RAIN and >ABEL=
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SATURDAY, MAY 6, 2017 FULL FIELD SET FOR CLASSIC BATTLE RAIN AND >ABEL= John Oxley=s Classic Empire (Pioneerof the Nile) will try to follow in the illustrious footsteps of the past two GI Kentucky Derby champions as he attempts to add to his juvenile title a victory in the 1 1/4-mile Run for the Roses Saturday at Churchill Downs. Besieged by setbacks and interruptions after claiming his juvenile crown earlier this winter, Team Casse has managed what seemed the improbable task of getting the talented yet famously headstrong colt ready to line up in the 143rd renewal of the Classic test. After putting his connections through the ringer this winter with his quirky morning antics and nagging ailments, the flashy bay seems to have finally put everything together and appears poised for another big effort following his latest victory in Oaklawn=s GI Arkansas Derby Apr. 15. AWe=re happy with all of the preparations,@ said assistant Norm Casse. Cont. p6 Abel Tasman charges home in the Oaks | Horsephotos Pace truly did make the race for the China Horse Club and Clearsky Farm=s Abel Tasman (Quality Road), who showed why IN TDN EUROPE TODAY you can never count Hall of Famer Bob Baffert out on a big day, STRONG TRADE AT GUINEAS BREEZE-UP especially when teamed with ABig Money@ Mike Smith, with a The British breeze-up season came to a close on Friday with resounding last-to-first victory in Friday=s GI Kentucky Oaks. Let a strong renewal of the Tattersalls Guineas Breeze-Up and go at 9-1 while adding blinkers for this start, the bay stumbled a HIT Sale. step as she exited post 13 and caboosed the field early as Click or tap here to go straight to TDN Europe. heavily favored ATDN Rising Star@ Paradise Woods (Union Rags) was hard-pressed by MGSW Miss Sky Warrior (First Samurai) through taxing early splits of :22.79 and :46.24. Creeping up the three path with 5/8ths left to run, Abel Tasman began to pick up steam approaching the far turn and was way out in the center of the track, but not too far off the dueling leaders, turning for home. Paradise Woods called it a day at the top of the stretch and Miss Sky Warrior briefly tried to go on with it, but was quickly overtaken by Abel Tasman and Vexatious (Giant=s Causeway) on her outside and Lockdown (First Defence) to her inside. Abel Tasman was always going best of the three, however, and powered clear in the final sixteenth to take home the lillies. Daddys Lil Darling (Scat Daddy), winner of this venue=s GII Pocahontas S. last term, came flying late up the outside to complete the exacta. Cont. p3 Download the TDN=s special Kentucky Derby preview edition, full of valuable information and video replays for all the entrants for the 143rd Run for the Roses PRESIDENT & CO-PUBLISHER Barry Weisbord @barryweisbord [email protected] SR. V.P. & CO-PUBLISHER Sue Morris Finley @suefinley [email protected] V.P., INTERNATIONAL OPERATIONS Gary King @garykingTDN [email protected] Saturday, May 6, 2017 EDITORIAL [email protected] Editor-in-Chief Jessica Martini @JessMartiniTDN Managing Editor Alan Carasso @EquinealTDN Senior Editor Steve Sherack @SteveSherackTDN Racing Editor Brian DiDonato @BDiDonatoTDN Associate Editors Christie DeBernardis @CDeBernardisTDN Ben Massam @BMassamTDN Assistant Editors Heather Anderson @HLAndersonTDN Joe Bianca @JBiancaTDN ADVERTISING [email protected] Director of Advertising Alycia Borer Advertising Manager Lia Best Advertising Designer Amanda Crelin A sea of pink and mud. Fourteen fillies pass the grandstand for the first time in front Advertising Assistants of Friday’s soaked but enthusiastic Kentucky Oaks crowd of 105,100. Jockeys donned Alexa Reisfield pink pants as part of Churchill’s annual Oaks Pink Out, which raises funds and drives Michelle Benson national attention to the fight against breast and ovarian cancer. | Coady Photography Photo Editor/Dir. of Distribution Sarah K. Andrew @SarahKAndrew TODAY’S GRADED STAKES [email protected] EST Race Click for TV 9:20a Longholes Palace House S.-G3, NMK --------------- ----- Social Media Strategist 9:55a Dunaden Jockey Club S.-G2, NMK --------------- ----- Justina Severni 10:35a QIPCO 2000 Guineas S.-G1, NMK --------------- ----- Director of Customer Service 1:13p Humana Distaff S.-GI, CD TJCIS PPs NBCSN Vicki Forbes 1:55p Churchill Distaff Turf Mile S. Presented by Longines-GII, CD TJCIS PPs NBCSN [email protected] 2:25p Sheepshead Bay S.-GII, BEL TJCIS PPs TVG Director of Information Technology 2:45p Pat Day Mile S. Presented by LG&E and KU-GIII, CD TJCIS PPs NBC Ray Villa 3:37p American Turf S. Presented by Ram Trucks-GII, CD TJCIS PPs NBC [email protected] 4:28p Churchill Downs S. Presented by Twinspires.com-GII, CD TJCIS PPs NBC 5:25p Woodford Reserve Turf Classic S.