Lightly raced Idol, who is owned by Calvin Nguyen, was attentive to the pace en route to a close second place finish going a mile and one sixteenth in the G2 San Antonio Stakes here on Dec. 26 and will once again get the services of eastern-based Gabriel Saez on Saturday. An impressive seven furlong maiden winner in his second start at Churchill Downs Sept. 26, Idol, a 4-year-old colt by Curlin out of the A.P. Indy mare Marion Ravenwood, then aired by 5 ¾ lengths in a mile and three-sixteenths allowance at Churchill Nov. 8.

With two wins and as many seconds from his four career starts, Idol appears poised to have a big 4-year-old campaign for Baltas.

With an overall mark of 13-3-5-0, Tizamagician, a 4-year-old colt by Tiznow, comes off an outstanding second condition allowance win on Jan. 2, a race in which he led throughout and took by a half length at 4-1. Although he'll be facing a G2 winner in King Guillermo, Tizamagician has the advantage of a sharp recent win over the track as he once again runs out of his own stall for Mandella.

A close fourth in last year's G3 Robert B. Lewis at Santa Anita, Tizamagician, who is owned by MyRacehorse.com and Spendthrift Farm, LLC, will again be ridden by Drayden Van Dyke, who has guided him to a pair of victories in his last four starts.

A disappointing fourth, beaten 12 ¼ lengths after pressing the early pace in the one turn Cigar Mile (G1) at Aqueduct Dec. 5, trainer Juan Avila's King Guillermo had been since running second in a division of the Grade I Arkansas Derby on May 2 and may've been in need of the race. Owned by Victoria's Ranch, nom de course for retired five-time All Star catcher Victor Martinez, King Guillermo, 4-year-old colt by Uncle Mo, was an upset winner of the Grade II Tampa Bay Derby three starts back on March 7 and was subsequently off at 9-2 in the Arkansas Derby.

In what will be his first start west of the Mississippi River, King Guillermo ships west from his Gulfstream Park base and will be ridden for the first time by Abel Cedillo in what will be his seventh career start.

Second to top rated Charlatan going seven furlongs in the opening day Malibu Dec. 26, C R K Stable's Express Train will be ridden back by leading man Juan Hernandez and with a career-top Beyer Speed figure of 99 in-hand, rates a solid shot in what will be his eighth career start. Trained by John Shirreffs, Express Train was well off the early pace in the Malibu, but has proven very effective when on or near the lead going two turns.

THE GRADE 2 SAN PASQUAL STAKES WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 5 of 8 Approximate post time 2:30 p.m. PT

1. Tizamagician—Drayden Van Dyke—120
2. Idol—Gabriel Saez—120
3. King Guillermo—Abel Cedillo—122
4. Express Train—Juan Hernandez—120
5. Zestful—Edwin Maldonado—120

First post time for an eight-race card on Saturday is at 12:30 p.m. All of Santa Anita's races are offered free of charge at santaanita.com/live and fans can watch and wager at 1st.com/Bet.

The post Locals Idol, Tizamagician Face Off With Florida Invader King Guillermo In Saturday’s San Pasqual appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Independence Hall, a 12 ¼-length winner of the Nashua (G2) at two and runner-up in the Sam F. Davis (G3) at three, and Coastal Defense, fourth Nov. 27 in the Clark (G1), have received invitations for the 1 1/8-mile Pegasus World Cup and have been added to the also-eligible list.

Moving into the main body of the Pegasus World Cup from the also-eligible list are Grade 1 winner Math Wizard and Tampa Bay Derby (G2) winner King Guillermo.

Ride a Comet, an impressive winner Saturday of the Tropical Turf (G3), has been invited to the 1 3/16-mile Pegasus World Cup Turf and was placed on the also-eligible list. Moving into the main body of the Pegasus Turf is Next Shares and Field Pass.

Limited seating is available and tickets can be purchased at Pegasusworldcup.com.

Fans can watch and wager on the Pegasus World Cup at 1stbet.com and xpressbet.com.

Independence Hall, a 4-year-old son of Constitution, returned from an eight-month layoff to win under allowance conditions in November at Del Mar before finishing fifth Dec. 26 behind Charlatan in the Malibu (G1). Independence Hall is trained by Michael McCarthy, who trained 2019 Pegasus World Cup winner City of Light.

