Kentucky Derby | Horse Racing Free Tips

Kentucky Derby: Limited Infield-Only Tickets Go On Sale Wednesday At Noon

A limited number of Infield-only General Admission tickets for the April 30 Longines Kentucky Oaks and May 1 Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve will go on sale at 12 p.m. EST on Wednesday at www.kentuckyderby.com/tickets/2021-derby-week-tickets.

“The Kentucky Derby experience is synonymous with fun and excitement and we're thrilled to welcome fans back to our Infield,” said Churchill Downs Racetrack President Mike Anderson. “We remain committed to relying on the most recent scientific evidence we have surrounding COVID-19, and with Kentucky Derby Week three weeks away, we are encouraged by the favorable trajectory. In addition to a low positivity rate, Kentucky's vaccination efforts have reached approximately 40 percent of adult Kentuckians with every indication that those numbers will continue to rapidly increase over the coming weeks leading into this year's Derby.”

Derby Day Infield-only General Admission tickets, which will not have access to the Frontside of the venue, are $75 if purchased prior to April 18; $80 if purchased between April 19-30; and $85 if purchased on Derby Day. Oaks Day Infield-only General Admission tickets, which will not have access to the Frontside of the venue, are $55 if purchased prior to April 18; $60 if purchased between April 19-29; and $65 if purchased on Oaks Day.

Two-day Infield-only General Admission tickets for both Oaks and Derby are $120 if purchased prior to April 18 or $135 if purchased between April 19-29.

An official program is included with all tickets.

Guests who purchase Infield-only General Admission tickets must enter Churchill Downs through the Infield Admission Gate at Central Avenue and Fourth Street. The Infield-only General Admission tickets will not have access to the Frontside of the venue.

General Admission guests will have access to food and beverage options for purchase at Infield concession stands. Infield guests will also have designated restrooms and wagering windows.

Additional ticket inventory to Oaks and Derby is also available, including uncovered reserved bleacher seating in the First Turn; uncovered reserved box seating for six in the Infield; and First and Second Floor Grandstand reserved seats. All reserved seats include all-inclusive food, non-alcoholic beverages and alcoholic beverages.

As previously announced, reserved seats are limited to approximately 40 to 50 percent of seated capacity. General Admission ticket sales will be limited to approximately 25 to 30 percent of Infield capacity.

The 147^th runnings of the $1.25 million Longines Kentucky Oaks and $3 million Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve will be held on Friday, April 30 and Saturday, May 1, respectively.

Guests with tickets who are unable to attend the Kentucky Derby, Kentucky Oaks or other events can utilize the Kentucky Derby Ticket Exchange, the official fan-to-fan resale marketplace and only authorized resale platform, to resell tickets. The Official Kentucky Derby Ticket Exchange allows guests to resell tickets, charge face value or above and guarantee authenticity through Ticketmaster verified tickets.

Notification of the availability of additional tickets to Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks will be made by way of email and social media. Fans are encouraged to subscribe to the Kentucky Derby's email distribution list online at https://www.kentuckyderby.com/tickets/newsletter-signup and follow @KentuckyDerby on social media to stay updated on any changes to ticket availability.

Those interested in attending Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks can also visit Derby Experiences, the Kentucky Derby's Official Experience Package Partner, to explore a variety of packages combining Derby and Oaks seats with access to exclusive lounges, VIP Fast Access passes, hotel and transportation accommodations and more. Information is available online at www.derbyexperiences.com/kentucky-derby-2021.

Churchill Downs ticket options are available for other popular Derby Week events: Opening Night presented by Budweiser (Saturday, April 24); Dawn at the Downs (Sunday, April 25 and Monday, April 26); Champions Day presented by TwinSpires (Tuesday, April 27); and Thurby presented by Old Forester (Thursday, April 29).

In addition to Kentucky Derby Week, tickets are on sale for the entire 2021 Spring Meet, which covers 38 dates from Saturday, April 24 through Saturday, June 26.

Notable Spring Meet events and dates include Twilight Thursdays (Thursdays, May 6-June 24); Mother's Day (Sunday, May 9); Preakness Stakes Simulcast (Saturday, May 15); Sunday Brunch (Sundays, May 16-June 20); Downs After Dark presented by Budweiser (Saturdays, May 22 and June 12); Stephen Foster Preview Day (Saturday, May 29); Memorial Day (Monday, May 31); Teacher Appreciation Day (Thursday, June 3); Belmont Stakes Simulcast (Saturday, June 5); Flag Day Observance (Sunday, June 13); Father's Day (Sunday, June 20); and Stephen Foster Day/Closing Day (Saturday, June 26).

Churchill Downs will continue to rely on proven health and safety protocols and operate within the guidance of state health officials as well as the CDC. Information regarding Churchill Downs' Health & Safety plan for Kentucky Derby 2021 can be found at www.kentuckyderby.com/tickets/ticket-options/updates.

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Julien Leparoux To Ride Helium In Kentucky Derby

Jockey Julien Leparoux will be aboard Tampa Bay Derby winner Helium in the Kentucky Derby on May 1, the Daily Racing Form reported Monday. Jose Ferrer rode the colt to victory at Tampa.

Trained by Mark Casse, the 3-year-old son of Ironicus is undefeated in three career starts, including two over the synthetic main track at Woodbine Racecourse last year. Helium provided a 15-1 upset in the Tampa Bay Derby, his first start of 2021, when defeated Hidden Stash (who returned to run fourth in the Blue Grass Stakes) by three quarters of a length.

