretty City Dancer and Forward Gal (GII) runner-up , in the 8. The Al Bastakiya kicks off the Super Saturday card at Meydan $200,000 Davona Dale over 1 1/16 miles at Gulfstream (Race 10 4:34 Racecourse, a 1 3/16-mile prep for the March 25 UAE Derby in p.m.). Dubai. Fawree and Capezzano are the favorites in the 7 a.m. race. 9. The third of four Kentucky Derby Future Wagers closed Sunday with “All Others” as the 5-1 favorite followed by McCraken (6-1), Irish War Cry (7-1), Mastery (8-1), Classic Empire (11-1) and One Liner (12-1). 10. The lone Kentucky Oaks Future Wager closed Sunday with Unique Bella as the even-money choice with “All Other 3-Year- Old Fillies” as the 9-1 second choice and Farrell at 10-1. -more- Road to the Kentucky Derby Weekly Update Gotham Stakes (GIII) Friday, March 3, 2017 Saturday, March 4, $300,000, 3yo, 1 1/16 M, Aqueduct (R8), 4:50 p.m. ET. Page 2 of 4 TV: TVG/TVG2. # Horse Jockey Trainer ML DOWN THE STRETCH 1. J Boys Echo Robby Albarado Dale Romans 8-1 2. Gaetano Cornelio Velasquez Guadalupe Preciado 50-1 Last weekend’s Risen Star winner Girvin , who sits atop the Derby 3. Miggsy Angel Arroyo Rudy Rodriguez 15-1 leaderboard with 50 points, will target the April 1 Louisiana Derby, 4. El Areeb Trevor McCarthy Cal Lynch 6-5 according to trainer Joe Sharp . … Risen Star runner-up Untrapped 5. Glennrichment Eric Cancel Rudy Rodriguez 30-1 6. True Timber Kendrick Carmouche Kiaran McLaughlin 6-1 is scheduled to make his next start in the March 18 Rebel, according 7. Apartfromthecrowd Jorge Vargas Jr. Chad Brown 12-1 to Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen . … Beasley , originally 8. So Conflated Mario Gutierrez Doug O’Neill 8-1 slated as the 6-1 fourth choice for this Saturday’s Fountain of Youth, 9. Cloud Computing Manny Franco Chad Brown 5-1 is expected to scratch and enter in the March 11 Tampa Bay Derby 10. Action Everyday Rajiv Maragh Todd Pletcher 10-1 instead. … Always Dreaming , an 11 ¾-length maiden winner and half-brother to Hot Dixie Chick , is the even-money morning line Fountain of Youth (GII) favorite in a 1 1/8-mile first-level allowance race Saturday at Saturday, March 4, $400,000, 3yo, 1 1/16 M, Gulfstream Park (R13), 6:05 p.m. Gulfstream Park (Race 1, 12 p.m.). …Excitations , impressive maiden ET. TV: TVG/TVG2. Radio: HRRN on Sirius 93 (Coverage starts 4:30 p.m.) winner in early February and narrow runner-up to Girvin in his debut, is the 4-5 morning line favorite in a one mile and 70-yard, first- # Horse Jockey Trainer ML 1. Huracan Americo Edgar Prado Dante Zanelli Jr. 50-1 level allowance race on Sunday at Fair Grounds. … Eastport , who 2. Gunnevera Javier Castellano Antonio Sano 7-2 finished third behind winner Lookin for Eight in his Jan. 28 debut, is 3. Quinientos Marcos Meneses Enrique Sanchez 50-1 the 3-1 morning line favorite in a 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight 4. Talk Logistics Joe Bravo Eddie Plesa Jr. 20-1 at Gulfstream Park on Saturday (Race 3, 1 p.m.). … Five of six early 5. Beasley Irad Ortiz Jr. Mark Henning 6-1 Triple Crown nominees make their debut in a seven-furlong maiden 6. Practical Joke Jose Ortiz Chad Brown 3-1 special weight Saturday at Gulfstream Park (Race 8, 3:32 p.m.), 7. Three Rules Luis Saez Jose Pinchin 12-1 including Shadwell Stable’s Fayeq , a half-brother to 2009 Kentucky 8. Irish War Cry Joel Rosario Graham Motion 5-2 Oaks winner and Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra . The son of 9. Made You Look John Velazquez Todd Pletcher 10-1 10. Takaful Paco Lopez Kiaran McLaughlin 12-1 Malibu Moon is trained by Kiaran McLaughlin. …Churchill Downs 11. Lookin for Eight Julien Leparoux Mark Casse 20-1 veteran morning line odds maker Mike Battaglia , who retired last year after 43 years as announcer at Turfway Park, will return to the Davona Dale (GII) Henderson, Ky. track’s microphone Saturday night for the $100,000 Saturday, March 4, $200,000, 3yo Fillies, 1 1/16 M, Gulfstream Park (R11), John Battaglia Memorial Stakes, which is named after his late father 4:34 p.m. ET. TV: TVG/TVG2. Radio: HRRN on Sirius 93 and former Turfway general manager who launched the Spiral Stakes in 1972. … Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf fourth Ticonderoga is # Horse Jockey Trainer ML scheduled to make his 3-year-old debut in Saturday’s $100,000 Palm 1. Summer Luck Florent Geroux Mark Casse 10-1 Beach (GIII) at 1 1/16 miles on turf at Gulfstream Park (Race 9, 4:03 2. Jordan’s Henny Corey Lanerie Mike Tomlinson 20-1 p.m.).