Juan Avila

King Guillermo (Uncle Mo), winner of this season's GII Tampa Bay Derby, will miss an intended date in this Saturday's GI Kentucky Derby because of a fever, Victoria's Ranch principle and former MLB player Victor Martinez confirmed Thursday afternoon. The GII Tampa Bay Derby hero and runner-up in the faster division of the GI Arkansas Derby, King Guillermo was trying to defy a four-month absence in the 'Run for the Roses' Saturday, but he was found to have a fever Wednesday evening. The colt did not go to the track...

Victoria Ranch's King Guillermo (Uncle Mo), off since a runner-up effort in the May 2 GI Arkansas Derby, worked a bullet five furlongs in :59.40  (1/46) Saturday morning at Churchill Downs in preparation for the Sept. 5 GI Kentucky Derby. With jockey Miguel Mena aboard, the bay colt worked through splits of :24.40, :36.80, and :48 and galloped out six furlongs in 1:12. As he neared the wire, Mena had to navigate King Guillermo through a trio of slowing horses and directed the colt from the rail to the far...

Aldo De Luca and his wife Kelley purchased a 30-acre farm in Williston, Florida two years ago to have a place to retire to where they could enjoy breeding Thoroughbreds and raising foals. One of the first yearlings to grow up on the couple's new farm was a Texas-bred daughter of Fed Biz they purchased for $10,000 at that year's Fasig-Tipton October Sale. Now named Boerne, the speedy filly won her third straight race in dominating fashion with a 4 1/4-length allowance victory at Gulfstream Park Sunday (video). After over...

Hustled from his wide draw to get over and press the pace early, King Guillermo forced the issue while out in the clear through splits of :23.89, :48.16 and 1:12 flat. He took over from longshot Relentless Dancer (Midshipman) nearing the straight, and soon found himself several lengths in front with nobody near him. Sole Volante kicked on up the rail into second, but never came close to threatening the upset winner. "I'm so happy, I say thank you to God and all the team--Mr. Juan Carlos Avila, the trainer,...