Tag: Road to the Kentucky Derby

Dennis' Moment went off as the 6/5 favorite in the Fountain of  Youth. But a disappointing last-place finish has his camp puzzled. (Image: Holly M. Smith Photography)

Fountain of Youth Favorite Dennis’ Moment Disappoints on Derby Trail

Dale Romans was puzzled. Nothing he trained Dennis’ Moment for at Saturday’s Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream Park was supposed to play out like this. And unlike past mishaps, Dennis’ Moment’s start was good, his tactics were fine, and jockey Flavien Prat was turning in his usual solid, intelligent ride. […]

Hall of Fame jockey John Velasquez is usually a thumbs-up option in the Fountain of Youth. He's won five times in 12 starts. (Image: Al Bello/Getty Images)

Here is the Predictable Path to the Fountain of Youth’s Winner’s Circle

There are several elements you can expect from this week’s top Kentucky Derby prep race, the Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park. The track will be fast, Hall-of-Fame jockey John Velasquez will figure in the mix, and local knowledge is golden knowledge. These factors are all givens in the […]

Silver Prospector, ridden by Ricardo Santana, Jr., won the Southwest Stakes and is the horse to watch this weekend. (Image: Coady Photography)

Derby Preps: Silver Prospector Looking Golden

Two lesser Kentucky Derby prep races last weekend –  the El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate Fields and the Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park — both yielded 10 Derby Qualifying Points to their winners, Azul Coast and Silver Prospector, respectively. But the process leading to those results couldn’t have […]

By winning his first race in spectacular fashion, Charlatan drew comparisons to former Bob Baffert trainee Justify. Can he justify those comparisons? (Image: Ernie Belmonte)

A Charlatan has Joined the Kentucky Derby Futures Board

With five victories, the name “Bob Baffert” is synonymous with Kentucky Derby success. Accordingly, the Hall-of-Fame trainer rarely has a Charlatan in his endless barn of 3-year-old Derby hopefuls. Until now. Say hello to Charlatan, the newest top-10 member on the Kentucky Derby Futures Odds board. In his racing debut, […]

Azul Coast, seen here at Santa Anita before his runner-up finish in the Sham Stakes, is the favorite for Saturday's El Camino Real Derby. (Image: OG News)

El Camino Real Highlights Under-the-Radar Derby Hopefuls

We’re flying below the usual Kentucky Derby prep radar, with a race not held on one of America’s A-list tracks. Therefore, chances are you’re not going to see a horse that will win all three Triple Crown races come out of Saturday’s El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate Fields […]

Will Enforceable's jockey Julien Leparoux, seen here after winning the Lecomte Stakes, give another thumbs-up after the Risen Star? (Image: Holly Smith/The Pressbox)

Raising Stakes at Risen Star: (More than) Double Derby Points on the Line

Now, the points get real, which mean the stakes get real, and the slope gets really slippery for horses that don’t quite measure up to the demands of the Kentucky Derby Trail. That becomes apparent at Louisiana’s Fair Grounds Saturday with the first of the big-point races – the Grade […]

Sole Volante surprised the competition and proved he could be a Kentucky Derby contender with a strong finish at last week's Sam F. Davis stakes. (Image: Santa Anita Park)

Sole Volante Joins the Kentucky Derby Futures Board

Sole Volante, a proverbial dark horse, has added his name to the Kentucky Derby futures board by way of a strong stretch run at last week’s Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Downs in Florida. Who is Sole Volante and where did he come from? A strong stretch run that […]

Tiz the Law was throttled back after building a commanding lead by jockey Junior Alvarado to win the 5th race on the card at the Saratoga Race Course waiting to watch one of his horses to work Thursday Aug. 8, 2019 in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. Managing partner of Sacktoga Stables who owns Tiz the Law said in the winnerÕs circle that this horse was second best horse he has had in the stable.  Sackatoga was the owner of Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Funny Cide who was also trained by Barclay Tagg.   Photo Special to the Times Union by Skip Dickstein

Three Ways to Clear Up a Cloudy Kentucky Derby Picture

The Holy Bull, Robert B. Lewis, and Withers sound like answers to random trivia questions, which actually isn’t far from the truth they will reveal Saturday about several of this year’s Kentucky Derby favorites. The three are actual Derby prep races taking place at three tracks around the United States, […]

With morning-line odds at 7/2, Scabbard is a favorite that opens up many exotic betting opportunities at Lecomte. (Image: Coady Photography)

Lecomte Stakes Offers Early Derby Points, Value Betting Opportunities

Remember War Emblem? The 2002 Kentucky Derby champion ridden by Triple Crown-winning jockey Victor Espinoza? That’s not today’s trivia question, but the answer to another question: Name the only horse to run the Lecomte Stakes and win the Kentucky Derby. Perhaps War Emblem will have more company this year. Saturday’s […]

Wet weather and a full house expected Saturday in Hot Springs.

Last Chance Saturday: Kentucky Derby Destiny at Stake

Omaha Beach and Improbable at Oaklawn Park and Anothertwistafate and Sueno at Keeneland are leading the way into the final weekend of Kentucky Derby prep races. Saturday marks the final day to earn points towards one of only 20 starting stalls for the race every owner, jockey and trainer covets. […]

War of Will wows fans winning the Risen Star Stakes in New Orleans. (Image: Hodges Photography)

Kentucky Derby Contenders or Pretenders: Testing Courage on Road to Louisville

War of Will tries to make it three for three Saturday on the Louisiana path to the Kentucky Derby. He’s the unquestioned heavy favorite in the Louisiana Derby, the highlight of the winter racing season in New Orleans. But, it’s Anothertwistafate for trainer Blaine Wright, who’s garnering just a bit […]

Omaha Beach-red cap-slugging it out with Game Winner at Oaklawn Park. (Image: Coady Photography)

Horse Racing: Baffert Duo Both Settle for Second Place in Rebel Stakes Split Divisions

The last person any race fan expects to see contracting “seconditis” is Hall-of-Fame trainer Bob Baffert. But that’s just what happened to both his leading Kentucky Derby contenders, Improbable (2/5 on the odds board) and Game Winner (the public’s 1/2 favorite) Saturday at Oaklawn Park. The Baffert duo, re-routed from […]

Hot favorite Somelikeithotbrown under Tyler Gaffalione flashing home an easy winner in Kentucky Derby prep at Turfway Park. Image: (Coady Photography/Turfway Park)

Kentucky Derby Preps: Two Favorites Falter, Somelikeithotbrown Delights

Three major Kentucky Derby preps Saturday saw two heavily hyped favorites fail to get to the winners’ circle. The third prep, at Turfway Park in Northern Kentucky, produced an impressive winner in Somelikeithotbrown for trainer Mike Maker. A fourth key prep Saturday, the $500,000 San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita […]

Mark Casse send out his Wow horse, War of Will in Risen Star Stakes New Orleans.

Outside Draw Adding Intrigue to Derby Prep in New Orleans

Trainer Mark Casse’s War of Will is the likely favorite in Saturday’s $400,000 Risen Star Stakes, the major Kentucky Derby prep this week at the Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans. But he’ll have to overcome an outside post position if he wants to visit the winner’s circle. The […]