Weekly Update Friday, March 31, 2017 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________ CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES RAMPS UP #TRENDING WITH FLORIDA, LOUISIANA DERBYS 1. Juvenile champion Classic Empire was re-routed Tuesday to the LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Friday, March 31, 2017) – The Road to the April 15 Arkansas Derby (GI). Classic Empire was originally targeting Kentucky Derby Presented by TwinSpires.com heats up Saturday with the April 8 Blue Grass (GII) but has been quite the handful for trainer the $1 million Florida Derby (Grade I) at Gulfstream Park and $1 Mark Casse ’s team, refusing to work twice in a month and now million TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby (GII) at Fair Grounds. Both making his final Derby preparations at the Winding Oaks Training races will award 100 points to the winner and 40 points to the runner- Center in Ocala, Fla. up, which is an almost-guaranteed spot in the starting gate for America’s greatest race on the first Saturday in May. 2. The Florida Derby has been a key stepping stone to the Kentucky Derby. The race has produced 23 Kentucky Derby winners, including Orb Nyquist The Louisiana Derby will go as Race 11 of 15 at Fair Grounds with a two in the last four years: (2013) and (2016). post time of 6:21 p.m. (all times EDT) while the Florida Derby is Gulfstream Park’s finale on a 14-race card at approximately 6:40 p.m. In 3. Seven of the last 14 Kentucky Derby winners were based during the addition to first two finishing positions, both 1 1/8-mile races will winter in South Florida. Six were stabled at Palm Meadows Training Funny Cide Barbaro Street Sense Big award 20 and 10 points, respectively, to the third and fourth-place Center: (2003), (2006), (2007), Brown Super Saver Animal Kingdom Orb finishers. (2008), (2010) and (2011). (2013) was based at Payson Park. The top point earners in the 37-race Road to the Kentucky Derby series Patch Brad Kelley will have preference to compete in the 20-horse Grade I, $2 million 4. Louisiana Derby entrant hopes to give owner ’s Calumet Farm Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands. Six races with 100 points their sixth horse on Road to the Kentucky Derby Hence Sonneteer to winner remain to be run. Leaderboard: No. 5 (50 points), No. 17 (20), No. 20 Wild Shot Term of Art True Timber (17), No. 25 (11) and No. 34 (6). Following an impressive two-length victory in the Feb. 25 Risen Star Calumet holds the record for the most Kentucky Derby victories by an Forward Pass (GII), Girvin is the 8-5 morning line-favorite in the field of nine 3-year- owner (eight), but hasn’t won the race since in 1968. olds for the Louisiana Derby. The son of Tale of Ekati is attempting to secure the first Kentucky Derby berth for owner Brad Grady and 32- 5. One of the key faces behind the success of Louisiana Derby morning Girvin Rosie Napravnik year-old trainer Joe Sharp . line favorite is former jockey – Girvin’s Joe Sharp regular exercise rider who is married to his trainer . Girvin will tackle eight rivals including Risen Star third-place finisher J Boys Echo Local Hero , who looks to give trainer Steve Asmussen a record- 6. Gotham winner is expected to be the first Kentucky breaking fourth win in the race, and William S. Farish and Lora Jean Derby probable entrant to be stabled at Churchill Downs. J Boys Echo Kilroy ’s gelding Guest Suite , the Lecomte (GIII) winner who was a will fly from Florida to Kentucky on Sunday to make his final troubled fourth in the Risen Star for two-time Louisiana Derby-winning preparations for the April 8 Blue Grass at Keeneland. He is expected to trainer Neil Howard . arrive at Barn 4 on Sunday between 3:30-4 p.m., according to Churchill Steve Hargrave Downs Stable Director . Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher will ship in two recent maiden Kendall Hansen Fast and victors to the Louisiana Derby from Florida including Calumet Farm ’s 7. , owner of upset Spiral (GIII) winner Accurate one-eyed Patch and Derrick Smith , Repole Stable , Michael Tabor , , will pay the $200,000 late supplemental nomination fee for and Mrs . John Magnier ’s $1.3 million OBS March purchase Monaco . the Kentucky Derby. Hansen sold part interest in the colt to Harvey Diamond Skychai Racing Louisvillian of . Elsewhere, Fountain of Youth (GII) winner Gunnevera is the 9-5 morning line favorite for the Florida Derby. The 3-year-old son of 8. The Kentucky Derby had two prominent defections this week. El Areeb Dialed In is trained by former top-Venezuelan trainer Antonio Sano . Jerome (GIII) and Withers (GIII) winner is off the Derby Epicharis (Jpn) Gunnevera has already earned three graded stakes victories in his eight- trail due to a knee injury. Japan’s is