Dale Romans, who saddled Mr Freeze to a second-place finish last year behind Mucho Gusto in the Pegasus World Cup, trains Coastal Defense. A 5-year-old son of Curlin, Coastal Defense was fourth in the Clark as well as the Oct. 10 Fayette (G2).

John Oxley and My Meadowview Farm LLC's Ride a Comet is undefeated in four starts since returning from a two-year layoff. The 6-year-old son of Candy Ride, trained by Mark Casse, also won the Kennedy Road (G2) in November at Woodbine.

The post Additional Invitees Listed For Pegasus World Cup, World Cup Turf appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

“He worked great this morning,” said Sisterson. “It was probably one of the better breezes he’s done with us. He went in company with another older horse, American Tattoo, and Mark sort of tapped his hip and he came home in :11 [seconds] and galloped out very strong. I was quite surprised the way he went. Usually, he’s rather workmanlike and…slow, but he was extremely fast this morning.”

The 7-year-old, who captured the Dec. 5 GI Cigar Mile at Aqueduct. had previously turned in two half-mile workouts in :53.45 [Dec. 18] and :51 [Dec. 24], respectively.

“He’s seven years old and he knows exactly what his job is. We just train him the way he wants to be trained and keep him happy,” said Sisterson, who took over the training of True Timber following the retirement of Kiaran McLaughlin toward the middle of 2020. “He seems to be turning the corner for us.”

In his two previous starts in the Pegasus, True Timber finished seventh in 2019 and eighth last year.

Grupo 7C Racing Stable’s Jesus’ Team (Tapiture) breezed six furlongs in 1:13.40 at Palm Meadows Saturday morning in preparation for a planned start in the Pegasus World Cup. Regular exercise rider Simon Rodriguez was aboard for the workout.

“The hard work was last week. He did it in the way I want [Saturday],” said trainer Jose D’Angelo of Jesus’s Team, who produced a five-furlong bullet workout Jan. 2. “I wanted an easy work. I think he’s ready. He’ll just have one more four-furlong work to main his condition.”

The 4-year-old, who broke his maiden for a $32,000 claiming price at Gulfstream last March, has been stakes-placed in his last five starts, including a third-place finish in the Oct. 3 GI Preakness S. and a second-place finish in the Nov. 7 GI Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Keeneland. The colt most recently captured the Dec. 2 Claiming Crown Jewel at Gulfstream.

“It’s very exciting. It is the most important race of our calendar in South Florida at Gulfstream Park,” D’Angelo said. “I think it’s a big test for both me and Jesus.”

Victoria’s Ranch’s King Guillermo (Uncle Mo) breezed five furlongs in 1:00.93 Saturday morning at Gulfstream Park for a possible start in the Pegasus World Cup. Winner of the 2020 GII Tampa Bay Derby, he finished fourth behind True Timber in the Cigar Mile while coming off a seven-month layoff.

Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile winner Knicks Go (Paynter) breezed five furlongs in 1:00.40 at Fair Grounds Saturday morning in preparation for the Pegasus.

The post True Timber Heads PWC Works appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Working in company with multiple-stakes winner American Tattoo, True Timber covered five furlongs in 1:00.20 under exercise rider Mark O'Dwyer at Palm Meadows, Gulfstream's satellite training facility in Palm Beach County.

“He worked great this morning. It was probably one of the better breezes he's done with us. He went in company with another older horse, American Tattoo, and Mark sort of tapped his hip and he came home in 11 [seconds] and galloped out very strong,” Sisterson said. “I was quite surprised the way he went. Usually, he's rather workmanlike and … slow, but he was extremely fast this morning.”

The 7-year-old son of Mineshaft, who captured the Cigar Mile (G1) at Aqueduct had previously turned in two half-mile workouts in 53.45 seconds and 51 seconds, respectively.

“He's 7 years old and he knows exactly what his job is. We just train him the way he wants to be trained and keep him happy,” said Sisterson, who took over the training of True Timber following the retirement of previous trainer Kiaran McLaughlin toward the middle of 2020. “He seems to be turning the corner for us.”

In his two previous starts in the Pegasus, True Timber finished seventh in 2019 and eighth last year.

Grupo 7C Racing Stable's Jesus' Team breezed six furlongs Saturday morning in preparation for a planned start in the Pegasus World Cup.

The multiple G1 stakes-placed son of Tapiture was timed in 1:13.40 at Palm Meadows. Regular exercise rider Simon Rodriguez was aboard for the workout.

