road to the kentucky derby | Horse Racing Free Tips

‘Improving’ Known Agenda Records Final Florida Work Before Shipping To Churchill Downs

Known Agenda recorded his first workout since the Florida Derby this Friday, breezing a half-mile in :50.37 in company with Pegasus Turf Winner Colonel Liam at Palm Beach Downs. According to the Daily Racing Form, trainer Todd Pletcher was pleased with what he saw from the 3-year-old son of Curlin.

The St. Elias Stable homebred has been a different horse since the addition of blinkers in a Feb. 26 allowance race at Gulfstream Park, which he won by 11 lengths. In his next start, the Florida Derby, Known Agenda post a 2 3/4-length upset at odds of 5-1.

“I think he's a horse who is improving, and the blinkers have kept him a little more focused and a little more engaged in the race,” Pletcher told DRF. “I think without the blinkers in the Florida Derby he might have been a little intimidated with the position he was in and he might not have made the progress he made from the five-eighths pole to the half-mile pole without them. But experience has also helped him. Time has helped him. The mile and an eighth certainly doesn't bother him. And I believe the added distance in the Derby is something we feel good about for all our horses.”

Pletcher's quartet of Kentucky Derby contenders and Longines Kentucky Oaks runner are scheduled to arrive at Churchill Downs over the course of Sunday afternoon.

Pletcher is scheduled to have his Keeneland-based horses van from Lexington to Churchill Downs Sunday morning at 10:30 a.m. and arrive just past noon. His South Florida-based runners are scheduled to arrive later in the afternoon along with his New York-based horses, according to Senior Director of the Stable Area Steve Hargrave.

Among the horses Pletcher is scheduled to send to Churchill Downs are Derby contenders Bourbonic, Dynamic One, Known Agenda and Sainthood and Oaks runner Malathaat.

Weekend Lineup: Final Preps Offer Last Chances To Earn Derby Points

Final chances for horses to earn qualifying points into the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve will be on the line on Saturday (April 10) headlined by Oaklawn Park's Grade 1 Arkansas Derby and Keeneland's Grade 3 Stonestreet Lexington Stakes.

Grade 2 Rebel Stakes winner Concert Tour, the No. 2-ranked horse on the latest top NTRA 3-Year-Old Thoroughbred Poll, is the morning-line favorite for the 1 1/8-mile Arkansas Derby. The race awards Kentucky Derby points to the top four finishers on a 100-40-20-10 basis. At Keeneland, Proxy is favored in the 1 1/16-mile Stonestreet Lexington Stakes. The Lexington awards Kentucky Derby points to the top four finishers on a 20-8-4-2 basis. The Kentucky Derby field is limited to 20 starters.

The Arkansas Derby will be televised by NBC Sports as part of their “Road to the Kentucky Derby” series during a one-hour program airing on NBCSN and beginning at 7 p.m. ET. The telecast will also include highlights of the much anticipated rematch of the nation's top sprinters – CZ Rocket and Whitmore – in Oaklawn's Grade 3 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap.

TVG will be broadcasting every race, every day with expanded coverage of Keeneland's Spring Meet, which runs through April 23. In addition to racing from Keeneland, Santa Anita and Gulfstream Park, TVG will feature racing from Oaklawn Park, Aqueduct and more. Fans can tune in on TVG, TVG2 and the Watch TVG app, which is available on Amazon Fire, Roku and connected Apple TV devices.

“America's Day at the Races” will also be live on Saturday from 1-3 p.m. ET on FS1 and from 3-8 p.m. ET on FS2; and on Sunday from 1-4 p.m. ET on FS2 and from 4-6:30 p.m. ET on FS1.

Friday, April 9

5:30 p.m. ― $300,000 Grade 1 Maker's Mark Mile Stakes at Keeneland on TVG

Peter Brant's 6-year-old Raging Bull (FR), who finished third by a neck in last year's Maker's Mark Mile, makes his 2021 debut in this year's renewal on the Keenland turf, leading the nine-horse field as the 7-2 morning-line favorite. Trained by Chad Brown, Raging Bull, ridden by Irad Ortiz, Jr., is a two-time Grade 1 winner. Another Brown starter, the 6-year-old Sacred Life (FR), fourth in last September's Grade 1 Old Forrester Bourbon Turf Classic at Churchill Downs, also will be making his 2021 debut. A formidable invader from California is the Dan Blacker-trained 4-year-old Hit the Road, who's on a four-race win streak capped by a strong-closing neck victory in the Grade 1 Frank E. Kilroe Mile on March 6 at Santa Anita. Maker's Mark is celebrating its 25th year as title sponsor of the race.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/KEE040921USA-EQB.html#RACE9