unlikely to run in race career and accrued almost $1.1 million. the Derby because of logistical quarantine issues in his homeland after running second in last weekend’s UAE Derby (GII). Gunnevera faces nine rivals including likely second-choice and improving allowance winner Always Dreaming trained by Pletcher; 9. The final pool for the Kentucky Derby Future Wager opened Friday Three Rules , who was third in the Fountain of Youth, 6 ¼-lengths and will close Sunday at 6 p.m. Wagering is available at many racetracks behind Gunnevera; and the front running State of Honor , who and other outlets, including TwinSpires.com. removes blinkers after a runner-up effort behind the Pletcher-trained Unique Bella Tapwrit in the March 11 Tampa Bay Derby (GII). 10. The status of ’s participation in the Longines Jerry Hollendorfer Daily Kentucky Oaks (GI) is in flux. Trainer told Racing Form The Road to the Kentucky Oaks Championship Series continues on Tuesday that his filly was out of training because of Saturday at Gulfstream Park and Fair Grounds. The $250,000 sore shins, which would force her to miss the April 8 Santa Anita Oaks Don Alberto Stable Gulfstream Park Oaks (GII) is scheduled for Race 11 at 4:57 p.m. while (GI) and Kentucky Oaks. However, ’s racing Fernando Diaz-Valdes Thoroughbred Daily News the TwinSpires.com Fair Grounds Oaks (GII) is scheduled for Race 10 manager told at 5:41 p.m. that Unique Bella could “go directly to the Kentucky Oaks.” Stay tuned. -more- Kentucky Derby Weekly Update PAST PERFORMANCES & STAKES HISTORIES Friday, March 31, 2017 Page 2 of 4 Brinset.com Triple Crown Past Performances http://www.brisnet.com/brisnet_promos/TCnoms17.pdf ‘INSIDE CHURCHILL DOWNS’ RETURNS Brisnet.com Kentucky Oaks Past Performances SATURDAYS ON ESPN 680/105.7 AT 10 A.M. http://www.brisnet.com/brisnet_promos/KYOaks17.pdf “Inside Churchill Downs ,” co-hosted by Churchill Downs Racetrack’s Brisnet.com Florida Derby Past Performances John Asher , Darren Rogers and Kevin Kerstein , returns to the http://www.brisnet.com/brisnet_promos/FloridaDerby17.pdf airwaves Saturday from 10-11 a.m. (all times Eastern) on ESPN 680/105.7 . Brisnet.com Louisiana Derby Past Performances http://www.brisnet.com/brisnet_promos/LouisianaDerby17.pdf The one-hour program will air every Saturday and follows the popular Horse Racing Radio Network’s Equine Forum hosted by Mike Brisnet.com Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 4 Past Performances Penna and Jude Feld from 8-10 a.m. http://www.brisnet.com/brisnet_promos/Derby17Future4.pdf Saturday’s show will deliver the latest news surrounding Kentucky Florida Derby History Derby 143 and a preview the Road to the Kentucky Derby and https://www.kentuckyderby.com/uploads/wysiwyg/assets/uploads/St Kentucky Oaks Championship Series stakes action around the country. akes_Histories_-_Florida_Derby__2017_.pdf Guests include Classic Empire and State of Honor ’s assistant trainer Louisiana Derby History Norm Casse , Girvin ’s conditioner Joe Sharp and former University https://www.kentuckyderby.com/uploads/wysiwyg/assets/uploads/St of Louisville basketball player David Levitch , an avid horseplayer who akes_Histories_-_Louisiana_Derby__2017_.pdf will be onsite at the Florida Derby. TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby (GII) Those outside the Louisville radio market can listen live online at Saturday, April 1, $1 million, 3yo, 1 1/8 M, Fair Grounds (R11), 6:21 p.m. EDT. http://www.espnlouisville.com/ . TV: TVG/TVG2. # Horse Jockey Trainer ML DOWN THE STRETCH 1. Patch Tyler Gaffalione Todd Pletcher 9-2 Sam F. Davis winner and unbeaten McCraken continued his 2. Hollywood Handsome Francisco Torres Dallas Stewart 12-1 preparation towards the April 8 Blue Grass with a six-furlong breeze in 3. Local Hero Florent Geroux Steve Asmussen 7-2 4. Senior Investment Channing Hill Kenny McPeek 12-1 1:13.40 on Monday at Keeneland with jockey Brian Hernandez Jr . 5. Monaco Rajiv Maragh Todd Pletcher 12-1 aboard. McCraken is expected to breeze at the Lexington track again on 6. Guest Suite Robby Albarado Neil Howard 4-1 Monday. … The jockey-trainer combo of John Velazquez and Todd 7. Sorry Erik* Kent Desormeaux Keith Desormeaux 30-1 Pletcher could have a record-breaking day with Florida Derby entrant 8. Girvin Brian Hernandez Jr. Joe Sharp 8-5 Always Dreaming . Velazquez and Pletcher are tied in their respective 9. Hotfoot* James Graham Joe Sharp 30-1 categories for the most wins in the Florida Derby. Velazquez could overtake Jerry Bailey , Bill Hartack , Bill Shoemaker and Mike Smith Florida Derby (GI) and for the most wins by a jockey (three). Pletcher would separate Saturday, April 1, $1 million, 3yo, 1 1/8 M, Gulfstream Park (R14), himself from John Veich and Nick Zito for the most victories by a 6:40 p.m.