Lugan Knight Enters Derby Trail in Jerome Win

Lugan Knight (Goldencents) was not going to be denied as he matched strides down the lane with Arctic Arrogance (Frosted) in the $150,000 Jerome S. at Aqueduct Racetrack on Saturday afternoon. With 10-4-3-2-1 points available to the top 5 finishers on the Road to the 149th running of the Kentucky Derby, it was Lugan Knight's day to shine.

Sent off as the second choice at 7-2, the colt set front-end fractions of :23.41 at the quarter-mile marker and :47.70 for the half-mile, all as the favorite Arctic Arrogance dogged his track to the outside around the far turn. Entering the stretch, the pair left the rest of the field behind, and dueled gallantly towards the wire. With less than a furlong left to go, the homebred edged a head in front to win the day by a half a length.

After the race, trainer Michael McCarthy said, “I was happy with the way the horse broke. He found himself prominent early and it looked like around the turn he still had a little bit of run. I was not surprised to see how well he dug in down the lane. It looked like he was always just going a touch better than the other horse. You hate to say you're confident, but it always looked like he kept that horse at bay. Just a tough horse and a gutsy performance. I was glad to see he was able to get the mile.”

The Feb. 4 running of the $250,000 Grade III Withers S. with Derby qualifying points of 20-8-6-4-2 could be the next target for this colt. On that prospect, Lugan Knight's trainer said, “We'll see. I'll have to give Dylan a call and ask him what he thinks and go from there. A mile was a question mark for me but it looked like he passed that test today. We'll have to wait and see.”

Pedigree Notes:
Lugan Knight is part of a talented family that includes her second dam Roxy Gap (Indian Charlie), herself a MGSW in Canada, who produced GSW Cafe Americano (Medaglia d'Oro). The winner's dam Sly Roxy has a 2-year-old colt by Mendelssohn and most recently was bred back-to-back to Instagrand.

JEROME S., $150,000, Aqueduct, 1-7, 3yo, 1m, 1:37.77, gd.
1–LUGAN KNIGHT, 118, c, 3, by Goldencents
          1st Dam: Sly Roxy, by Speightstown
          2nd Dam: Roxy Gap, by Indian Charlie
          3rd Dam: Harts Gap, by Saint Ballado
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. O/B-BG Stables (KY); T-Michael W.
McCarthy; J-Dylan Davis. $82,500. Lifetime Record: 4-2-1-1,
$175,775.
2–Arctic Arrogance, 120, c, 3, Frosted–Modest Maven, by Uncle
Mo. O/B-Chester Broman & Mary R. Broman (NY); T-Linda
Rice. $30,000.
3–General Banker, 120, c, 3, Central Banker–Elusive Jozi, by
Johannesburg. O/B-Seacoast Thoroughbreds of New England
(NY); T-James W. Ferraro. $18,000.
Margins: HF, 7, 1 3/4. Odds: 3.55, 1.35, 7.40.
Also Ran: Neural Network, Andiamo a Firenze, Narciso Dali, Valenzan Day. Scratched: Circling the Drain. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

The post Lugan Knight Enters Derby Trail in Jerome Win appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Churchill Downs Unveils Derby Logo

Churchill Downs Racetrack has unveiled the official logo for the 149th running of the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve, which takes place May 6, 2023.

Highlighted by the Kentucky Derby's color palette of red, black, gold and white, the Kentucky Derby 149 logo features diamonds intended to replicate the blocks in Secretariat's blue and white silks as this coming year marks the 50th anniversary of his Triple Crown victory. Meanwhile, the specific number of 13 diamonds is reverence to the number of Thoroughbreds that won all three races in the historic series. The diamonds are set within a shield that projects the achievements, heritage, longevity and stability of the Kentucky Derby, which dates back to 1875.

The logo, designed by New York-based marketing agency SME, will be used on a wide variety of Kentucky Derby official merchandise that will be available online, at Churchill Downs Racetrack, the Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, the Kentucky Derby Museum Gift Shop and other retail outlets.

The post Churchill Downs Unveils Derby Logo appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Churchill Downs Releases Official Art For Derby 2023

Churchill Downs Racetrack on Tuesday released the 2023 “Official Art of the Kentucky Derby” created this year by renowned international artist Romero Britto.

Britto's work for the 149th Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve highlights his iconic approach of mixing bright colors with unique patterns. With sparkling, textured accents and elements of pop graphics, the art features subtle details that bring the racetrack scene to life, highlighting the energy and excitement of the Derby in a modern way.

“The Kentucky Derby has such a rich history, and we are thrilled to collaborate with Romero Britto to commemorate the 149th running with artwork that brings a modern perspective to our longstanding tradition,” Casey C. Ramage, Churchill Downs' Vice President of Marketing and Partnerships, said. “Working with an icon like Britto is an exciting opportunity for us to connect with new fans around the globe through this visually compelling representation of the fun and exhilaration of the Derby experience.”

Britto will also attend this year's event to watch the race and participate in a variety of Derby week special activities, including sitting on the judging panel for the Longines Kentucky Oaks Fashion Contest. Britto's work will be featured on the 2023 Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks official racing programs and a variety of merchandise, and 1,000 limited-edition prints will be available for purchase starting December 6, 2022, at www.KentuckyDerbyStore.com. All other items will be available for purchase beginning in late February.

“I'm honored to partner with Churchill Downs to unveil the official art of this year's Kentucky Derby and celebrate this spectacular occasion,” Britto said.

The post Churchill Downs Releases Official Art For Derby 2023 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Verified by MonsterInsights