-GI, CD TJCIS PPs NBC WORLDWIDE INFORMATION International Editor 5:30p Senorita S.-GIII, SA TJCIS PPs TVG Kelsey Riley @kelseynrileyTDN 5:48p Westchester S.-GIII, BEL TJCIS PPs TVG [email protected] 6:46p Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands-GI, CD TJCIS PPs NBC European Editor 7:07p Fort Marcy S.-GIII, BEL TJCIS PPs TVG Emma Berry [email protected] Newmarket Bureau, Cafe Racing Sean Cronin & Tom Frary [email protected] 60 Broad Street, Suite 100 Red Bank, NJ 07701 732-747-8060 | 732-747-8955 (fax) www.TheTDN.com TDN HEADLINE NEWS • PAGE 3 OF 21 • THETDN.COM SATURDAY • MAY 6, 2017 Friday, Churchill Downs Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free LONGINES KENTUCKY OAKS-GI, $1,000,000, CD, 5-5, 3yo, f, Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by 1 1/8m, 1:51.62, sy. Fasig-Tipton. 1--ABEL TASMAN, 121, f, 3, by Quality Road AIt=s just exciting to win the Kentucky Oaks,@ Baffert remarked. 1st Dam: Vargas Girl, by Deputy Minister AWe=d like to have a horse in the [GI Kentucky] Derby but I=m so 2nd Dam: Wheatly Way, by Wheatly Hall happy for the China Horse Club. They trusted me with the filly. 3rd Dam: Family Way, by Cyane And >Big Money= Mike, what can you say? Incredible ride. We ($65,000 RNA Ylg '15 KEESEP). O-China Horse Club & Clearsky knew she was doing really well coming into this race. We got a Farms; B-Clearsky Farms (KY); T-Bob Baffert; J-Mike E. Smith. nice, hot pace and it worked out. They were going pretty fast $564,200. Lifetime Record: 7-4-2-0, $912,060. *1/2 to Sky Girl but I have a lot of respect for Paradise Woods and she was (Sky Mesa), GSW, $172,191. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for getting a lot of pressure. About the three-eighths pole he the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. started moving and I thought we might have a shot. She=s a beautiful filly to train. She shipped beautifully and we knew we had a chance.@ AImmediately after her second-place finish in the Santa Anita 2--Daddys Lil Darling, 121, f, 3, Scat Daddy--Miss Hot Salsa, by Oaks, [Bob and I] both realized she probably needed a slight Houston. O/B-Normandy Farm (KY); T-Kenneth McPeek. $182,000. blinker,@ Smith commented. AI hit the front a little sooner than I 3--Lockdown, 121, f, 3, First Defence--Rising Tornado, by Storm wanted and I was afraid she'd pull herself up, but she stayed Cat. O/B-Juddmonte Farms Inc (KY); T-William Mott. $91,000. focused and galloped out even better. If you surround yourself Margins: 1 1/4, 1, HF. Odds: 9.20, 12.70, 36.70. with good people, good things happen. It's just like your mom Also Ran: Vexatious, Salty, Sailor's Valentine, Tequilita, Miss Sky always told you. I surround myself with Bob Baffert and other Warrior, Ever So Clever, Mopotism, Paradise Woods, Jordan's great trainers and owners and this is the outcome." Henny, Wicked Lick, Farrell. Scratched: Summer Luck. Cont. p4 China Horse Club=s Teo Ah Khing celebrates in a soggy winner=s circle | Coady Photography TDN HEADLINE NEWS • PAGE 4 OF 21 • THETDN.COM SATURDAY • MAY 6, 2017 Kentucky Oaks cont. Bob Baffert congratulates Mike Smith | Coady As for beaten favorite Paradise Woods, who faded to 11th, Hall of Famer Richard Mandella said, AWhat are you going to do? That big race at Santa Anita [the GI Santa Anita Oaks] might have taken a little too much out of her.@ Breeder Clearsky Farm decided to keep Abel Tasman to race after the filly RNA=d for $65,000 at the 2015 Keeneland September yearling sale. Placed in the care of trainer Simon Callaghan, she checked in fifth behind subsequent GI Chandelier S. third Zapperkat (Ghostzapper) in her six-furlong unveiling at Del Mar Aug. 20, but rebounded to earn her diploma next out when extended to a mile at Santa Anita Sept. 30. Capturing a Del Mar allowance Nov. 18, the bay continued that win streak with a 12-1 upset of the GI Starlet S. at Los Alamitos Dec. 10. Abel Tasman certainly did not disgrace herself when a game second behind ATDN Rising Star@ Unique Bella (Tapit), who was Mike Smith | Coady considered the divisional leader at the time, in the GIII Santa Ysabel S. back in Arcadia Mar. 4. Teo Ah Khing=s China Horse Club bought into the filly following that effort and she was subsequently transferred to Baffert. The conditioner called on fellow Hall of Famer Mike Smith for Abel Tasman=s debut for Baffert in the GI Santa Anita Oaks and she checked in a game second once again behind a powerhouse performance from Paradise Woods, who ran away to a 11 3/4- length victory.