Tag: Botanical

Several Derby Runners Back On Sunday Work Tab

Sunday morning's work tab at Churchill Downs featured a trio of trainer Brad Cox's GI Kentucky Derby runners who recorded their first breezes since running on the first Saturday in May.

At 5:30 a.m., third-place finisher Angel of Empire (Classic Empire) recorded a half-mile move in :49. The colt, owned by Albaugh Family Stables, is possible to run in the GI Belmont S. June 10.

Shortly after, Verifying (Justify), who finished 16th in the Derby, worked a half-mile in :49.60.

At 7:45 a.m., Gary and Mary West's Hit Show (Candy Ride {Arg}), fifth in the Derby, breezed a half-mile in :49.40.

Hit Show and Verifying's next starts have yet to be determined.

LNJ Foxwoods and Clearsky Farms' Botanical (Medaglia d'Oro), the 13th-place finisher in the GI Longines Kentucky Oaks, worked an easy half-mile in :50.

The post Several Derby Runners Back On Sunday Work Tab appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Kentucky Oaks ‘Picture’ Goes Through Cox Barn

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — In a division still crying out for a clear-cut leader, a full field of sophomore fillies will take centerstage in a deep renewal of Friday's GI Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs.

Trainer Brad Cox will have three chances, including the top two choices on the morning-line, to collect a third Oaks trophy following wins with Monomoy Girl in 2018 and Shedaresthedevil in 2020.

After sweeping the Oaklawn Park series for 3-year-old fillies, Godolphin homebred and 5-2 Oaks morning-line favorite Wet Paint (Blame) shoots for a fourth straight victory following a visually impressive come-from- behind win in the GIII Fantasy S. Apr. 1.

“She can make you a little nervous with her running style, but overall she's just been really consistent,” Cox said. “She'll love the mile and an eighth here. If she puts in her run, she's going to be tough. She just brings it every time.”

Front-running Bourbonette Oaks heroine Botanical (Medaglia d'Oro) could vie for favoritism with her stablemate despite never racing on dirt before. Cox will also saddle GII Fair Grounds Oaks third-place finisher The Alys Look (Connect).

“The Alys Looks is flying under the radar, but I love the way she's developing,” Cox said. “Botanical needs to step up on the dirt, but I like what I am seeing. Physically, she looks great. She's doing really well.”

Last year's champion 2-year-old filly Wonder Wheel (Into Mischief) looks for her first victory since capturing the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies at Keeneland. She was a disappointing sixth behind Defining Purpose (Cross Traffic) in the GI Ashland S. at Keeneland Apr. 7.

Southlawn (Pioneerof the Nile) has taken a major step forward for trainer Norm Casse in two attempts since turning three, led by a 3 1/4-length victory over Pretty Mischievous (Into Mischief) in the GII Fair Grounds Oaks Mar. 25.

Affirmative Lady (Arrogate), hung out wide in post 13, also enters in top form following a breakthrough win in the GII Gulfstream Park Oaks Apr. 1. She's gone two-for-two since adding blinkers for Graham Motion.

The gone-too-soon Arrogate, responsible for last year's Oaks winner Secret Oath, will also be represented by GISW and GII Santa Anita Oaks runner-up And Tell Me Nolies (Arrogate).

With a delightful forecast calling for cloudy skies and a high of 75 degrees, the stacked 13-race Kentucky Oaks program also includes: a deep field of 10 in the GI La Troienne S., featuring last year's GI Kentucky Oaks heroine Secret Oath (Arrogate); a fantastic renewal of the GII Alysheba S., led by GI Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike (Keen Ice) and GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational S. winner Art Collector (Bernardini); unbeaten 'TDN Rising Star' Munnys Gold (Munnings)'s graded stakes debut in the GII Eight Belles S.; and the grassy GII Edgewood S. and GIII Modesty S. Last year's GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint winner Caravel (Mizzen Mast) will also line up on the undercard in the Unbridled Sidney S.

The post Kentucky Oaks ‘Picture’ Goes Through Cox Barn appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Streaking Wet Paint Headlines Full Field Drawn for Kentucky Oaks

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Godolphin homebred Wet Paint (Blame), an impressive come-from-behind winner in three straight while sweeping the Oaklawn Park series for 3-year-old fillies headed by the GIII Fantasy S. Apr. 1, was tabbed as the 5-2 morning-line favorite for Friday's GI Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs. Conditioned by two-time Kentucky Oaks-winning trainer Brad Cox, Wet Paint was assigned post seven in the full field of 14. Flavien Prat will ride.

Cox will also saddle impressive Bourbonette Oaks heroine and 4-1 second-choice Botanical (Medaglia d'Oro) (post six), who tries dirt for the first time; and GII Fair Grounds Oaks third-place finisher The Alys Look (Connect) (post two; 15-1).

Cox won the 2018 Oaks with Monomoy Girl and the 2020 Oaks with Shedaresthedevil.

“I thought it was a good draw for all of these fillies,” Cox said. “Botanical and Wet Paint are in the middle of the gate which is fine for both of them. The Alys Look is inside but can work out a trip from there.”

Southlawn (Pioneerof the Nile) (post four; 8-1) figures to receive plenty of tote support following a pair of visually impressive tallies for trainer Norm Casse this term, headed by a 3 1/4-length win over Pretty Mischievous (Into Mischief) (post 14; 10-1) in the Fair Grounds Oaks.

