Kentucky Derby

Deterministic (Liam's Map) exited his victory in the GIII Gotham S. at Aqueduct Saturday in fine shape and connections are still mulling a possible next start for the sophomore. "He came back in good order. We're very much enjoying the fact that he won the Gotham yesterday. It was a very strong performance and we're happy with the way he looks this morning," trainer Christophe Clement said Sunday. "We will probably ship him to Florida this week. He's done very well in Florida and the weather is more under control....

When entries were taken Feb. 24, the $400,000 GII Coolmore Fountain of Youth S. looked a tantalizing race in prospect, given the presence of 'TDN Rising Star' Locked (Gun Runner)--the GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity hero and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile third--and the resurgent GII Remsen S. winner Dornoch (Good Magic), not to mention a pair of clearly talented and unexposed rivals in the form of big-figure maiden winner Speak Easy (Constitution) and Victory Avenue (Arrogate), a close second that afternoon. By mid-morning Saturday, Locked and Victory Avenue had been scratched,...

Deterministic (c, 3, Liam's Map--Giulio's Jewel, by Speightstown), tabbed as a 'TDN Rising Star' in a visually impressive, come-from-behind debut score after a slow start going seven furlongs at Saratoga Aug. 12, fired fresh off the bench to capture Saturday's GIII Gotham S. at a rain-soaked Aqueduct. Working up a storm for trainer Christophe Clement this winter at Payson Park in Florida, including a five-furlong bullet in 1:01 4/5 (1/8) Feb. 17, Deterministic was well supported at odds of 7-2 here. The $625,000 KEESEP yearling purchase raced in an inside...

6th-Gulfstream, $73,420, Alw (C)/Opt. Clm ($62,500), 3-2, 4yo/up, 7f, 1:22.47, ft, 1/2 length. KINGSBARNS (c, 4, Uncle Mo--Lady Tapit {GSP}, by Tapit), last year's GII Louisiana Derby winner, made his return to the races Saturday off nearly a nine-month layoff. A player on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, the son of Uncle Mo wound up 14th behind Mage (Good Magic) under the TwinSpires and finished his 3-year-old season beaten just a neck as the heavy favorite in the Pegasus S. at Monmouth June 17. Confidently bet at 3-5 in...

'TDN Rising Star' and GI Breeders' Futurity winner Locked (Gun Runner) has scratched from Saturday's GII Coolmore Fountain of Youth S. along with Victory Avenue (Arrogate) according to social media posts from each horses' respective connections along with a release from Gulfstream Park Saturday morning. Locked was 5-2 on the morning line while Victory Avenue was 4-1.   Locked will scratch from today's Fountain of Youth @GulfstreamPark. The Grade 1-winner and @BreedersCup placed son of Gun Runner still has his eye on the prize. We'll regroup and come up with...

The defection of big-figure maiden winner Speak Easy (Constitution) to Saturday's GII Coolmore Fountain of Youth S. made the task at hand for 'TDN Rising Star' Conquest Warrior (c, 3, City of Light--Tea Time, by Pulpit) that much easier on paper, and the Courtlandt Farms colorbearer made light work of the six rivals that stuck around to likely punch his ticket to the GI Curlin Florida Derby in four weeks' time. Away only fairly, the 3-5 chalk was handy enough to the early pace of 5-2 second pick Merit (Mastery)--rerouted...

Between them, Irad and Jose Ortiz have accounted for four of the last six runnings of the GII Coolmore Fountain of Youth S., the third of three preps on the road to the championship meeting's main event, the GI Curlin Florida Derby four weeks down the road. The brothers will have every chance to extend that dominance as they partner with two of the top fancies in Saturday's $400,000 contest, offering the winner 50 points and a virtual guaranteed berth in the field for the GI Kentucky Derby. Jose Ortiz...

Siena Farm and WinStar Farm's Speak Easy (Constitution), who had been cross-entered in an optional-claimer Friday, will take his place in the line-up for Saturday's GII Coolmore Fountain of Youth S. at Gulfstream Park. The sophomore debuted with an impressive victory going seven furlongs at the Hallandale oval Jan. 27. He drew the rail and will be facing eight other 3-year-olds in the 1 1/16-miles Fountain of Youth. "We like the post and the way he's been training," trainer Todd Pletcher said Thursday. Irad Ortiz Jr., who was slated to...

Opening an occasional series focused on Irish expatriates in Kentucky, TDN meets a son of Co. Meath testing the GI Kentucky Derby water with his impressive Leonatus S. winner. As migrations go, one is rather less surprising than the other. On the one hand, over the past two years the synthetic circuit at Turfway has consecutively delivered the winner and runner-up in the definitive test of a dirt Thoroughbred. On the other, the trainer hoping to produce another GI Kentucky Derby horse from the same unlikely platform is only the...

Pro Football Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith and model Brooks Nader will join with Sports Illustrated to host festivities when Club SI, the new luxury dining experience, debuts at Churchill Downs on opening day of Kentucky Derby week. Club SI, a multi-year exclusive naming rights partnership announced in January between Churchill Downs Racetrack and Sports Illustrated, will offer guests a modern, sophisticated race day experience as part of the racetrack's $200-million renovated Paddock Project. Club SI will offer a luxury dining experience with an immersive view of the all-new Paddock...

WinStar Farm's Timberlake (Into Mischief) exited his win in Saturday's GII Rebel S. in fine shape, according to Jorgito Abrego, Oaklawn Park assistant to trainer Brad Cox. "He looks good," Abrego said. "Looks very happy." Timberlake, winner of last year's GI Champagne S. and fourth in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile, collected 50 qualifying points for the victory and has 66 overall to rank number one on the Kentucky Derby leader board released Saturday by Churchill Downs. The Rebel was his first victory around two turns. "I'm very happy," said...

Hall Racing, Pearl Racing and West Point Thoroughbreds' Slider (Jimmy Creed) will ship east in search of additional qualifying Kentucky Derby points in Saturday's GIII Gotham S. at Aqueduct. Winner of the Speakeasy S. over the turf at Santa Anita last October, Slider was ninth in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint. He returned to the main track to be third in the Jan. 6 GII San Vicente S. last time out. Trained by John Sadler, Slider turned in bullet five-furlong work in :59.00 (1/121) at Santa Anita Sunday....