Tag: Preakness S.

Baffert Runners Arrive at Pimlico

The suspension of Tex Sutton charters meant that GI Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit (Protonico) and his once-beaten stablemate, 'TDN Rising Star' Concert Tour (Street Sense) (video), had to endure a lengthy van ride over from Churchill Downs, but GI Preakness S.-bound duo arrived safely at Pimlico Race Course shortly after 2 p.m. Monday afternoon. The horses were overseen by assistant trainer Jimmy Barnes, who said they departed Louisville about 4:45 a.m. Monday morning.

“It seemed simple,” he said. “Actually, we're here even earlier than we fly sometimes. If you are on the second flight they have to come here and go back. Other than having to drive 600 miles, it went very smooth.”

Also making the trip from Kentucky were Beautiful Gift (Medaglia d'Oro), drawn widest for Friday's GII Black-Eyed Susan S.; 'Rising Star' Following Sea (Runhappy), slated to run in Saturday's GIII Chick Lang S.; and Hozier (Pioneerof the Nile), runner-up to Concert Tour in the GII Rebel S. who is headed to Saturday's Sir Barton S.

 

WATCH: Derby winner Medina Spirit arrives at Old Hilltop for Saturday's GI Preakness S.

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Midnight Bourbon Breezes For Preakness

Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC's Midnight Bourbon (Tiznow) tuned up for Saturday's GI Preakness S. Monday morning at Churchill Downs, working an easy half-mile in :50.20.

A $525,000 Keeneland September yearling, Midnight Bourbon won the GIII Lecomte S. in January and earned additional points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby with a third in the GII Risen Star S. and a runner-up effort in the GII Louisiana Derby. Unable to go forward after taking a bump at the start of the GI Kentucky Derby May 1, the strapping bay colt raced farther back in the field than connections wanted, but made some late ground to finish sixth, beaten just over eight lengths.

“He's doing great, wonderful physically,” said trainer Steve Asmussen, who saddled Curlin (Smart Strike) to win at Old Hilltop in 2007 and Rachel Alexandra (Medaglia d'Oro) two years later. “This morning, I watched Midnight Bourbon work. He's just such a beautiful specimen and he goes over the racetrack so pretty. Driving back to the barn from the grandstand, I was thinking how crazy we are as horsemen. It's only less than two weeks from the disappointment of the Derby, and here I am, thinking I'm going to win a Classic again and I get all giddy. Here we are less than two weeks later and we're all jazzed up, ready to go to Baltimore and we love our chances. Very fortunate to have these chances and horses of this caliber. I'm very optimistic going to Baltimore.”

Midnight Bourbon was a handful when schooling in the Churchill paddock in the days leading up to the Derby, to the point where Asmussen inserted himself into the situation. He plans to be on the shank again this weekend.

“Yeah, I'm going to lead Bourbon over,” he said. “He's just a lot of horse, and I'm probably the biggest guy in the barn.”

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KY Shippers To Maryland Won’t Face Return Restrictions

Kentucky-based horses that ship to Maryland for this week's GI Preakness S. and supporting races will no longer face health-related return restrictions when they try to re-enter the state, the Kentucky Department of Agriculture announced Monday.

According to a press release issued by the agency, “Effective Monday, May 10, [the] Office of State Veterinarian rescinds restrictions on horses originating from both Pimlico and Laurel. All horses from these facilities that meet the standard health requirements for Kentucky tracks and training centers (including EHV1 vaccination, 72-hour Certificate of Veterinary Inspection, and valid negative EIA test) will be allowed unrestricted entry.”

In the wake of the equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) outbreak in Maryland that began in early March, Kentucky had restricted the movement of horses stabled at either Laurel or Pimlico, requiring prior approval from the state veterinarian as a condition of re-entry.

The post KY Shippers To Maryland Won’t Face Return Restrictions appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Rosario To Ride Japan’s France Go de Ina In Preakness

Joel Rosario, who guided Japan's France Go de Ina (Will Take Charge) to a troubled sixth-place effort in the G2 UAE Derby when last seen Mar. 27, will retain the ride aboard the colt for the GI Preakness S. at Pimlico May 15, his agent Ron Anderson confirmed Wednesday. France Go de Ina landed at Los Angeles International Airport early Wednesday morning, the first leg of his journey to Old Hilltop for the second leg of the Triple Crown.

According to Kate Hunter, a Triple Crown recruiter who frequently accompanies Japanese horses on their international travels, the chestnut colt was quickly unloaded from his container and whisked off to the on-site USDA quarantine station, but appeared to take the trip from Japan well. Often times, foreign shippers do their quarantine in Chicago, but coronavirus-related restrictions would have added an extra stop, making that route unmanageable.

A $100,000 Keeneland September yearling, France Go de Ina was a debut fourth to Godolphin Japan's Lemon Pop (Lemon Drop Kid) on his six-furlong debut at Tokyo last November, but broke his maiden by four lengths going a mile and an eighth at Hanshin Nov. 28 and added an allowance tally over that course and trip Dec. 19. France Go de Ina had the services of Joel Rosario for the UAE Derby, but he was slowly into stride and raced far back early on. He made steady inside progress and ran on late to finish sixth, a bit more than 10 lengths behind Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) (video). Should all go according to plan, those two rivals could meet again in the GI Belmont S. June 5.

France Go de Ina will be the second Japanese-based horse to face the starter in the Preakness since 2016, when Lani (Tapit) was beaten five lengths into fifth behind Exaggerator (Curlin), having finished ninth in the GI Kentucky Derby. He was subsequently third, 1 1/2 lengths behind Creator (Tapit), in that year's GI Belmont S. Master Fencer (Jpn) (Just a Way {Jpn}) was seventh (placed sixth) in the 2019 Derby, but skipped the Preakness and was fifth, beaten under three lengths, in the GI Belmont S.

France Go de Ina is set to depart Los Angeles for Newark this Saturday, May 8, following which he will make the four-hour trip by van down Interstate 95 to Pimlico.

 

WATCH: France Go de Ina wins his maiden first time long in November

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