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Derby Future Wager Pool Two: Smile Happy Favored Among Individual Horses

With the Kentucky Derby still 15 weeks away, the pari-mutuel field of “All Other 3-Year-Olds” closed as the 9-5 favorite in Pool 2 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager (KDFW) and Smile Happy was the 8-1 second choice.

The pari-mutuel field for the first pool of the New Year has closed as the bettors' choice every year since the future wager was inaugurated in 1999.

Smile Happy, owned by Michael J. Mackin's Lucky Seven Stable and trained by Kenny McPeek, was the 3 ¼-length winner of the $400,000 Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) at Churchill Downs in November.

Other horses who attracted interest from bettors: McPeek's Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) runner-up Tiz the Bomb (10-1); Champagne (G1) winner Jack Christopher (14-1); first-level allowance winner Chasing Time (17-1); and debut maiden winner Emmanuel (17-1).

Horses in order of the public's betting choice (with trainer, Pool 2 odds and $2 Win Will Pays): #24 “All Other 3-Year-Olds” (9-5, $5.80); #18 Smile Happy (McPeek, 8-1, $18); #19 Tiz the Bomb (McPeek, 10-1, $22.80); #10 Jack Christopher (Chad Brown, 14-1, $30); #1 Chasing Time (Steve Asmussen, 17-1, $36.40); #6 Emmanuel (Todd Pletcher, 17-1, $37.60); #15 Rattle N Roll (McPeek, 20-1, $42.60); #17 Slow Down Andy (Doug O'Neill, 20-1, $43); #13 Mo Donegal (Pletcher, 23-1, $48.20); #7 Epicenter (Asmussen, 24-1, $51.20); #14 Pappacap (Mark Casse, 24-1, $51.20); #23 Zandon (Brown, 25-1, $52); #8 Giant Game (Dale Romans, 28-1, $59); #5 Dash Attack (McPeek, 34-1, $70.80); #9 High Oak (Bill Mott, 38-1, $78.80); #4 Courvoisier (Kelly Breen, 39-1, $81.60); #11 Major General (Pletcher, 41-1, $84.40); #3 Commandperformance (Pletcher, 41-1, $85); #16 Simplification (Antonio Sano, 43-1, $89.60); #21 Varatti (Pletcher, 47-1, $97.40); #2 Classic Causeway (Brian Lynch, 51-1, $105.60); #20 Trafalgar (Al Stall Jr., 77-1, $156.60); #12 Make It Big (Saffie Joseph Jr., 85-1, $172.80); and #22 White Abarrio (Joseph, 171-1, $344.20).

Total handle for the Jan. 21-23 KDFW pool – the second of five scheduled wagering pools in advance of the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) on Saturday, May 7 – was $361,209 ($273,712 in the Win pool and $87,497 in Exactas), up 12.2% from last year's $322,035 ($240,768 in the Win pool and $81,267 in Exactas).

The other Future Wager dates are set Feb. 11-13 (Pool 3), March 11-13 (Pool 4) and March 31-April 2 (Pool 5). The lone Kentucky Oaks Future Wager will coincide with Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 4 on March 11-13.

Visit www.KentuckyDerby.com/FutureWager for more information.

The post Derby Future Wager Pool Two: Smile Happy Favored Among Individual Horses appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Early Triple Crown Nominations Due Jan. 29

Early nominations for 3-year-old Thoroughbreds to become eligible to compete in the 2022 Triple Crown series are due Saturday, Jan. 29 with a $600 payment.

Payment for early Triple Crown nominations must be made at the time of entry on www.TheTripleCrown.com. Information regarding phone or mail-in entries can also be found on the website.

The 2022 Triple Crown opens Saturday, May 7 with the 148th running of the $3 million Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (Grade 1) at 1 ¼ miles at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. The 147th running of the $1.5 million Preakness (G1), its 1 3/16-mile second jewel, is set for Saturday, May 21 at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Md. The 154th running of the $1.5 million Belmont Stakes (G1), the series' 1 ½-mile final leg, is scheduled for Saturday, June 11 at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

Last year's Triple Crown nominations attracted 326 early nominees plus nine late nominations.

Horses not nominated during the early phase can be made eligible between Jan. 30-March 28 with a $6,000 payment. Any horse not nominated during either the early or late nomination phases have a final opportunity to become eligible for the races through payment of a supplemental nomination fee due at the time of entry for each Triple Crown race: Kentucky Derby ($200,000), Preakness ($150,000) and Belmont ($50,000).

Representatives of the Triple Crown host tracks include:

· Churchill Downs: Vice President of Racing and Racing Secretary Ben Huffman at (502) 638-3820 or Ben.Huffman@KyDerby.com. … Assistant Racing Secretary and Stakes Coordinator Dan Bork at (502) 638-3806 or Dan.Bork@KyDerby.com. … Racing Operations Manager Kelly Danner at (502) 638-3825 or Kelly.Danner@KyDerby.com.

· Pimlico: Racing Secretary Jillian Sofarelli at (800) 638-1859 or Jtullock@marylandracing.com.

· Belmont Park: Stakes Coordinator Andrew Byrnes at (718) 659-4217 or abyrnes@nyrainc.com.

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Weekend Lineup Presented By DRFBets: Road To Kentucky Heads To The Big Easy

This weekend's horse racing action is highlighted by the six stakes races on Saturday's card at the Fair Grounds in New Orleans, La., with a pair of prep races for the first Friday and Saturday in May drawing significant attention.