“The hard work was last week. He did it in the way I want,” said trainer Jose D'Angelo, who 4-year-old colt produced a five-furlong bullet workout Jan. 2. “I wanted an easy work. I think he's ready. He'll just have one more four-furlong work to main his condition.”

Jesus' Team, who broke his maiden for a $32,000 claiming price at Gulfstream last March, has been stakes-placed in his last five starts, including a third-place finish in the Oct. 3 Preakness Stakes (G1) and a second-place finish in the Nov. 7 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) at Keeneland. The Kentucky-bred colt most recently captured the Dec. 2 Claiming Crown Jewel at Gulfstream.

“It's very exciting. It is the most important race of our calendar in South Florida at Gulfstream Park,” D'Angelo said. “I think it's a big test for both me and Jesus.”

Victoria's Ranch's King Guillermo breezed five furlongs in 1:00.93 Saturday morning at Gulfstream Park for a possible start in the Pegasus World Cup.

The son of Uncle Mo, the 2020 Tampa Bay Derby (G2) winner, finished fourth behind True Timber in the Cigar Mile while coming off a seven-month layoff.

Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile winner Knicks Go breezed five furlongs in 1:00.40 at Fair Grounds Saturday morning in preparation for the Pegasus.

The post True Timber, Jesus’ Team Turn Post Solid Workouts In Preparation For Pegasus appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

“He’s training well. It has been a while since he ran, but he’ll be fit enough,” trainer Shug McGaughey told the NYRA notes team. “He’s been over that track before. He seems to be doing as well now as he’s ever done.”

Grade I winner Firenze Fire (Poseidon’s Warrior) poses one of the biggest threats to likely favorite Performer here. Transferred from Jason Servis to Kelly Breen following the former’s federal indictment, the bay was fourth in the GI Carter H. June 6 and scored his first win for his new barn in Belmont’s GII True North S. June 27. Fourth in Saratoga’s GI Alfred G. Vanderbilt H. July 25, he was a disappointing 11th in a sloppy renewal of that venue’s GI Forego S. Aug. 29. Capturing the GII Vosburgh Invitational S. back at Belmont Sept. 26, Firenze Fire rallied from well back to by third in the GI Breeders’ Cup Sprint S. at Keeneland Nov. 7.

“He’s doing well but right now the main concern is the weather,” admitted Breen. “If the track is sloppy, I don’t think we’re going to run. There are a couple of other options for him. But if the rain misses us, we’re running. He’s ready to go.”

Talented sophomore King Guillermo (Uncle Mo) takes on his elders in this return to action. Graduating in dominant fashion on turf in his second start at Gulfstream West last November, the bay was third in the grassy Pulpit S. in Hallandale Nov. 30. Switched back to the main track, he blew up the tote with a decisive score at 49-1 in the GII Tampa Bay Derby Mar. 7 and ran second to Nadal (Blame) in their division of the GI Arkansas Derby May 2. King Guillermo was a late defection from the Sept. 5 GI Kentucky Derby after spiking a fever just days before the race and displays a series of speedy drills at Gulfstream in the interim.

“He’s good. He’s ready,” conditioner Juan Avila said. “He’s getting ready to face that challenge. The mile will be good for him because he’s had seven months without a race.”

Mind Control (Stay Thirsty) could make some noise at a price here. The MGISW has not been at his best since racing resumed in June, but he is four-for-five at Aqueduct, including wins in the GIII Toboggan S. and GIII Tom Fool H. earlier this year.

“He’s been right on cue and has been full of himself and he really loves training at Belmont,” said trainer Greg Sacco. “His energy level was high. We were happy with everything coming into this race.”

Earlier this season, the 4-year-old produced sub-par performance in sloppy renewals of the GI Carter H. at Belmont and Saratoga’s GI Forego S., and according to Sacco, if Saturday’s stormy forecast comes to fruition, the bay would likely bypass Aqueduct’s feature race.

“It’s unfortunate because he’s training as good as ever and came out of the last race well,” Sacco said. “We were just hoping for a fast track and a little wetness on the track isn’t the end of the world, but if the forecast holds true, it doesn’t look like we’ll be running [Saturday].”

