National Treasure

Preakness Contenders Get Acquainted With Pimlico

GI Kentucky Derby champion Mage (Good Magic) stretched his legs around Pimlico Race Course Monday morning in preparation for a start in Saturday's GI Preakness S. The Gustavo Delgado-trained 3-year-old, who went to the track shortly after 8:30 a.m., jogged in the company of a pony once around the mile oval before galloping once around under exercise rider J.J. Delgado. "He looked good, quiet, relaxed," said Gustavo Delgado, Jr, his father's assistant. "There were only one, two, three horses on the track the same time he was. He was getting...

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Kentucky Derby Winner Mage Among Those Pointing Towards Preakness

Gustavo Delgado Jr., son of and assistant to trainer Gustavo Delgado, said GI Kentucky Derby winner Mage (Good Magic) has shown all the right signs following his victory in Saturday's race and will run in the GI Preakness S. May 20 as long as everything continues to go well. The colt is expected to jog around the racetrack Tuesday morning. "He ate up everything, his feed, he's feeling good," Delgado Jr. said. Forte (Violence), the scratched morning-line favorite from the Derby, galloped at Churchill Downs Monday morning in an apparent...

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Santa Anita Derby Contenders Have Final Works

Multiple contenders pointed to Saturday's GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby had their final works Sunday including the top three finishers from last month's GII San Felipe S. Practical Move (Practical Joke), winner of the San Felipe March 4, drilled five furlongs in 1:01.20 for trainer Tim Yakteen. Geaux Rocket Ride (Candy Ride {Arg}), who was second the San Felipe, worked five furlongs in company in :59.4 for Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella. "We're all set," Mandella said following the work. Skinner (Curlin), who was third in the San Felipe,...

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West Coasters Breeze Towards Next Preps

Edited Press Release Both National Treasure (Quality Road) and Skinner (Curlin) worked five furlongs Sunday in preparation for the GI Santa Anita Derby that also serves as a final west coast prep for the GI Kentucky Derby. A day earlier, Geaux Rocket Ride (Candy Ride {Arg}) had his first work since finishing second in the GII San Felipe S. National Treasure, the morning-line favorite in the San Felipe before scratching due to a bruised foot, worked five furlongs in 1:00 for trainer Tim Yakteen. Stablemates Practical Move (Practical Joke) and...

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Jack Wolf Joins the TDN Writers' Room

Jack Wolf joined this edition of the TDN Writers' Room to discuss Starlight Racing's 3-year-olds pointing toward the Kentucky Derby. The Writers' Room is sponsored by Keeneland, the Green Group, Coolmore, WinStar, the PHBA, Lane's End, XBTV, and West Point Thoroughbreds.

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Jack Wolf Joins the TDN Writers' Room Podcast

As the managing partner of Starlight Racing, Jack Wolf is a part of a team that can always be counted on to have several prospects for the GI Kentucky Derby. That's the case again this year as the trio of Starlight, SF Racing and Madaket Stables will have horses in Saturday's GII San Felipe S., the GIII Gotham S. and the John Battaglia Memorial. To discuss those runners and Starlight's philosophies when it comes to trying to acquire Derby candidates Wolf was the Green Group Guest of the Week on...

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Baffert Has 14 Of 16 Nominees In Robert B. Lewis

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert will attack next Saturday's GIII Robert B. Lewis S. at Santa Anita with quality and an awful lot of quantity. The nominees for the $200,000 race were released Saturday and 14 of the 16 nominated for the race hail from the Baffert stable. This Lewis will be run just six days after the GII San Vicente S. In that race, also for 3-year-olds, Baffert trains four of the five starters. The lone horse to take on Baffert in the San Vicente will be 20-1...

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'Rising Star' Rates Big Shot Against Baffert Foursome in Sham

Bob Baffert supplies two-thirds of the field for Sunday's GIII Sham S. at Santa Anita, but he is no slam dunk to walk away with a record-extending ninth renewal of the event, given the imposing presence of 'TDN Rising Star' Spun Intended (Hard Spun). The chestnut had a bit of buzz about him ahead of his Oct. 30 debut over 6 1/2 furlongs of this main track, and he nearly overcame a slow start and wide trip to run Fort Warren (Curlin) to a half-length, a performance that was also...

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At Los Alamitos, Kumin the Breeder Beats Kumin the Owner

As the field crossed the wire in Saturday's GII Los Alamitos Futurity, Sol Kumin experienced the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat all at once. Kumin is the co-owner of second-place finisher Carmel Road (Quality Road) and third-place finisher Fort Bragg (Tapit). They ran well but couldn't outrun Practical Move (Practical Joke). Along with Chad Brown, Kumin bred, but does not own, the race winner. "It was cool because I always loved the winner's dam, Ack Naughty (Afleet Alex)," he said. "Would I have loved to see one...

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Quality Road Colt Scores in Del Mar Debut

6th-Del Mar, $82,500, Msw, 9-3, 2yo, 6 1/2f, 1:16.62, ft, 1 1/2 lengths. NATIONAL TREASURE (c, 2, Quality Road--Treasure, by Medaglia d'Oro) dispatched at 3-1 in this debut, was hustled out of the gate by John Velazquez, hitting the front just before the first quarter went up in a lively :21.89. Hounded by Practical Move (Practical Joke) through a :44.37 half-mile, the $500,000 FTSAUG buy showed the way into the lane and held off a late bid from stablemate Massimo (Uncle Mo) to score by 1 1/2 lengths. Practical Move...

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Sept. 3 Insights: Pricey Juveniles Debut on Both Coasts

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 6th-SAR, $105K, Msw, 2yo, 7f, 2:51 p.m. EDT Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable's $725,000 KEESEP acquisition MINDTAP (Tapit) makes his career bow in this spot for trainer Todd Pletcher. Hailing from the same breeding program that produced unbeaten sensation Flightline (Tapit), the gray is a half to MGISW Curalina (Curlin), who summoned $3 million from Shadai Farm at the 2016 FTKNOV Sale. Summer Wind Farm's Jane Lyon purchased their Grade II-winning dam Whatdreamsrmadeof for $1.65 million at that same auction carrying a full-sibling to...

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