Helium will ship to Kentucky this week, Casse said.

Out of the Thunder Gulch mare Thundering Emilia, Helium was a $55,000 purchase at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale. He is raced by D. J. Stable.

Cox, Juddmonte Keeping Derby On The Table For Risen Star Winner Mandaloun

On a brisk Spring morning beneath the historic Twin Spires, Juddmonte Farm's Risen Star (Grade 2) winner Mandaloun started his serious preparation toward the first Saturday in May with a half-mile breeze Saturday in :49.80 under jockey Florent Geroux.

Trained by Brad Cox, Mandaloun was the highly-touted 6-5 favorite in the $1 million Louisiana Derby (G2) but finished a disappointing sixth behind eventual winner Hot Rod Charlie. The Into Mischief colt worked outside of Louisiana-bred stakes winner Australasia through a moderate :25.40 opening quarter-mile fraction. The duo galloped out together through five furlongs in 1:02.60 and completed the work with a six-furlong time of 1:16.40, according to Churchill Downs clocker John Nichols.

“There really wasn't an excuse in the Louisiana Derby,” Cox said. “I hate to use the cliché of drawing a line through the race, but that is what we are doing. At the half-mile pole, he really didn't continue to put himself into the race and was out of gas. We had high hopes, obviously, that he would run better in that race. We talked it over with the folks from Juddmonte and if he continues to train well, we are going to pursue the Derby.”

Moments before Mandaloun's work, Cox's top $1.25 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) contender Travel Column breezed a half-mile in :48.60. She began the work with a :24.60 quarter-mile time and galloped out five furlongs in 1:02.

Other stars that recorded works Saturday morning at Churchill Downs included 2020 Preakness Stakes (G1) winner Swiss Skydiver, who worked a half-mile in :48 under jockey Robby Albarado and undefeated Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) hero Aunt Pearl, who worked a half-mile in :48.60 under Geroux.

Training hours at Churchill Downs will switch Monday to the normal 5:30-10 a.m. (all times Eastern) with two renovation breaks from 7-7:30 a.m. and 8:30-9 a.m. Weather permitting, turf training is scheduled to begin on April 18 from 9:30-10 a.m. every Sunday and Tuesday.

Special 7:30-7:45 a.m. training for Oaks and Derby contenders will begin Saturday, April 17.

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Concert Tour, Caddo River Top Probables For Arkansas Derby

The Oaklawn racing department listed six probables Saturday morning for the $1 million Arkansas Derby (G1) April 10. Post positions for the 1 1/8-mile race, Oaklawn's fourth and final Kentucky Derby points event, will be drawn Tuesday.

Expected Arkansas Derby entrants are Caddo River for trainer Brad Cox, Concert Tour (Bob Baffert), Get Her Number (Peter Miller), Hozier (Baffert), Last Samurai (Dallas Stewart) and Super Stock (Steve Asmussen).

The Arkansas Derby will offer 170 points (100-40-20-10, respectively) to the top four finishers toward starting eligibility for the Kentucky Derby.

Concert Tour remained unbeaten in three career starts with a front-running 4 ¼-length winner of the $1 million Rebel Stakes (G2) March 13 at Oaklawn. It was a record-extending eighth Rebel victory for Baffert, who also finished second in the 1 1/16-mile race with Hozier.

Super Stock, Caddo River and Get Her Number ran fourth, fifth and seventh, respectively, in the Rebel, which is Oaklawn's third Kentucky Derby points race.

A Tex Sutton Equine Air Transport flight carrying Southern California-based Concert Tour, Get Her Number and Hozier is scheduled to arrive Wednesday.

Caddo River won Oaklawn's first Kentucky Derby points race, the $150,000 Smarty Jones Stakes Jan. 22, by a record 10 ¼ lengths. A homebred for John Ed Anthony of Hot Springs, Caddo River completed major preparations for the Arkansas Derby with a 5-furlong work, in company, over a fast track Saturday morning at Oaklawn under Francisco Arrieta.

Caddo River, who breezed with stablemate Night Ops, a multiple-stakes winning older horse, covered the distance in 1:00.20 and galloped out 6 furlongs in 1:13.40. The half-mile split was :47.80.

“He worked well,” said Jorgito Abrego, who oversees Cox's Oaklawn division.

Anthony has won the Arkansas Derby a record three times (1980, 1987 and 1992).

The Arkansas Derby is one of four stakes April 10 at Oaklawn, the others being the $500,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap (G3) for older horses at 6 furlongs, $400,000 Oaklawn Mile for older horses and the $250,000 Carousel for older fillies and mares at 6 furlongs.

Whitmore, an Eclipse Award winner as the country's champion male sprinter of 2020, and C Z Rocket are scheduled to renew their rivalry in the Count Fleet. Whitmore and C Z Rocket ran 1-2, respectively, in the $2 million Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) Nov. 7 at Keeneland. C Z Rocket turned the tables on Whitmore in the $200,000 Hot Springs Stakes March 13. Whitmore is seeking his fourth Count Fleet victory.

One Oaklawn Mile probable, Blackberry Wine, worked a half-mile in :46.60 Saturday morning at Oaklawn for trainer Joe Sharp.

Multiple graded stakes winner Frank's Rockette is expected to head the Carousel. Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, Frank's Rockette won the $150,000 American Beauty Stakes Jan. 30 at Oaklawn in her 4-year-old debut. The daughter of Into Mischief is a homebred for prominent North Little Rock, Ark., businessman Frank Fletcher.

Post positions for the other three stakes also will be drawn Tuesday.

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