Agate Road

Edited Press Release  Jockey Jose Ortiz is named to ride eight races Saturday at Turfway Park and, after Jeff Ruby Steaks Day, fans in Kentucky will begin to see his name regularly in the program as he's slated to ride full-time this spring at Keeneland and Churchill Downs. For many years the 2017 Eclipse Award-winning jockey has been a regular rider on the New York circuit during the spring and summer, but this will be the first time he'll remain in Kentucky. Agent Steve Rushing, who also take the calls...

Champion Fierceness (City of Light) continued his preparations for a likely start in the GI Curlin Florida Derby Mar. 30 with a half-mile breeze Friday at Palm Beach Downs in company with fellow 'TDN Rising Star' Agate Road (Quality Road). The pair clocked in at :48.89, leaving conditioner Todd Pletcher satisfied with the progress he'd seen since the GIII Holy Bull S. "Fierceness and Agate Road breezed a half together and both did really well, especially Fierceness. [He had] a strong gallop-out, looked good. He's continued to train really good...

Sent away as the somewhat surprising 33-10 favorite in Saturday's $250,000 GIII Sam F. Davis S. at Tampa Bay Downs, Morplay Racing's No More Time (Not This Time) won the pace battle and ultimately the war, as he had enough in the tank late to hold off 'TDN Rising Star' Agate Road (Quality Road) and earn 20 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. West Saratoga (Exaggerator), winner of last year's GIII Iroquois S. and a distant second to the G3 Saudi Derby-bound Book'em Danno (Bucchero) in Tampa's Pasco...

The Tampa Road to the Kentucky Derby heats up Saturday afternoon, as a full field of 12 sophomore males is set to face the starter for the $250,000 GIII Sam F. Davis S., with 42 Kentucky Derby qualifying points (20-10-6-4-2) up for grabs. When Litigate (Blame) took out the 2023 renewal, he was giving trainer Todd Pletcher a seventh victory in the Davis, having won the race for the first time in 2006 with Bluegrass Cat (Storm Cat). 'TDN Rising Star' Agate Road (Quality Road) will be the more-fancied of...

Trainer Todd Pletcher sent out a total of 12 horses, all of whom are pre-entered in next weekend's Breeders' Cup races, for half-mile works at Keeneland Friday morning in advance of their Saturday departure to Santa Anita. GII Pilgrim S. winner Agate Road (Quality Road) (Juvenile Turf) worked in company with Haul (Army Mule) in :49 flat (32/63). GI Darley Alcibiades winner Candied (Candy Ride {Arg}) (NetJets Juvenile Filles) went in company with GII Chandelier runner-up Scalable (Speightstown) (Juvenile Fillies) in :49.20 (37/63). About Candied, Pletcher said, "She worked very...

Trainer Todd Pletcher breezed a remarkable 12 of his intended Breeders' Cup starters at Keeneland on Thursday morning over the main track.  Heading the dozen was GI Breeders' Cup Classic hopeful Bright Future (Curlin), who arrived in Kentucky this week from Saratoga. He worked five furlongs in 1:01.40. Also working five furlongs for a possible Breeders' Cup start was Charge It (Tapit), who covered the distance in 1:01.20.  "We originally were going to work all of our Saturday (Nov. 4) horses tomorrow but with rain in the forecast for tomorrow,...

Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable's 'TDN Rising Star' Agate Road (Quality Road) saved his best for last, as he found his best stride inside the final furlong and edged away to take Wednesday's GII Pilgrim S., earning an all-expenses-paid trip to Santa Anita for the Nov. 3 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf in the process. Favored at a shade under 5-2 the $650,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase--carrying the St. Elias colors this time--was content to sit one from the tail as the outposted Spirit Prince (Cairo Prince)--a latest third...

After significant rainfall cancelled the entire Friday and Saturday Belmont at the Big A cards, a pair of Breeders' Cup 'Win and You're In' Challenge races were moved from Sunday to Wednesday in order to allow everyone to dry out. The GII Miss Grillo S., a pathway to the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, brings together a cast of 12. Only Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott's Gala Brand (Violence) has graded experience. The chestnut filly delivered in her second start when she faced males and won the GIII...

Just five races after Mike Repole was visiting the Saratoga winner's circle with 2-year-old winner Life's an Audible (Audible) in Saturday's first race, the owner wasted little time getting back to that same spot. Repole won his second maiden special weight race on the day and his seventh at the meet when Agate Road (Quality Road) unleashed a furious stretch drive to win the day's sixth race, a maiden on the turf. Repole's 2-year-olds continue to be a relentless force at the Spa. "He's a nice Quality Road and we...

Repole Stable and St Elias Stable's Agate Road (c, 2, Quality Road--Yellow Agate, by Gemologist) was hammered into even-money favoritism for his turf and two-turn debuts on the strength of a near-miss runner-up effort in a rained-off maiden Aug. 5. At the end of 8 1/2 very eventful furlongs Saturday afternoon at the Spa, the $650,000 Keeneland September purchase was named a 'TDN Rising Star'. Drawn widest in a field of 10, Agate Road was behind the eight ball right from the opening bell, as he broke a good two...