The post Performer Seeks Grade I Glory in Cigar Mile appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

• Among the nine, five are millionaires, led by Firenze Fire ($2.2 million), who won the Grade 1 Vosburgh Invitational Stakes in September. However, Firenze Fire has only won once on a wet track in five races and finished 11th and fourth in his last two stakes on the type of surface he's likely to be running over in the Cigar Mile.
• Another millionaire is Snapper Sinclair ($1.3 million), who moves back to the main track after a pair of in-the-money finishes on turf including a second place in the Tourist Mile this past summer.
• Mr. Buff is a horse who likes to lead early, resulting in 15 wins in 40 starts and $1.2 million in the bank. He has a liking for off tracks with three wins but nearly all of his 15 career wins have been racked up against New York breds only and he finished fifth in his two tries in graded stakes this year.
• Mind Control ($1 million) put together three straight graded stakes wins from August 2019 through March of this year including the Grade 3 Tom Fool Stakes at Aqueduct but hasn't threatened to win in five races since then, two of those over sloppy tracks.
• Similarly, True Timber ($1 million) has now gone winless in 13 races since September of 2018 although he did finish third in the Grade 1 Forego Stakes in August over a sloppy track.
• Majestic Dunhill won the Grade 3 Bold Ruler Handicap in October and returns on five days rest following a seventh place effort in the Grade 3 Fall Highweight Handicap last Sunday.
• Three-year-old King Guillermo won the Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby in March before a second place finish in the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby in May and makes his return to the races in the Cigar Mile.
• Bon Raison has won 11 of 44 races but has never won a stakes race.
• Last but certainly not least is Performer, who has won five races in a row going back to June, 2019, including the Grade 3 Discovery Stakes in November of 2019, before a win in October following 11 months off.

Performer lost the first start of his career in November, 2018 and has not lost a race since. Moving straight through his first two allowance conditions in the summer of 2019, Performer improved to earn 105 and 106 Equibase Speed Figures before a new career-best figure in November of last year when victorious in the Discovery Stakes at Aqueduct. Rested for 11 months, Performer returned as if he had never been away to win a classified allowance race in mid-October with a 109 figure effort. Joel Rosario has been aboard for every race since the debut, all wins, and rides again. With the ground saving rail and the ability to take up a stalking spot from the start behind likely early leader Mr. Buff, and with logical improvement off his comeback effort in October, Performer should be very tough to beat in this year's Cigar Mile Handicap.

King Guillermo proved his 49-1 upset win in the Tampa Bay Derby was no fluke when clearly second in the Arkansas Derby on what would have otherwise been Kentucky Derby day in May. Although regressing a bit to a 101 figure in the Arkansas Derby from the 110 earned in the Tampa Bay Derby, King Guillermo proved he belongs in top company. Rested since May, King Guillermo put in a very strong pair of half-mile drills at his home base in south Florida, the first of the two the best of 59 on the day and the second the best of 38, suggesting he may be able to do what Performer did in his recent comeback off a long layoff, and that is run as if he had never been away at all.

Snapper Sinclair has more second place finishes (six) than wins (five) in his career but he is competitive quite often and may be the one finishing fastest of all in the Cigar Mile. Snapper Sinclair ran well when second in the Essex Mile Handicap in March on a sloppy track with a 107 figure, similarly missing by a head on a muddy track in the Fifth Season Stakes in January with the same figure. This fall, Snapper Sinclair has run even better, earning a 114 figure when second (beaten three-quarters of a length) in the Tourist Mile Stakes. That race was on turf, but having run so well on dirt earlier this year, I think Snapper Sinclair could get a big piece in this race in his current form.

The rest of the field, with their best Equibase Speed Figures, is Bon Raison (116), Firenze Fire (111), Mr. Buff (119), Majestic Dunhill (112), Mind Control (113) and True Timber (113).

Win Contenders, in preference order:
Performer
King Guillermo
Snapper Sinclair

Cigar Mile Handicap – Grade 1
Race 10 at Aqueduct
Saturday, Dec. 5 – Post Time 4:13 PM E.T.
One Mile
Three Years Olds and Upward
Purse: $250,000

The post Equibase Analysis: Performer Appears Ready For Spotlight In Cigar Mile appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

King Guillermo (Uncle Mo) will be in a tough spot when he starts in the GI Cigar Mile H.at Aqueduct. The 3-year-old colt hasn’t raced since May 2 and has never faced older horses. That’s fine by his owner, retired MLB All-Star Victor Martinez.

“I’m not a big believer in favorites,” he said.

That was the theme throughout his baseball career and helped him surpass the modest expectations when he was a skinny kid out of Venezuela who got a mere $8,000 signing bonus from the Cleveland Indians as a 17-year-old prospect. He still feels that way, his beliefs strengthened by the emergence of the horse who seems to do his best when it is least expected.