Perhaps the best race on the afternoon, however, is the match-up between Mandaloun and Midnight Bourbon in the G3 Louisiana Stakes. It will be the sixth time these millionaire rivals face one another, and good performances could propel them to the $20 million Saudi Cup next month.

Meanwhile, Breeders' Cup Juvenile runner-up Pappacap will be challenged by Epicenter in the Lecomte. The latter has won his last two starts for trainer Steve Asmussen, including a listed stakes race over the local surface. Pappacap brings experience to the table for trainer Mark Casse, with two wins and two seconds from five starts thus far.

Also on Saturday are listed stakes at Oaklawn, Aqueduct, Gulfstream, and Santa Anita, while Sunday's feature is the Oaks points-offering Busanda Stakes at Aqueduct.

Saturday

5:52 PM – $150,000 Silverbulletday Stakes at Fair Grounds

Off an easy win in her career debut at Churchill Downs on Nov. 20, Stonestreet Stables' La Crete has been installed as the 2-1 morning line against five rivals for Saturday's $150,000 Silverbulletday for 3-year-old fillies to be run over 1 mile 70 yards at the Fair Grounds in New Orleans, La. By Medaglia d'Oro, La Crete is a half-sister to millionaire Clairiere.

Off a maiden win and a fourth in the Tempted Stakes at Belmont, Westerberg Limited, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith's Sweet as Pie invades from her home base at Palm Beach Downs in Florida to contest the Silverbulletday for trainer Todd Pletcher.

Columbine Stables' Fannie and Freddie swings back off a recent second behind the undefeated North County in the Untapable Stakes for trainer Al Stall, Jr. The daughter of Malibu Moon won her two-turn debut in the start prior, and she looked home free in the stretch of her stakes debut, only to be run down late.

The top four finishers will earn Kentucky Oaks qualifying points (10-4-2-1).

6:49 PM – G3 Louisiana Stakes at Fair Grounds

Lecomte, Risen Star, Louisiana Derby, Kentucky Derby, Haskell: this Saturday's 76th running of the $150,000 Louisiana Stakes (G3) at the Fair Grounds will be the sixth time both Mandaloun and Midnight Bourbon enter the starting gate as rivals. Mandaloun has bragging rights, winning or finishing in front of Midnight Bourbon in three out of five match-ups thus far.

Mandaloun's last start was July 17 in the Haskell (G1) when he dueled through the final furlong finishing a nose short of Hot Rod Charlie, but an impending DQ awarded the Brad Cox-trained Mandaloun his fifth career win out of eight starts.

Last seen setting the pace in November's Clark (G1) with jockey Joel Rosario on board, Midnight Bourbon ran well, only to be overtaken in the stretch by the classy Maxfield and Happy Saver. He gets a slight cut-back in distance to 1 1/16 miles for the Louisiana. As in the Clark, Rosario gets the call.

7:20 PM – G3 Lecomte Stakes at Fair Grounds

Rustlewood Farm's Pappacap, the current points leader on the Road to the Kentucky Derby with 12, headlines a field of nine 3-year-olds for the $200,000 Lecomte Stakes (G3). A sprint winner on debut on May 14 at Gulfstream, the Florida-bred Pappacap has raced in four graded stakes in California since, winning the Best Pal (G2) at Del Mar and most recently finishing as the runner-up behind Corniche in both the American Pharoah (G2) and Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1).

The close second choice at 9-5, Winchell Thoroughbreds' Epicenter eyes his third consecutive win for trainer Steve Asmussen. After breaking his maiden on the lead, the son of Not This Time dominated the Gun Runner last time out, sitting just off the pace before taking over off the turn and drawing away by 6 ½ lengths.

Columbine Stable's Trafalgar enters the Lecomte off a narrow Fair Grounds allowance victory in his two-turn debut on Dec. 2. After building a comfortable margin in the deep stretch, the son of Lord Nelson had to dig deep to score his second consecutive win for trainer Al Stall, Jr.

Run over 1 1/16 miles, the Lecomte offers ten Kentucky Derby points to the winner, with the rest of the top four earning 4-2-1.

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‘Horsing Around With Art’ Winner Announced

Lily Swan, a junior at Mercy Academy in Louisville, has been named the Grand Prize winner of the 36th annual Horsing Around With Art competition, presented by WinStar Farm. The Grand Prize is awarded to the artist whose work best captures the spirit of the Kentucky Derby.

Swan's artwork, entitled 'The Bath,' shows Rock Your World receiving a bath after a workout over the Churchill Downs main track. This is the artist's first oil painting.

Students from grades 1-12 in Louisville Metro public, private and parochial schools were eligible to enter the juried contest. Each of the 201 entries from 33 different schools will be on display at the Kentucky Derby Museum from Jan. 21 through Mar. 20.

Swan will be awarded a 'Spring Race Day Experience' at Churchill Downs, including a table on Millionaire's Row for a day, a race named in her honor and she will present a trophy in the winner's circle. All winners and exhibiting students will be recognized in a special online ceremony hosted by the Kentucky Derby Museum Tuesday, Feb. 15.

Click here for a full list of the winners and click here for photos of the surprise announcement at Mercy Academy Jan. 20. All entries may be viewed here.

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