Saturday, April 10

4:24 p.m. ― $150,000 Grade 3 Ben Ali Stakes at Keeneland on TVG

Steve Landers Racing's 5-year-old Night Ops is slated to face four rivals in the 90th running of the Grade 3, 1 1/8-mile Ben Ali Stakes at Keeneland. Trained by Brad Cox and ridden by Javier Castellano, Night Ops will seek to improve off his third-place finish in a tough Essex Handicap on March 13 at Oaklawn. Tom Durant's 7-year-old gelding Silver Dust was third in last September's Grade 3 Alysheba Stakes at Churchill Downs for trainer Bret Calhoun.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/KEE041021USA-EQB.html#RACE7

5:30 p.m.― $200,000 Grade 3 Stonestreet Lexington Stakes at Keeneland on TVG

Twenty Kentucky Derby qualifying points go to the winner of the Grade 3, $200,000 Stonestreet Lexington Stakes, and a win by Godolphin's Proxy or Reddam Racing's Hockey Dad would put that horse into the starting gate at Churchill Downs. Godolphin's Proxy, trained by Mike Stidham, is the 6-5 morning-line favorite in the 10-horse field. The bay son of Tapit comes to Keeneland off a fourth-place finish in the Grade 2 Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby. California-bred Hockey Dad is a son of 2016 Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist, and races for his sire's same connections of Paul Reddam, trainer Doug O'Neill and jockey Mario Gutierrez. Hockey Dad won three races at Santa Anita before finishing third in the Grade 3 Jeff Ruby Steaks at Turfway Park on March 27. Another intriguing starter is the Bob Baffert-trained Bezos. Highly touted and heavily wagered in the Derby futures, Bezos faltered at 3-5 in his debut at Santa Anita on Feb. 7, finishing seventh of nine. However, the son of Empire Maker rebounded in a one-mile maiden special weight at Santa Anita on March 26 with a sparkling 4 ½-length win.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/KEE041021USA9-EQB.html

5:49 p.m.― $400,000 Oaklawn Mile at Oaklawn Park on TVG

Nine are slated to go in the Oaklawn Mile led by Allied Racing Stable's and Spendthrift Farm's By My Standards, a winner of three Grade 2 stakes races in 2020, and with career earnings of more than $1.8 million. Trained by Bret Calhoun and ridden by Gabriel Saez, the 5-year-old By My Standards won last year's Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap. Florida-bred Rushie, winner of last September's Grade 2 Pat Day Mile at Churchill Downs for trainer Michael McCarthy, and the Brad Cox-trained 4-year-old Wells Bayou, figure to be in the wagering picture. Wells Bayou, who won last year's Grade 2 Louisiana Derby, finished third in the Grade 3 Louisiana Stakes at the Fair Grounds in his first start of 2021.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/OP041021USA-EQB.html#RACE9

6:03 p.m. ― $300,000 Grade 1 Coolmore Jenny Wiley Stakes at Keeneland on TVG

Trainer Chad Brown is shooting for his fourth consecutive Grade 1 Coolmore Jenny Wiley for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles on the turf. The four-time Eclipse Award winner sends out Peter Brant, Mrs. M.V. Magnier and Mrs. Paul Shanahan's Etoile (FR), and Swift Thoroughbreds, Madaket Stables and Wonder Stables' Tamahere (FR). Etoile will be making her first start since winning the Grade 1 E.P. Taylor at Woodbine in October. Tamahere, winner of the Grade 2 Sands Point at Belmont Park in her U.S. debut in October, will be making her first start since finishing sixth in the Grade 1 Matriarch at Del Mar. Etoile and Tamahere will take on the challenge of race favorite Micheline, owned by Godolphin and trained by Mike Stidham, who opened the season with a win in the Grade 2 Hillsborough at Tampa Bay Downs, and finished second in last October's Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/KEE041021USA-EQB.html#RACE10

7:05 p.m. ―$500,000 Grade 3 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap at Oaklawn Park on TVG

