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TCA Hosts ‘Bid On The Bluegrass’ Online Auction

Halters worn by Kentucky Derby starters including Forte (Violence), Kingsbarns (Uncle Mo), Tapit Trice (Tapit), Angel of Empire (Classic Empire), and Two Phil's (Hard Spun) will be just some of the items listed during this year's Thoroughbred Charities of America's 'Bid on the Bluegrass' online auction, the organization said in a release Wednesday.

Set to open on Thursday, May 4 at 9 a.m. and conclude on Saturday, May 6 at 9 p.m. E.T., all proceeds will benefit TCA.

“Bid on the Bluegrass will feature a wide array of items with a Kentucky focus,” said Erin Halliwell executive director of TCA. “We have bourbon-themed items, racing memorabilia, one-of-a-kind experiences, halters worn by Kentucky Derby starters, and much more. We are very grateful to all of our item donors for making this auction possible.”

A complete list can be found here, with new items added daily until the start of the auction.

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Tuesday’s Kentucky Derby Report: Trio of Breezers Bring the Morning ‘Thunder’

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A trio of GI Kentucky Derby workers enjoyed the spotlight during training hours on a brisk Tuesday morning beneath the Twin Spires.

Derma Sotogake (Jpn) (Mind Your Biscuits) was hard held beneath Masatoshi Segawa and ready to do much more as he hit the top of the stretch. He finished up strongly once let loose down the lane and completed his four-furlong breeze in :49.60 (13/20). The G2 UAE Derby winner will be ridden in the Kentucky Derby by Christophe Lemaire.

His countrymate Mandarin Hero (Jpn) (Shanghai Bobby), a fantastic second beaten just a nose in the GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby in his U.S. debut and currently on the outside looking in on the Kentucky Derby also-eligible list, worked five furlongs in a leisurely 1:05.60 (15/15). He will target the second leg of the Triple Crown if unable to secure a spot in the Derby.

The blinkered Sun Thunder (Into Mischief) also breezed during the 15-minute training window reserved for Kentucky Derby and Oaks horses as temperatures hovered in the mid-40s just after 7:30 a.m. The GI Blue Grass S. fourth-place finisher worked a “maintenance half-mile” beneath jockey Brian Hernandez, Jr. in :47.80 (3/20). Trainer Ken McPeek's best result from eight previous Kentucky Derby starters was a second-place finish with Tejano Run in 1995.

As for Tuesday's Derby gallopers, a pair of grays made their presence felt on the sunsplashed backstretch.

'TDN Rising Star' and $1.3-million KEEESEP yearling purchase Tapit Trice (Tapit) immediately caught the eye as trainer Todd Pletcher watched his three Derby runners train near the chute.

Hit Show (Candy Ride {Arg}) also made a very favorable impression for trainer Brad Cox galloping powerfully with his neck arched.

The Pletcher barn was the place to be afterwards as champion 2-year-old colt and 'Rising Star' Forte (Violence), the unbeaten Kingsbarns (Uncle Mo) and the aforementioned Tapit Trice got cleaned up following their routine 1 3/8-mile gallops.

Forte co-owner Mike Repole, sporting an Uncle Mo jacket, of course, was among a very large group of admirers lined up to get a closer look at the Kentucky Derby morning-line favorite as training hours began to wind down.

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Champion Forte Draws Post 15 for Kentucky Derby, Tabbed as 3-1 Favorite

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — There was very little suspense during Monday afternoon's GI Kentucky Derby post position draw held in the Aristides Lounge at Churchill Downs as Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable's champion 2-year-old colt and 'TDN Rising Star' Forte (Violence) immediately kicked things off by drawing very well on the outside in post 15.

Tabbed as the 3-1 morning-line favorite in the full field of 20, last year's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner overcame more than his share of adversity beneath regular rider Irad Ortiz, Jr. while punching his ticket to Louisville with a valiant win in the GI Curlin Florida Derby. Only Street Sense and Nyquist have pulled off the Breeders' Cup Juvenile-Kentucky Derby double so far.

Two-time Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Todd Pletcher will also saddle GI Blue Grass S. winner and fellow 'Rising Star' Tapit Trice (Tapit), the second choice on the morning line at 5-1 (post five); and unbeaten GII Louisiana Derby winner Kingsbarns (Uncle Mo) (post six; 12-1).

The latter will look to win the Derby in just his career fourth start, a feat previously accomplished by dual Classic winner Big Brown in 2008 and subsequent Triple Crown winner Justify in 2018.

“I'm good with all of them,” Pletcher said. “Good draws. We're very happy with it.”

Trainer Brad Cox, extremely well-represented by GI Kentucky Oaks morning-line favorite Wet Paint (Blame) and second-choice Botanical (Medaglia d'Oro) in Friday's feature, will also have a fantastic shot in the Derby. Cox will have four chances for a second Derby victory including: GI Arkansas Derby winner Angel of Empire (Classic Empire) (post 14; 8-1); game Blue Grass runner-up Verifying (Justify) (post two; 15-1); Louisiana Derby third and 'Rising Star' Jace's Road (Quality Road) (post 12; 15-1); and narrow GII Wood Memorial S. runner-up Hit Show (Candy Ride {Arg}) (post one; 30-1).