During his playing days, Martinez was a casual racing fan who was first introduced to the sport as a boy in his hometown of Ciudad Bolívar, Venezuela. He retired in 2018 and just a few months later decided it might be fun for his family if he were to own a few racehorses. His agent from his playing days put him in touch with trainer Juan Carlos Avila, who had recently arrived in the U.S. after a distinguished career in Venezuela. Martinez didn’t want to just own horses. He wanted to own special horses.

“I sat down with Juan Carlos and I told him, ‘Listen you’re not going to get a horse just to go to the Kentucky Derby, you’re going to pick the horse that will win the Kentucky Derby,'” Martinez said. “He looked at me, like this guy is crazy. I’ve been dreaming my whole life, my whole career. I came to the United States with zero dollars in my pocket. Why not keep dreaming?”

Avila didn’t have the heart to tell Martinez that was being unrealistic. The two were soon headed to the 2019 OBS April 2-Year-Old sale in search of that special horse Martinez seemed to think was easy to come by. Martinez knew little about racing, breeding and the sales, but understood that Uncle Mo was one of the sport’s best sires. He wanted one.

“I just wanted a son of Uncle Mo,” he said.

The one he picked out was out of the Dixieland Band mare, Slow Sand. From six foals of racing age, she had produced five winners but no stars. Then there was the colt’s size. He was on the small side, something that would turn off a lot of buyers but not Martinez. He felt a connection with the horse.

“The way we got him, it made me reflect on my career,” he said. “He was a little guy and if he had weighed 100 more pounds we wouldn’t have been able to buy him. He would have cost way more. I was the same way. When I first signed in professional baseball I was 120, maybe 130, pounds. At the time, I was a shortstop and I only got an $8,000 signing bonus. I put a lot of work in to get where I did. He was a little guy that a lot of people didn’t pay any attention to.”

He broke in with the Cleveland Indians as a shortstop, but was told by that organization that the only way he could make it was if he switched positions and became a catcher. He was so discouraged by that decision that he called his mother and told her he was quitting. She refused to let him give up, maybe the best advice he ever received.

That scrawny kid from Venezuela bulked up to 235 pounds and became a five-time All Star. Martinez had 246 home runs and 1,178 RBI in his career, hitting .295. In 2015, he signed a four-year $68 million contract with the Detroit Tigers.

So there was something about this horse that reminded him of himself. For $150,000, a reasonable sum for an Uncle Mo, Martinez purchased the horse.

Click here to continue reading on the TDN Look.

The post From the TDN Look: Keeping the Faith, Victor Martinez Believes in King Guillermo appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Victoria's Ranch is the nom de course of retired baseball player Victor Martinez, a five-time All-Star who finished second in the MVP voting in 2014 when he hit 32 home runs. Martinez played for 18 seasons for a trio of teams – the Cleveland Indians, Boston Red Sox and Detroit Tigers – as a catcher, first baseman and designated hitter.

“We're going to train towards the Cigar Mile. We'd like to find him a Grade 1 win,” said Avila. “I think the one-turn mile suits him for his first race back.”

The Uncle Mo colt was scratched two days before a scheduled start in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby [won on September 5 by Authentic] after spiking a temperature. King Guillermo returned to the work tab on October 17 at Gulfstream Park breezing a half-mile in 51.78 seconds and fired a bullet half-mile in 46.48 on the Gulfstream main in his third recorded work on November 1.

“It was a very good breeze,” said Avila of the bullet work. “He's doing perfect.”

King Guillermo, named after Martinez's father, did not breeze this morning after Tropical Storm Eta brought heavy rain and gusty winds to South Florida.

A $150,000 purchase at the OBS April 2019 Spring Sale of Two-Year-Olds In Training, King Guillermo graduated last November at second asking on the Gulfstream Park West turf. After finishing third to the victorious Sole Volante in the Pulpit at one-mile on the Gulfstream turf on November 30, 2019, King Guillermo turned the tables on his rival with a 4 3/4-length score at odds of 49-1 in March in the Tampa Bay Derby at 1 1/16-miles on the main track.

King Guillermo exited his prominent Tampa Bay Derby coup to finish a game second to the undefeated multiple graded stakes winner Nadal in the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby at nine furlongs at Oaklawn Park.

Avila said King Gullermo will ship to New York on November 29.