Saturday's six-furlong Count Fleet Sprint pits the nation's top sprinters – Whitmore and C Z Rocket – in their third consecutive confrontation. Robert LaPenta, Southern Springs Stables and Head of Plains Partners' 8-year-old gelding Whitmore defeated C Z Rocket, owned by Madaket Stables, Gary Barber and Tom Kagele, and trained by Peter Miller, in the Breeders' Cup Sprint at Keeneland last November. Whitmore, who is co-owned and trained by Ron Moquett, was subsequently voted the Eclipse Award male sprinter trophy. The 7-year-old gelding C Z Rocket turned the tables on Whitmore in the six-furlong Hot Springs Stakes at Oaklawn on March 13, coming from last to overtake his rival by a neck. Seven will go to the post in the Count Fleet. The 9-5 Whitmore will be ridden by Ricardo Santana Jr., and Florent Geroux will ride the 2-1 C Z Rocket.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/OP041021USA-EQB.html#RACE11

7:41 p.m. ―$1 million Grade 1 Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park on NBCSN and TVG

Gary and Mary West's undefeated Concert Tour is the even-money favorite in the six-horse, Grade 1, 1 1/8-mile Arkansas Derby, the final Kentucky Derby qualifying points race. Trained by Bob Baffert and ridden by Joel Rosario, Concert Tour went wire to wire in Oaklawn's 1 1/16-mile Grade 2 Rebel Stakes on March 13 with an impressive 4¼-length victory. Baffert, who won a division of last year's race with Nadal, and also saddled American Phoroah in 2015 and Bodemeister in 2012 to Arkansas Derby triumphs, also trains the 3-1 second choice, Hozier, who was the Rebel Stakes runner-up. Smarty Jones Stakes winner Caddo River, owned by John Ed Anthony's Shortleaf Stable and trained by Brad Cox, finished fifth as the 6-5 favorite in the Rebel after battling Concert Tour for the lead at the top of the stretch. Gary Barber's Get Her Number, winner of the Grade 1 American Pharoah Stakes at Santa Anita last fall, will try to improve upon his seventh-place finish in the Rebel, which was his seasonal debut for trainer Peter Miller.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/OP041021USA-EQB.html#RACE12

The post Weekend Lineup: Final Preps Offer Last Chances To Earn Derby Points appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

O’Neill: Everything Set For Hot Rod Charlie, Except Derby Jockey

Doug O'Neill has a Kentucky Derby itinerary all mapped out for Hot Rod Charlie, save for one detail: no jockey.

That will work itself after Joel Rosario, who rode Hot Rod Charlie to an impressive two-length victory in the Louisiana Derby on March 20, pilots San Vicente and Rebel winner Concert Tour for Bob Baffert in Saturday's Arkansas Derby.

“If all goes well, our horse will breeze at Santa Anita every Saturday until the final one (on May 1),” said O'Neill, who steadfastly maintains an upbeat countenance. “He's booked to fly to Kentucky the Sunday before (April 25).

“We have no jockey right now but Rosario is supposed to let us know after the Arkansas Derby.”

O'Neill will be seeking to capture the Run for the Roses for the third time, having won it in 2012 with I'll Have Another and 2016 with Nyquist, both of whom were based at Santa Anita. Baffert has won the world's most famous race six times and the Triple Crown twice, in 2015 with American Pharoah and in 2018 with Justify.

Both call Santa Anita home.

“I think it's the weather,” O'Neill said when asked why horses based at The Great Race Place have had so much success at Churchill Downs. “Being able to train daily is huge, and you have to have a great team, too.

“But the weather here gives us a huge edge.”

Team O'Neill got a welcome taste of live action at Santa Anita last weekend when a limited number of fans were permitted to attend the races for the first time in more than a year, with the pandemic hopefully on the wane.

“It was great,” he said, “just the energy in the air. There's nothing better than racing and winning when there's good energy coming from the fans.

“It's great to have people back, so let's keep it going.”

The post O’Neill: Everything Set For Hot Rod Charlie, Except Derby Jockey appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Concert Tour Arrives At Oaklawn For Saturday’s Arkansas Derby

There's a concert tour stopping late Saturday afternoon at Oaklawn and if it's anything like March 13, it will be another virtuoso performance.

That's because unbeaten Concert Tour, a homebred for Gary and Mary West, will be heavily favored to enhance his credentials as a leading Kentucky Derby candidate in the $1 million Arkansas Derby (G1) at 1 1/8 miles.

Probable post time for the Arkansas Derby, which will be televised live by NBC Sports Network, is 6:41 p.m. (Central). It goes as the 12th of 13 races. First post Saturday is 12:02 p.m., with the infield open, weather permitting.

The Arkansas Derby is one of four stakes Saturday 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.

