Caddo River

Bob Baffert is dangerous at any track he runs at, but he seems to have a special affinity for Oaklawn, especially in the GII Rebel S. The Hall of Famer has won that event seven times, saddling the likes of Lookin at Lucky (2010), The Factor (2011), Secret Circle (2012), Hoppertunity (2014), Triple Crown hero American Pharoah (2015), Cupid (2016) and Nadal (2020). All of those horses went on to be Grade I winners and stallions and undefeated Concert Tour (Street Sense) looks to add his name to that illustrious...

Now that's a key race. Subsequent runaway Smarty Jones S. winner and 'TDN Rising Star' Caddo River (Hard Spun) and authoritative GIII Holy Bull S. hero Greatest Honour (Tapit) were both defeated in second and third, respectively, in a salty, seven-furlong maiden special weight at Belmont Park last fall Oct. 11 (video). But what happened to the impressive winner that day, the highly regarded Godolphin homebred Speaker's Corner (Street Sense--Tyburn Brook, by Bernardini)? "After a minor setback, he is back jogging and hacking at Payson Park with Bill Mott," Godolphin...

'TDN Rising Star' Caddo River (Hard Spun), currently sitting at number two on the TDN Top Kentucky Derby contenders sponsored by Fasig-Tipton, went an easy half-mile in :50.60 at Oaklawn Park Friday morning as he prepares for his next start in the $1-million GII Rebel S. in Hot Springs Mar. 13. It was the Shortleaf Stable homebred's first serious piece of work since a 10 1/4-length thrashing of his rivals in the Smarty Jones S. Jan. 22. Breezing prior to the first renovation break beneath exercise rider Gustavo Abrego, Caddo...

Fasig-Tipton has added an additional five supplemental entries, catalogued as hips 665-669, to its 2021 Kentucky Winter Mixed Sale. The sale will be held Feb. 8-9 at Newtown Paddocks near Lexington, Ky., with sessions beginning each day at 10 a.m. ET. Included among the latest supplements are Babybel (Bodemeister, hip 665), a 4-year-old half-sister to 'TDN Rising Star' and recent runaway winner of the Smarty Jones S., Caddo River (Hard Spun). Babybel won at both two and three and is consigned as a broodmare prospect by James M. Herbener, Jr....

Caddo River (Hard Spun) made good on his 'TDN Rising Star'-worthy graduation at third asking with a facile first stakes score in Oaklawn's Smarty Jones S., good for 10 points on the Road to the GI Kentucky Derby. Away well from his outside post, the 3-5 chalk seized the early advantage and clocked an unpressured opening quarter in :23.12 and a half in :47.16. Extending clear with ease on the backstretch run, the bay rolled home the easiest of winners under a hand ride from Florent Geroux. Caddo River was...

Next-race plans are starting to solidify for some of the contenders among the Top 12, including a possible No. 1 vs. No. 4 matchup at Oaklawn in February. Farther down the list, Nos. 5 and 9 will clash this Saturday in the GIII Lecomte S. at Fair Grounds. 1) ESSENTIAL QUALITY (c, Tapit--Delightful Quality, by Elusive Quality) O/B-Godolphin (KY); T-Brad Cox. Lifetime Record: GISW, 3-3-0-0, $1,335,144. Last Start: 1st GI TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile, KEE, Nov. 6 Accomplishments Include: 1st GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity, 'TDN Rising Star' Next Start: Uncommitted Equineline...

'TDN Rising Star' Caddo River (Hard Spun), who broke his maiden by 9 1/2 lengths over Churchill's one-turn mile Nov. 15, is being pointed for a sophomore debut in the $150,000 Smarty Jones S. at Oaklawn Park Jan. 22. Bred and raced by John Ed Anthony's Shortleaf Stable and trained by Brad Cox, the son of Pangburn (Congrats) made his first two career starts going seven furlongs on the New York circuit, finishing a debut second at Saratoga Sept. 5 before filling the same spot at Belmont Park Nov. 11....

Caddo River (Hard Spun), a promising runner-up in a live-looking maiden race last out, went to the front and widened throughout for a dominant, 'TDN Rising Star'-worthy graduation Sunday at Churchill. Second on debut Sept. 5 at Saratoga, he filled the same slot after dueling on a scorching pace Oct. 11 at Belmont and was pounded down to 3-10 to break through stretching out to a mile here. Away in good order, the homebred made the lead on his own power and dictated terms through sharp splits of :22.38 and...