Tag: curlin florida derby

Hades To Run On Short Rest In the Lexington

Hades (Awesome Slew), upset winner of the GIII Holy Bull S. in January and a latest fifth to champion 'TDN Rising Star' Fierceness (City of Light) in the GI Curlin Florida Derby Mar. 30, will back up on two weeks' rest for the GIII Stonestreet Lexington S. at Keeneland Apr. 13, co-owner Jon Green of D J Stable said in a text message Saturday morning.

“We are entering Hades in the Lexington and have Jose Ortiz in the irons,” Green texted. “Hades is doing great, is sound and ready to ship to KEE on Tuesday.”

Owned in partnership with Robert Cotran and trained by Joe Orseno, Hades won his first three trips to the post including a two-length defeat of Domestic Product (Practical Joke) in the Holy Bull, as Fierceness failed to fire at long odds-on. He was bumped at the start of the Florida Derby as a 17-5 chance and endured a wide trip before finishing 19 3/4 lengths adrift of the romping Fierceness.

“He got sawed off and never leveled off until he pulled himself back to last,” Green explained via text.

Hades has amassed 30 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, good for 18th in the standings prior to the running of Saturday's 100-point preps. The Lexington is the final Derby points race on a scale of 20-10-6-4-2.

Also headed to the Lexington is Encino (Nyquist), who was scratched from Saturday's GI Toyota Blue Grass S. The Godolphin homebred, last-start winner of the John Battaglia Memorial S. Mar. 2, had drawn widest in the field of 11 in the Blue Grass.

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Hades, Fierceness Tune Up For Curlin Florida Derby

D J Stable and Robert Cotran's GIII Holy Bull S. winner Hades (Awesome Slew) worked a half-mile in an easy :50.21 over the Gulfstream Park main track Friday morning, his final serious gallop ahead of next Saturday's $1-million GI Curlin Florida Derby.

A perfect three-for-three in his career, Hades was scheduled to breeze Saturday, but forecast heavy rains led trainer Joe Orseno to call an audible and work the gelding 24 hours earlier.

“He has exceeded my expectations,” Orseno said, “even with today's last breeze going into the Florida Derby. He did everything perfect. He just handles himself very professional. He gets things easily where other horses struggle.”

Eclipse Award-winning 'TDN Rising Star' Fierceness (City of Light) will try to atone for his third-place effort in the Holy Bull when he lines up next weekend, and the Todd Pletcher trainee went four furlongs in :47.43 at Palm Beach Downs Friday morning. He galloped out an extra eighth of a mile in 1:00.63. Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez was in the irons for the move.

“It went very well, he looked great,” Pletcher commented.

Trainer Gustavo Delgado took to X Friday afternoon to report that Victory Avenue (Arrogate), a big-figure runner-up on his lone racetrack appearance Jan. 27, would be passing the Florida Derby.

“For clarity, we have decided not to pursue a Florida Derby entry with Victory Avenue,” Delgado posted. “Being a very talented son of Arrogate, at this moment we feel that time and patience to let him grow up physically + mentally is the best plan. Plenty of goals for him to achieve down the line.”

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Mage, Reincarnate Top Quiet Day on the Derby Worktab

Mage (Good Magic), runner-up to champion and likely GI Kentucky Derby favorite Forte (Violence) in the GI Curlin Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park Apr. 1, breezed six furlongs in an easy 1:14.78 in what is likely to be his final serious piece of work ahead of the Run for the Roses May 6.

“He worked good. We liked what we say. Everything is going to plan, thank God,” said Gustavo Delgado, Jr., assistant to his father Gustavo who trains the son of former 'TDN Rising Star' Puca (Big Brown) for an ownership group that includes OGMA Investments, LLC, Ramiro Restrepo, Sterling Racing LLC and CMNWLTH.

A $235,000 Keeneland September yearling and $290,000 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-year-old in training acquisition, Mage belied odds of 11-1 to graduate by an impressive 3 3/4 lengths in a seven-furlong maiden Jan. 28 and gave an excellent account of himself when fourth behind Forte in the GII Fountain of Youth S. Mar. 4. Mage hit the front in the final furlong of the Florida Derby after enduring a tough trip and clung on well for second, beaten a length. The chestnut, bred by Robert Clay's Grandview Equine, ships to Kentucky Apr. 23.

“We just want him to get to know the track. We don't expect to do very much there, fitness-wise,” Delgado, Jr. said. “He should be ready after this work. Every day is crucial. We'll take it day by day, but we like the position we're in right now.”

 

 

 

At Santa Anita Saturday morning, trainer Tim Yakteen sent out GIII Sham S. winner Reincarnate (Good Magic) to work five-eighths of a mile. Breezing inside of his 5-year-old stablemate Westward Look (Vancouver {Aus}), the $775,000 Keeneland September graduate galloped under a strong hold after breaking off just inside the 5 1/2-furlong pole and pulled readily clear of his company from two furlongs out to stop the clock in 1:01 flat (22/43). He was asked to work past the wire and into the turn and was just urged along mildly to finish up nearing the six-furlong start.

Since winning the Sham in early January, Reincarnate cemented his Derby berth with third-place efforts–albeit accomplished in different fashion–in a sloppy renewal of the GII Rebel S. Feb. 25 and the GI Arkansas Derby Apr. 1.

 

 

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Forte Arrives at Churchill Downs

St. Elias Stable and Repole Stable's GI Kentucky Derby favorite Forte (Violence) arrived at Churchill Downs on Monday following a 14-hour van ride from trainer Todd Pletcher's winter base of Palm Beach Downs in South Florida. Last year's champion juvenile colt bedded down in his barn 39 and joined fellow Derby hopefuls Kingsbarns (Uncle Mo) and Tapit Trice (Tapit), both who arrived in Louisville on Sunday.

Forte, who won last year's G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile and G1 Hopeful S. before being honored with the Eclipse Award, has won both the GII Fountain of Youth S. and GI Curlin Florida Derby in both starts this year.

 

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