The Oaks/Derby double has only been pulled off three previous times by Herbert J. Thompson in 1933 with Brokers Tip (May 6 Derby) and Barn Swallow (May 20 Oaks); Ben Jones in 1949 with Wistful (May 6 Oaks) and Ponder (May 7 Derby); and Jones again in 1952 with Real Delight (May 2 Oaks) and Hill Gail (May 3 Derby).

The Louisville-born Cox won the 2021 Kentucky Derby via disqualification with Mandaloun.

“Hit Show, it's OK,” Cox said. “We'll live with it. We have to. He's doing great. Manny [Franco] is obviously going to have to work out a trip from down in there. Same thing with Verifying. Tyler [Gaffalione] rides Verifying and both riders are going to have to find a way into the first turn. Angel of Empire, I think it's a good draw. Flavien [Prat] will be able to break running and get a good spot mid-pack. That's what I'm envisioning. Jace's Road will probably be more forwardly placed as opposed to Angel of Empire. Hopefully, he can get himself up into the mix.”

Practical Move (Practical Joke), listed at 10-1 on the morning-line, will exit from post 10 following three straight victories in Southern California, led by a nose decision in the GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby. Trainer Tim Yakteen will also tighten the girth on Arkansas Derby third Reincarnate (Good Magic) (post seven; 50-1).

Drawn on the outside, G2 UAE Derby winner Derma Sotogake (Jpn) (Mind Your Biscuits) (post 17; 10-1) and UAE Derby third Continuar (Jpn) (Drefong) (post 20; 50-1) will both fly the flag for Japan.

The 1 1/4-mile Classic for 3-year-olds will go as the 12th race on Saturday's 14-race Derby Day program with a 6:57 p.m. post time.

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

1-Hit Show (Candy Ride {Arg}) (30-1)

2-Verifying (Justify) (15-1)

3-Two Phil's (Hard Spun) (12-1)

4-Confidence Game (Candy Ride {Arg}) (20-1)

5-Tapit Trice (Tapit) (5-1)

6-Kingsbarns (Uncle Mo) (12-1)

7-Reincarnate (Good Magic) (50-1)

8-Mage (Good Magic) (15-1)

9-Skinner (Curlin) (20-1)

10-Practical Move (Practical Joke) (10-1)

11-Disarm (Gun Runner) (30-1)

12-Jace's Road (Quality Road) (15-1)

13-Sun Thunder (Into Mischief) (30-1)

14-Angel of Empire (Classic Empire) (8-1)

15-Forte (Violence) (3-1)

16-Raise Cain (Violence) (15-1)

17-Derma Sotogake (Jpn) (Mind Your Biscuits) (10-1)

18-Rocket Can (Into Mischief) (15-1)

19-Lord Miles (Curlin) (30-1)

20-Continuar (Jpn) (Drefong) (50-1)

Also-Eligibles: Cyclone Mischief (Into Mischief) (30-1); Mandarin Hero (Jpn) (Shanghai Bobby) (20-1); and King Russell (Creative Cause) (50-1).

All starters will carry 126 pounds.

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Kentucky Derby 149 Early Impressions: Ocala Stud’s David O’Farrell on Forte

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – TDN Senior Racing Editor Steve Sherack catches up with the connections of leading GI Kentucky Derby contenders to get their 'Early Impressions.'

Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable's champion 2-year-old colt and 'TDN Rising Star' Forte (Violence) will look to join Street Sense and Nyquist as GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile winners to capture the roses the following spring.

The dark bay heads to the Kentucky Derby as the one to beat following impressive victories in this term's GII Fountain of Youth S. and GI Curlin Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park. A runaway debut winner going five furlongs at Belmont Park late last May, he concluded his juvenile campaign with three straight wins at the top level.

Forte learned his early lessons at Ocala Stud in Florida before heading to two-time Kentucky Derby winning-trainer Todd Pletcher last spring.

“He's the one that we identified early on as being the cream of the crop,” Ocala Stud's David O'Farrell said.

“He was very forward. He was a horse that from day one was super athletic. We felt like he could be a really good 2-year-old and he had enough stretch that maybe he could be a two-turn horse. You just never really envisioned him as being the Derby favorite a year later, but anything is possible. He was a horse that never had a bad day. He was one of the first two that we sent in to Pletcher in March of last year to get ready for Saratoga. We felt like he was going to be really precocious and a horse that would be a lot of fun in the summertime for the partnership of Repole and St. Elias. He's one of those that not only did he perform as a 2-year-old, he just kept getting better and better and better.”

O'Farrell concluded, “It's been really exciting to watch. He's just an awfully nice horse that we're fortunate enough to be a part of.”

Bred in Kentucky by Amy Moore's South Gate Farm, the $80,000 Keeneland November weanling turned $110,000 Keeneland September yearling is one of 15 graded winners worldwide for Violence and is the first foal out of four-time stakes winner Queen Caroline (Blame). Forte's half-brother by Uncle Mo brought $850,000 from Mayberry Farm at last year's Keeneland September sale.

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