Red Route One

Proxy (Tapit) provided Godolphin with its first winner of the GII Oaklawn H. just 12 months ago and the progressive Highland Falls (Curlin) has legitimate claims to double that tally when he squares off with 10 others in the nine-furlong contest. Trained by Brad Cox--who somewhat surprisingly has never saddled an Oaklawn H. winner--the homebred son of GI Breeders' Cup Distaff upsetter Round Pond (Awesome Again) won three of his first four trips to the post in maiden and allowance company back east and was scarcely disgraced last time in...

Like one of those old split-flap mechanical signs at train stations, everyone knows that in the new year the 'Run for the Roses' leaderboard will fluctuate. Week-to-week, the top points begin to compound--from 20 to the winner Saturday and going as high as 100 to the winner come April. The trail to Derby 150 begins a much steeper ascent on Saturday at Fair Grounds in New Orleans as the GIII Lecomte S. offers 3-year-old colts 20-10-6-4-2 that can be applied to Bank of Churchill. This year's edition pits a field...

Sunday's GIII West Virginia Derby winner Red Route One (Gun Runner) is expected to make his next start in the National Thoroughbred League Dueling Grounds Derby Sept. 3 at the FanDuel Meet at Kentucky Downs. The Steve Asmussen-trainee began his career with a victory over the Kentucky Downs grass last year and owner Ron Winchell is a co-managing partner with Marc Falcone in Kentucky Downs and its sister The Mint Gaming Hall properties. "I think since he had been successful there last year, we have always had our eye on...

Sent off the third betting choice at just shy of 4-1, Red Route One (Gun Runner) sustained a run for the better part of the final five furlongs and shot past the dueling pacesetters to give his owner Winchell Thoroughbreds a third win and trainer Steve Asmussen a sixth success in the GIII West Virginia Derby. Outrun early, the homebred was third-last to make the first turn as Iowa Derby first-past-the-post One In Vermillion (Army Mule) and West Coast Cowboy (West Coast)--fifth in Altoona--eyeballed one another through honest splits. Red...

The GI Belmont S. entrants are listed in "likeliest winner" order. 1) NATIONAL TREASURE (c, Quality Road--Treasure, by Medaglia d'Oro) O-SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Robert E. Masterson, Stonestreet Stables LLC, Jay A. Schoenfarber, Waves Edge Capital LLC and Catherine Donovan; B-Peter E. Blum Thoroughbreds, LLC (KY); T-Bob Baffert. Sales history: $500,000 ylg '21 FTSAUG. Lifetime Record: GISW, 6-2-1-2, $1,335,000. Last Start: 1st GI Preakness S. at Pimlico May 20. National Treasure drew post one, added blinkers, and looked on paper to be the controlling speed in...

GI Preakness S. winner National Treasure (Quality Road) worked five furlongs in :59.55 seconds over Belmont Park's main track on Monday in preparation for Saturday's $1.5 million GI Belmont S. With exercise rider Erick Garcia aboard, the colt galloped out six furlongs in 1:11.20 and seven furlongs in 1:25.20. "He worked very well this morning," trainer Bob Baffert's assistant, Jimmy Barnes, said. "It's a big track and you can find yourself lost out there. Erick did an excellent job working him and now we're just waiting for the race." National...

Winchell Thoroughbreds' homebred Red Route One (Gun Runner), beaten just under five lengths when fourth to National Treasure (Quality Road) in the GI Preakness S. May 20, worked an easy half-mile in :50.85 at Belmont Park Monday morning as he readies for his next start in the GI Belmont S. Presented by NYRA Bets June 10. Trained by Steve Asmussen, who conditioned Creator (Tapit) to victory in the 2016 renewal, the chestnut worked on his own and NYRA clockers caught him galloping out five furlongs in 1:04. "It was good,...

Following his win the in GI Preakness S. Saturday, trainer Bob Baffert said that National Treasure (Quality Road) and Sir Barton S. winner Arabian Lion (Justify) would stay at Pimlico for a few more days this week and may go on to New York for races on the Belmont S. program June 10. Though he did not rule out Arabian Lion, he said National Treasure was a more likely candidate for the 1 1/2-mile Belmont S. Baffert said he did not want to send the colts back to his base...

Onward to Baltimore! Here are the GI Preakness S. entrants listed in "likeliest winner" order. 1) Mage GI Kentucky Derby winner Mage won't be a heavy favorite on Saturday. In fact, he projects as the possible second choice in the betting based on the "fresh competition" angle in a Preakness that will feature no other starters who ran in the 18-horse Derby. Pari-mutuel value notwithstanding, a Preakness victory is within the grasp of this white-blazed, chestnut son of Good Magic ($235,000 KEESEP; $290,000 EASMAY). He's a lighter-framed colt who might...

It's been a quiet week on the Triple Crown front as all eight contenders continue to prepare for Saturday's $1.65 million GI Preakness S. at Pimlico. Following is a brief update on each as of Wednesday morning: GI Kentucky Derby winner and 8-5 Preakness favorite Mage (Good Magic) galloped 1 1/2 miles over the Pimlico surface and playfully reared as he exited the track. "He was showing off. He was showing off a little bit," said Gustavo Delgado, Jr., the assistant and son of trainer Gustavo Delgado. "He was just...

GI Kentucky Derby winner Mage (Good Magic) drew post three in the field of eight set to go in the $1.65-million GI Preakness S., to be held Saturday, May 20, at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore. The second jewel of the Triple Crown drew only one starter from the Kentucky Derby, but it was the one who won the Derby and the only one with a chance for a Triple Crown. Mage was installed as the 8-5 favorite at the draw, which was held at Baltimore's Guinness Open Gate Brewery....

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...