The Cigar Mile Day card also includes a pair of Grade 2, $150,000 nine-furlong events for juveniles in the Remsen and its filly counterpart, the Demoiselle, as well as the Grade 3, $100,000 Go for Wand Handicap for fillies and mares at one mile.

The post King Guillermo Comeback Scheduled For Cigar Mile appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Authentic, who last held the top spot in the poll on March 23, captured the September 5 Kentucky Derby in frontrunning style, besting heavily favored Tiz the Law by 1 ¼-lengths. The victory not only provided Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert his record-tying sixth triumph in the 10-furlong classic, it earned Authentic 21 first-place votes and 354 total points as he improved his overall mark to five wins from six career starts.

Owned by Spendthrift Farm, My Racehorse, Madaket Stables, and Starlight Racing, Authentic previously annexed the Grade 1 Haskell Stakes on July 18 for his first top-level triumph. He and stablemate Thousand Words, who was a late scratch in the Kentucky Derby after rearing and falling the paddock, are both expected to contest the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course on October 3.

“If they're working well and all going well, they'll go to the Preakness,” Baffert said from Churchill Downs on Sunday. “We're planning on both if they're doing well.”

Blue Grass Stakes winner Art Collector, who had to miss the Kentucky Derby due to a minor foot injury, ranks third with 259 points, just ahead of Honor A. P. (258 points), who finished fourth in the “Run for the Roses.”

Kentucky Oaks runner-up Swiss Skydiver (134 points) ranks fifth followed by Thousand Words (131), and Oaks heroine Shedaresthedevil, who joins the top 10 in the seventh spot with 90 points.

Max Player, fifth in the Kentucky Derby, sits eighth with 85 points as King Guillermo (79 points), and beaten Oaks favorite Gamine (72) complete the top 10.

With Authentic taking over the top spot in the sophomore ranks, Baffert now trains the No. 1 ranked horses on both weekly polls as champion Maximum Security continues to hold down first place in the NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll.

The 4-year-old son of New Year's Day earned 26 first-place votes and 340 points to maintain the lead position in the wake of his most recent triumph in the August 22 Grade 1 Pacific Classic Stakes.

Multiple Grade 1 winner Vekoma remains in second with 8 first-place votes and 260 points followed by Tom's d'Etat (3 first-place votes, 232 points) and fellow Grade 1 winner Improbable (198 points).

Champion Monomoy Girl moves up to fifth with 197 points after capturing the Grade 1 La Troienne Stakes on September 4, her third victory in as many starts this season. By My Standards, who won the Grade 2 Alysheba Stakes on the Oaks undercard, advances four positions to sixth with 150 points followed by champion Midnight Bisou (146 points) and Tiz the Law (128). Authentic joins the Top Thoroughbred Poll for the first time in ninth with 111 points as multiple Grade 1 winner Rushing Fall (78 points) rounds out the top 10.

The NTRA Top Thoroughbred polls are the sport's most comprehensive surveys of experts. Every week eligible journalists and broadcasters cast votes for their top 10 horses, with points awarded on a 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis. All horses that have raced in the U.S., are in training in the U.S., or are known to be pointing to a major event in the U.S. are eligible for the NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll. Voting in both the Top Three-Year-Old Poll and the Top Thoroughbred Poll is scheduled to be conducted through the conclusion of the Breeders' Cup in November.

The post Authentic Ascends To The Lead In NTRA Top 3-Year-Old Poll appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

The GII Tampa Bay Derby hero and runner-up in the faster division of the GI Arkansas Derby, King Guillermo was trying to defy a four-month absence in the ‘Run for the Roses’ Saturday, but he was found to have a fever Wednesday evening. The colt did not go to the track Thursday morning and walked the shedrow instead. Avila told pool reported Greg Hall that he would be conferring with doctors and that further information could be forthcoming Thursday afternoon.

“To race in a race like the Derby we need him at 100%,” Avila said. “We aren’t going to be able to demonstrate how good he is like this. I think we are going to have plenty of time to show his quality. He’s going to be a great horse and everybody knows we have to take care of the horse first. The next step is to try to get him ready for the Preakness and go from there.”
Martinez added, “The sad part is that Juan said yesterday was his best day here. When we left the track in the morning following training and came back in the afternoon for feed time, we discovered he had a fever. It’s just the sad part about this game.”

A field of 17 remains for Saturday’s Kentucky Derby. The two inside stalls and the widest stall will be left open.

The post King Guillermo to Miss Kentucky Derby appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post