Eighteen years after winning the 2005 Kentucky Derby with Giacomo, veteran trainer John Shirreffs is back with a 3-year-old with similarities to the 50-1 Derby upsetter.
Tag: Racing
Trainer Norm Casse Ready for First Kentucky Oaks Appearance with Southlawn
After years of tending to numerous horses pointing to the Longines Kentucky Oaks and the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve for his father, Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse, Norm Casse will saddle
Kentucky Derby Winner Rich Strike Makes 2023 Debut In Friday’s Alysheba
RED TR-Racing's Rich Strike, the 80-1 upset winner of the 2022 Kentucky Derby (G1), headlines a deep field of seven for the 20th running of the $600,000 Alysheba (G2) for 4-year-olds and up going 1 1/16 miles on the main track.
The Alysheba will be the first of seven stakes races Friday at Churchill Downs, and will go as the fifth race with a 12:43 p.m. post time.
Trained by Eric Reed, Rich Strike will be making his first start of 2023 after closing his 2022 campaign with an off-the-board finish in the Clark (G1). Sonny Leon retains the mount and will break from post three.
While Rich Strike may be the sentimental favorite, the betting public figures to key in on a trio of established older runners – Bruce Lunsford's Art Collector, Gary and Mary West's West Will Power, and Willis Horton's Last Samurai.
Trained by Bill Mott, Art Collector was a 4 ½-length winner of the Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) prior to running second in the New Orleans Classic (G2). The earner of more than $4 million, Art Collector will be ridden by Junior Alvarado and break from post one.
Second in the Clark last fall and recent winner of the New Orleans Classic, West Will Power has earned more than $1 million in compiling a 15-6-7-0 record. Trained by Brad Cox and will be ridden by Flavien Prat and break from post four.
Last Samurai, an earner of more than $2 million and a three-time graded stakes winner, comes into the Alysheba off a narrow defeat in the Oaklawn Handicap (G2) on April 22. Trained by D. Wayne Lukas, Last Samurai will break from post two and be ridden by Luis Saez.
The field for the Alysheba, with riders and weights from the rail out, is:
- Art Collector (Alvarado, 123 pounds),
- Last Samurai (Saez, 118),
- Rich Strike (Leon, 118),
- West Will Power (Prat, 120),
- Smile Happy (Brian Hernandez Jr., 118),
- Milliken (Julien Leparoux, 118),
- Giant Game (Tyler Gaffalione, 118).
The post Kentucky Derby Winner Rich Strike Makes 2023 Debut In Friday’s Alysheba appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
Kentucky Oaks Winner Secret Oath Faces Tough Challenge In Friday’s La Troienne
Briland Farm's Secret Oath, winner of last year's Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1), returns to the scene of her biggest triumph as she headlines a field of 10 for the 38th running of the $750,000 La Troienne (G1) for fillies and mares going 1 1/16 miles on the main track at Churchill Downs.
The La Troienne will go as Friday's ninth race on the 13-race program with a 4:04 p.m. (all times Eastern) post time. First post Friday is 10:30 a.m.
Trained by D. Wayne Lukas, Secret Oath has earned more than $2.1 million in her career with more than $400,000 of it coming this year with a victory in the Azeri (G2) and a runner-up finish on April 15 to Clairiere in the Apple Blossom (G1) at Oaklawn Park. Tyler Gaffalione, who was aboard for the two starts in 2023, has the call Friday and will break from post position four.
Four other Grade 1 winners are in the field headed by defending La Troienne winner Pauline's Pearl, who is owned by Stonestreet Stables. The others are Hunter Valley Farm's A Mo Reay, Peter Blum Thoroughbreds' Society, and Klaravich Stables' Search Results.
Trained by Steve Asmussen, Pauline's Pearl returns to the races following an off-the-board finish in the Beholder Mile (G1) at Santa Anita on March 11. Joel Rosario has the mount and will break from post position nine.
Trained by Brad Cox, A Mo Reay comes into the La Troienne off a victory in the Beholder Mile (G1) at Santa Anita in March. Florent Geroux has the mount and will break from post position 10.
Society, who won the Cotillion (G1) in September for Asmussen, returned to the races April 8 with a third-place finish in the Madison (G1) going seven furlongs at Keeneland. Jose Ortiz has the mount and will break from post position seven.
Search Results, winner of the 2021 Acorn (G1) and runner-up in that year's Kentucky Oaks, returns to the races off a six-month layoff for trainer Chad Brown. Search Results will break from post two under Flavien Prat.
The field for the La Troienne, with riders from the rail out, is:
- Played Hard (John Velazquez),
- Search Results (Prat),
- Sixtythreecaliber (Edgar Morales),
- Secret Oath (Gaffalione),
- Soul of an Angel (Jesus Castanon),
- Classy Edition (Irad Ortiz Jr.),
- Society (Jose Ortiz),
- Desert Dawn (Umberto Rispoli),
- Pauline's Pearl (Rosario),
- A Mo Reay (Geroux).
All starters will carry 123 pounds.
The post Kentucky Oaks Winner Secret Oath Faces Tough Challenge In Friday’s La Troienne appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