The projected six-horse Arkansas Derby field from the rail out following Tuesday's post-position draw: Super Stock, Ricardo Santana Jr. to ride, 122 pounds, 6-1 on the morning line; Caddo River, Florent Geroux, 122, 7-2; Hozier, Martin Garcia, 118, 3-1; Get Her Number, Francisco Arrieta, 122, 6-1; Concert Tour, Joel Rosario, 122, even money; and Last Samurai, Jon Court, 118, 15-1.

Concert Tour is coming off an eye-catching 4 ¼-length victory in the $1 million Rebel Stakes (G2) at 1 1/16 miles March 13, the final major local prep for the Arkansas Derby.

Concert Tour, in his two-turn debut and first start outside Southern California, zipped to the lead under Rosario, turned back Caddo River at the quarter pole and coasted home to remain unbeaten in three starts. It marked a record eighth Rebel victory for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, who has owned Oaklawn's four-race Kentucky Derby prep series the last decade.

Since the Arkansas Derby also brings back the 2-4-5-7 finishers from the Rebel, it means Concert Tour will be facing essentially the same group he dominated a month ago. Baffert trains Rebel runner-up Hozier, too.

“Those two horses, both are doing really well,” Baffert said. “It's a short field. I'm surprised it was with all the horses that were up there this year, trying to get points.”

The Arkansas Derby will offer 170 points to the top four finishers (100-40-20-10) toward starting eligibility for the Kentucky Derby May 1 at Churchill Downs. The 1 ¼-mile race is limited to 20 starters, with starting preference given to the top 18 point earners in designated races like the Arkansas Derby. The top point earners on the European and Japan Road the Kentucky Derby will receive invitations.

Concert Tour earned 50 points for his Rebel victory and ranks No. 11 on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard compiled by Churchill Downs. Hozier (20 points) is No. 24, Grade 1 winner Get Her Number (10) is No. 29, Rebel fifth Caddo River (10) is No. 30 and Rebel fourth Super Stock (9) is No. 31. Get Her Number finished seventh in the Rebel.

Concert Tour has been on the same path as the Baffert-trained Nadal was in 2020, winning his career debut in January at Santa Anita, $200,000 San Vicente (G2) at Santa Anita in his second start and the Rebel in his third.

Nadal, like Concert Tour, was a front-running winner of the Rebel but used stalking tactics to capture the second division of the $500,000 Arkansas Derby (G1). Five years earlier, Baffert's American Pharoah was a wire-to-wire winner of the Rebel before coming from off the pace to claim the Arkansas Derby en route to sweeping the Triple Crown.

Caddo River was a front-running 10 ¼-length winner of the $150,000 Smarty Jones Stakes Jan. 22 at Oaklawn, but chose not to engage Concert Tour early in the Rebel. Asked if believed Concert Tour would be tracking Caddo River in the Arkansas Derby, “Baffert said, “I don't know.”

“Concert Tour's very fast,” Baffert said. “He's quick, really fast. I think the break is important, how you leave there. You never know what's going to happen. You don't know what the strategy's going to be. I just worry about my own horses. If he (Caddo River) goes, he (Rosario) will just ride his own horse and see what he does. My other horse has speed, too. Going a mile and an eighth, it's a different story.”

Caddo River was favored over Concert Tour in the Rebel and looks to turn the tables Saturday with a more aggressive approach early, trainer Brad Cox said. Caddo River is again drawn inside of Concert Tour.

“Little more of a free-running horse, we think,” Cox said. “It (Rebel) was just his fifth start and he was coming off a little bit of a freshening, I guess you could say, being seven weeks between races. We're just hoping that he can kind of get a little bit more of a forward run and maybe the jock drops his hands and kind of let him do his thing and get in a big rhythm and see if that works a little better than it did last time. If it doesn't, were in trouble – bottom line.”

In addition to American Pharoah and Nadal, Baffert won the Arkansas Derby in 2012 with Bodemeister, who rolled by 9 ½ front-running lengths. Baffert also won the last year's first division of the Arkansas Derby with the speedy Charlatan, but he was disqualified because of a medication violation. The case is under appeal. Overall, Baffert has 16 victories in Kentucky Derby prep races at Oaklawn – all since 2010. Baffert has won the Kentucky Derby a record-tying six times.

“I just feel fortunate that I have these two after losing Life Is Good,” Baffert said, referring to an injury that knocked his unbeaten colt off the Kentucky Derby trail. “It's pretty tough, you know, but that's why everything works itself out for the Derby. The horse will get you there.”

The Wests won the 1993 Arkansas Derby with Rockamundo, who paid $218.

The post Concert Tour Arrives At Oaklawn For Saturday’s Arkansas Derby appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post