Kentucky Derby

At odds of 2-5 and so highly regarded that she was the only filly included in Round 4 of the Derby Future Wager, Hoosier Philly (Into Mischief) was a well-beaten third in the GII Rachel Alexandra S. at the Fair Grounds Feb. 18. It was the last thing trainer Tom Amoss expected from a filly he had called the best horse he ever trained and who was 3-for-3 going in. But as Hoosier Philly prepares for a start in the Mar. 25 GII Fair Grounds Oaks, Amoss said everything he...

8th-OP, $106K, OC 50k/N2X, 4yo/up, 1 1/8m, 5:22 p.m. The Ken McPeek-trained duo of 'TDN Rising Star' SMILE HAPPY (Runhappy) and CREATIVE MINISTER (Creative Cause) kick off their 4-year-old seasons at Oaklawn Park Thursday. Smile Happy, winner of the GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. at two and runner-up as the favorite in last year's GI Toyota Blue Grass S., makes his first start since finishing eighth in the GI Kentucky Derby. The 2-1 morning-line favorite gets first-time Lasix while facing seven rivals here. Creative Minister, a respectable third in last...

In a horse otherwise so well equipped for the Triple Crown trail, it's a major concern still to be quoting Milton every time the gates open: "They also serve who only stand and wait." As such, Tapit Trice (Tapit) looks like proving quite a test of the GI Kentucky Derby preparation favored by modern trainers. For all the thrilling power and fluency of his action, he's still all thumbs in terms of his professionalism. The way he got himself out of trouble in the GIII Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby...

Only one contender within the Top 12 was in action last week. But Sunday's news about 'TDN Rising Star' Arabian Knight (Uncle Mo) being declared off the GI Kentucky Derby trail left a void within the top tier that widens the gap between the juvenile champ and a cast of aspirants aiming to define themselves at longer distances. 1) FORTE (c, Violence--Queen Caroline, by Blame) 'TDN Rising Star'. O-Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable; B-South Gate Farm (KY); T-Todd Pletcher. Sales history: $80,000 Wlg '20 KEENOV; $110,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP....

Eclipse Award winner Forte (Violence), impressive 4 1/2-length winner of the GII Fountain of Youth S. in his 3-year-old debut Mar. 4, closed as the 3-1 favorite ($8.76 will pay) in the fifth pool of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager, with Saturday's GIII Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby hero and 'TDN Rising Star' Tapit Trice (Tapit) the distance second choice at 8-1 ($18.32). The 'All Other 3-Year-Olds', encompassing any horse not listed among the individual betting interests, closed as the 10-1 ($22.08) third pick, while others to close at 30-1...

Figures released last week by Equibase showed that U.S. handle declined by 5.21% in February. This comes after handle declined by 7.19% in January. For the year, that's a drop off of 6.22% and, if those numbers hold up throughout the year, total handle will be off by $750 million and the year-over-year percentage decline will be the worst the sport has suffered since 2010. And it's not just that racing has gotten off to a slow, reversible start this year when it comes to wagering. Whatever is going on,...

LC Racing's Ninetyprcentmaddie (Weigelia), who romped home by 9 3/4 lengths in last Monday's City of Brotherly Love S. at Parx, could make a return trip to New York for the Apr. 8 GII Wood Memorial. The bay colt was eased when making his graded stakes debut--and first start away from Parx--in the Feb. 11 GIII Withers S. "He came out of [the City of Brotherly Love S.] really well and happy," trainer Butch Reid, Jr. said. "I was happy to see him come back after that effort in the...

Arabian Knight (Uncle Mo) has been withdrawn from consideration for the GI Kentucky Derby, according to a statement tweeted by the colt's owner, Zedan Racing, Saturday night. The statement read, "Arabian Knight is no longer under consideration for the KY Derby. Trainer Tim Yakteen wasn't happy with his last work and we feel it's in Arabian Knight's best interest not to rush and allow him more time to develop. We know he's a superior talent and our plan is to point him toward a summer and fall campaign." Purchased for...

At almost no point during the opening 6 1/2 furlongs of Saturday's GIII Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby did things look particularly promising for Whisper Hill Farm and Gainesway Stable's heavily favored Tapit Trice (Tapit). But in a stretch rally befitting his status as a 'TDN Rising Star', the $1.3-million Keeneland September graduate went through his gears and whistled home to--somewhat unbelievably--post an open-lengths victory over Classic Car Wash (Noble Bird) and Classic Legacy (Into Mischief), the third- and fourth-place finishers, respectively, in the GIII Sam F. Davis S. four...

With commercial sires nowadays represented by such enormous cavalries, it's unsurprising that they should encounter random statistical clusters. These tend to even themselves out, so that a stallion that "hits form" with a sudden spate of stakes performers will also endure barren spells that naturally receive rather less attention. What every farm covets, then, is for a horse to get on a roll while there are still mares out there with mating decisions pending for this spring--and there's no better way to do that than making some noise on the...

Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable's champion and last weekend's GII Fountain of Youth S. winner Forte (Violence) was tabbed as the 4-1 overall morning line betting favorite for Pool 5 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager, which is set to open at noon on Friday. The pool will run concurrently with the first and only pool for the Kentucky Oaks Future Wager. In addition to $2 win and exacta betting, an Oaks/Derby Future Double will be offered. The Kentucky Derby Future Wager closes Sunday at 6 p.m. EST while...

A trio of graded stakes preps in Florida, California and New York yielded a reshuffled deck this past weekend as we edge within the two-month mark for the May 6 GI Kentucky Derby. 1) FORTE (c, Violence--Queen Caroline, by Blame) 'TDN Rising Star'. O-Repole Stable & St. Elias Stable; B-South Gate Farm (KY); T-Todd Pletcher. Sales history: $80,000 Wlg '20 KEENOV; $110,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: Ch. 2yo Colt, MGISW, 6-5-0-0, $1,833,230. Last start: Won GII Fountain of Youth S. at Gulfstream Park Mar. 4. KY Derby Points: 90....