“I think it's a perfect draw,” Casse said. “I played baseball my entire life and I was No. 4. So, it's my lucky number.”

Champion Wonder Wheel (Into Mischief) (post five; 12-1), trained by Norm's father Mark Casse, looks to get back on track following a head-scratching sixth in the GI Ashland S. at Keeneland.

The gone-too-soon Arrogate, responsible for last year's Oak's winner Secret Oath, will be represented by GII Gulfstream Park Oaks heroine Affirmative Lady (Arrogate) (post 13; 10-1) and GII Santa Anita Oaks runner-up And Tell Me Nolies (Arrogate) (post nine; 15-1).

The Oaks field also includes last out 20-1 GI Central Bank Ashland S. upsetter Defining Purpose (Cross Traffic) (post 11; 12-1).

The 1 1/8-mile Kentucky Oaks serves as the highlight of Friday's 13-race program that begins at 10:30 a.m. The Oaks will go as the day's 11th race with a 5:51 p.m. post time.

From the rail out, the complete field for the Kentucky Oaks with morning-line odds:

1-Mimi Kakushi (City of Light) (20-1)

2-The Alys Look (Connect) (15-1)

3-Gambling Girl (Dialed In) (15-1)

4-Southlawn (Pioneerof the Nile) (8-1)

5-Wonder Wheel (Into Mischief) (12-1)

6-Botanical (Medaglia d'Oro) (4-1)

7-Wet Paint (Blame) (5-2)

8-Promiseher America (American Pharoah) (30-1)

9-And Tell Me Nolies (Arrogate) (15-1)

10-Flying Connection (Nyquist) (15-1)

11-Defining Purpose (Cross Traffic) (12-1)

12-Dorth Vader (Girvin) (20-1)

13-Affirmative Lady (Arrogate) (10-1)

14-Pretty Mischievous (Into Mischief) (10-1)

Also-Eligibles: Taxed (Collected) (20-1); Julia Shining (Curlin) (15-1); and Hoosier Philly (Into Mischief) (30-1).

The post Streaking Wet Paint Headlines Full Field Drawn for Kentucky Oaks appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Derma Sotogake Drills; Thursday Oaks Schedule Quickens

Three GI Kentucky Derby hopefuls, as well as a GI Kentucky Oaks potential entrant, worked Wednesday morning over a fast surface at Churchill Downs, the track said in a release on Wednesday.

Hiroyuki Asanuma's G2 UAE Derby winner Derma Sotogake (Jpn) (Mind Your Biscuits) drilled five furlongs in 1:01.40 and was partnered with Lion Race Horse Co. Ltd.'s Continuar (Jpn) (Drefong), who worked a half-mile in :50.

Shortly after those breezes during the 7:30-7:45 training window for Derby and Oaks horses, R.T. Racing Stable and Cypress Creek Equine's Sun Thunder (Into Mischief) worked a half-mile on his own in :48.60 with jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. aboard.

“He pretty much just clipped 12s the whole way around,” Hernandez said. “They added blinkers to him this morning, and that seems to make him want to go forward, and kind of get into things a little earlier than he did before the blinkers. He finished in 48 and 3 [-fifths], with a good gallop out.”

Richard Bahde's Taxed (Collected), the runner-up in the GIII Fantasy S. and No. 15 on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks leaderboard, worked a half-mile in :47.60 under jockey Rafael Bejarano.

Derma Sotogake and Continuar's Work

The pair of Japanese workmates drilled continuing through five furlongs, with Continuar completing a half-mile.

Breaking off at the half-mile pole, Continuar was 3 lengths in front under Kazunari Yoshida. By the head of the stretch, Derma Sotogake had drawn even under Masatoshi Segawa and was clear at the wire.

Fractions for Derma Sotogake were :25.80, :37.20, :48.60 and 1:01.40. Continuar was clocked in :13.40, :26.40, :50 and out five furlongs in 1:04.40.

Both horses will walk in the Quarantine Barn on Thursday.

Kate Hunter, the Japan Racing Association representative for the Kentucky Derby, said that both riders were happy with the works with Segawa pleased with the response in the stretch from Derma Sotogake.

Yoshito Yahagi, trainer of Continuar, is scheduled to arrive in Louisville on Monday with Hidetaka Otonashi, trainer of Derma Sotogake, due in the following day.

Thursday Schedule

One Derby work is scheduled for Thursday morning and that is Wild On Ice (Tapizar). Jockey Ken Tohill is flying to Louisville this afternoon and will be aboard for the work for trainer Joel Marr.

The Kentucky Oaks work schedule Thursday is much heavier with nine breezes slated.

Trainer Brad Cox is expected to work his trio of Wet Paint (Blame), Botanical (Medaglia d'Oro) and The Alys Look (Connect). Trainer Todd Pletcher has his duo of Gambling Girl (Dialed In) and Julia Shining (Curlin) scheduled to breeze along with Southlawn (Pioneerof the Nile) for Norm Casse, Flying Connection (Nyquist) for Todd Fincher, Wonder Wheel (Into Mischief) for Mark Casse and possibly Pretty Mischievous (Into Mischief) for Brendan Walsh.

The post Derma Sotogake Drills; Thursday Oaks Schedule Quickens appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Verified by MonsterInsights