Hit Show

With one week out until the GI Belmont S., a trio of Brad Cox trainees put in their final works ahead of the last leg of the Triple Crown on Saturday at Churchill Downs. Angel of Empire (Classic Empire), Hit Show (Candy Ride {Arg}) and Tapit Shoes (Tapit) each put in five-furlong works while a handful of additional Cox stable stars completed their final tune-ups in preparation for bids in a jam-packed Belmont undercard. The Churchill Downs-based Cox contingent is set to head to Belmont Park on Monday. Angel of...

Trainer Brad Cox has added a third GI Belmont S. contender to his lineup with Tapit Shoes, a stakes-placed son of Tapit who was last seen running second to Red Route One (Gun Runner) in the Bath House Row S. at Oaklawn Park on April 22. "He's a pretty consistent workhorse, steady, and always gallops out well," Cox said Thursday morning at Churchill Downs. "He gives us some confidence that he could like the mile and a half." Owned in partnership by Spendthrift Farm, Steve Landers Racing, Martin Schwartz, Michael...

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher gave a "thumbs up" following a Saturday morning breeze from Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable's reigning champion 2-Year-Old Forte (Violence), who worked five-eighths over the Belmont Park main track in preparation for the GI Belmont S. NYRA clockers caught Forte through three-eighths in :35 before completing five furlongs in 1:00.44 and galloping out six furlongs in 1:13 over the fast main track. "I was really, really happy. I thought he was moving great. He got into a good rhythm, finished up great and...

The prospective field for the GI Belmont S. picked up a pair of top contenders Monday when trainer Brad Cox confirmed that he is pointing Angel of Empire (Classic Empire) and Hit Show (Candy Ride {Arg}) to the final leg of the Triple Crown. Neither has run since the GI Kentucky Derby, where Angel of Empire, the favorite in the race, finished third and Hit Show was fifth. "They both had their first works back after the Derby on Sunday and we're getting them ready to go for the Belmont,"...

Sunday morning's work tab at Churchill Downs featured a trio of trainer Brad Cox's GI Kentucky Derby runners who recorded their first breezes since running on the first Saturday in May. At 5:30 a.m., third-place finisher Angel of Empire (Classic Empire) recorded a half-mile move in :49. The colt, owned by Albaugh Family Stables, is possible to run in the GI Belmont S. June 10. Shortly after, Verifying (Justify), who finished 16th in the Derby, worked a half-mile in :49.60. At 7:45 a.m., Gary and Mary West's Hit Show (Candy...

This week's Triple Crown feature examines the trips of GI Kentucky Derby runners in detail from first to last: 1) Mage (No. 12 in TDN pre-race rankings) Mage, the little horse who could, was a characteristic beat slow out of the starting gate. Javier Castellano let him roll with the flow as the field sorted itself out through the first furlong, then darted to secure the rail while fourth-last the first time under the wire. Unhurried through the turn, this son of Good Magic ($235,000 KEESEP; $290,000 EASMAY) raced several...

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- A trio of GI Kentucky Derby workers enjoyed the spotlight during training hours on a brisk Tuesday morning beneath the Twin Spires. Derma Sotogake (Jpn) (Mind Your Biscuits) was hard held beneath Masatoshi Segawa and ready to do much more as he hit the top of the stretch. He finished up strongly once let loose down the lane and completed his four-furlong breeze in :49.60 (13/20). The G2 UAE Derby winner will be ridden in the Kentucky Derby by Christophe Lemaire. His countrymate Mandarin Hero (Jpn) (Shanghai...

Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable's likely GI Kentucky Derby favorite and last out GI Curlin Florida Derby winner Forte (Violence) headlined a busy morning beneath the Twin Spires at Churchill Downs as 12 candidates for this year's Run for the Roses turned in their final works for the first leg of the Triple Crown. Last year's champion 2-year-old colt and 'TDN Rising Star' Forte, who worked a half-mile in company in :49.80 over a fast track, was one of four breezers for trainer Todd Pletcher. Other Pletcher half-mile workers...

This week's rankings are in "likeliest winner" format, based on the 20 current qualifiers on the "Road to the GI Kentucky Derby" points list. 1) PRACTICAL MOVE (c, Practical Joke--Ack Naughty, by Afleet Alex) O-Leslie & Pierre Jean Amestoy & Roger Beasley; B-Chad Brown & Head of Plains Partners (KY); T-Tim Yakteen. Sales history: $90,000 RNA yrl '21 KEESEP; $230,000 2yo '22 OBSAPR. Lifetime Record: GISW, 7-4-1-2, $884,200. Last Start: 1st Apr. 8 GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby. Kentucky Derby Points: 160. Practical Move rides a three-race win streak into...

Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable's Forte (Violence) recorded his first published workout at Churchill Downs Friday morning when he breezed five furlongs in 1:02 outside stablemate Bright Future (Curlin). Along with Forte's five-furlong move, other Kentucky Derby contenders to record workouts were Angel of Empire (Classic Empire) (six furlongs, 1:13.40); Hit Show (Candy Ride {Arg}) (five furlongs, 1:01); Tapit Trice (Tapit) (four furlongs, :48.60) and Verifying (Justify) (five furlongs, 1:01). Forte was ridden in his workout by jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. and started about a half-length behind Bright Future....

The rankings below are independent from the "Road to the Derby" leaderboard Churchill Downs uses to determine starting berths, with several horses included here who are currently below the cut. View the qualifying list here. 1) PRACTICAL MOVE (c, Practical Joke--Ack Naughty, by Afleet Alex) O-Leslie & Pierre Jean Amestoy & Roger Beasley; B-Chad Brown & Head of Plains Partners (KY); T-Tim Yakteen. Sales history: $90,000 RNA yrl '21 KEESEP; $230,000 2yo '22 OBSAPR. Lifetime Record: GISW, 7-4-1-2, $884,200. Last Start: 1st Apr. 8 GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby. Kentucky...

A new kingpin graces the No. 1 slot after a wild, final weekend of 100-point preps. The rankings below are independent from the "Road to the Derby" leaderboard Churchill Downs uses to determine starting berths, with several horses included here who are currently below the cut.   1) PRACTICAL MOVE (c, Practical Joke--Ack Naughty, by Afleet Alex) O-Leslie & Pierre Jean Amestoy & Roger Beasley; B-Chad Brown & Head of Plains Partners (KY); T-Tim Yakteen. Sales history: $90,000 RNA yrl '21 KEESEP; $230,000 2yo '22 OBSAPR. Lifetime Record: GISW, 7-4-1-2,...