road to the kentucky derby | Horse Racing Free Tips

Weyburn Fights Back Late To Win Gotham At 46-1

Fighting back on the inside, Chiefswood Stables' homebred Weyburn, overtook Crowded Trade in a thrilling stretch duel to win the Grade 3 Gotham Stakes on Saturday at Aqueduct racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y.

Ridden by Trevor McCarthy for trainer James Jerkens, Weyburn earned 50 qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby. Runner-up Crowded Trade earned 20 points, with Chad Brown stablemate Highly Motivated earning 10 points for third and Bob Baffert-trained West Coast invader Freedom Fighter getting five points for fourth.

Sent away at 46-a odds, Weyburn, a 3-year-old Ontario-bred by Pioneerof the Nile out of Sunday Affair, by A.P. Indy, paid $95.50 for the win.

Freedom Fighter went to the front under Manny Franco, going :24.29 for the opening quarter and :48.03 for the half mile. Weyburn raced alongside as they went six furlongs in 1:12.85, when Crowded Trade and Eric Cancel joined the dueling leaders on the turn. Freedom Fighter backed out first and Crowded Trade had all the momentum on the outside, poking his nose in front in mid-stretch. Approaching the wire, Weyburn jumped from his left lead to his right lead and fought back, getting his nose in front just in time.

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Wolf: Gotham Pair Deserve A Shot In ‘Tough Race’ For Derby Points

Having experienced both the high and low ends of the Kentucky Derby spectrum, owner Jack Wolf of Starlight Racing knows the trails and tribulations of the road to the first Saturday in May more than most. On Saturday, he'll be watching the Grade 3, $300,000 Gotham with a sense of cautious optimism when sending out Atlantic Road and Freedom Fighter.

The one-turn mile event at Aqueduct Racetrack is New York's penultimate local qualifier for the Grade 1, $3 million Kentucky Derby on May 1 at Churchill Downs and awards the top four finishers points according to a 50-20-10-5 scale.

Coverage of the Gotham will be available on America's Day at the Races, the acclaimed national telecast produced by the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) in partnership with FOX Sports. Presented by America's Best Racing and Claiborne Farm, America's Day at the Races will broadcast Saturday from 5-6 p.m. Eastern on FS2, with the Gotham slated as Race 9 at 5:07 p.m.

Wolf, who manages Starlight Racing with his wife Laurie, has campaigned 12 Kentucky Derby starters. He was involved in multiple-owner partnerships which campaigned 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify and last year's winner Authentic, but also had two last-place finishers in Keyed Entry (2006) and Monba (2008).

“Through the years, we've had quite a few hoses in the Derby. It's a lot different when you have one that's a favorite as opposed to a longshot like Keyed Entry,” Wolf said. “It's pretty exciting when you have a legit shot. Last year, even though Barclay's horse [Tagg, Tiz the Law] was the big favorite and the one to beat, I was confident that our horse would perform, and obviously he did.”

Trained by Hall of Fame nominee Todd Pletcher, Atlantic Road broke his maiden at second asking over the Aqueduct main track in gate-to-wire fashion under Kendrick Carmouche. The son of Quality Road was originally owned by Pletcher and was privately purchased by Wolf.

“I think the further he goes the better with him being by Quality Road out of a Smart Strike mare,” said Wolf. “He improved considerably and showed a bit of determination down the lane. His last race was encouraging. It'll be a tall ask to compete, but he deserves the chance.”

Atlantic Road was one of four next-out winners of the January 8 maiden special weight at Gulfstream Park, which was won by Lamutanaaty.

“A lot of those horses validated that they were good ones,” Wolf said.

Atlantic Road will break from the rail under jockey Jorge Vargas, Jr.

Fellow Starlight Racing color-bearer Freedom Fighter also has only made two starts but has covered some ground in both efforts. The son of Violence won on debut at Del Mar on August 1 at Del Mar and emerged from a six-month layoff in the Grade 2 San Vicente on February 5 at Santa Anita, where he registered a 94 Beyer Speed Figure with a close second to highly-regarded stable mate Concert Tour.

Freedom Fighter is co-owned by Starlight Racing alongside SF Racing, Madaket Stables, Golconda Stables, Siena Farm and Robert E. Masterson and was purchased for $120,000 at the 2019 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

“His figures have improved dramatically just looking at his Beyers and he ran an 8 on the [Ragozin] sheets. But it looks like a tough race,” Wolf said.

Campaigned by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, Freedom Fighter has trained forwardly toward the Gotham, firing a pair of bullets over the Santa Anita main track, most recently a five-furlong drill in 59.20 on February 27 – the fastest of 63 recorded works at the distance.

“When Bob tells you the horse is good and breezing the way he is, I get pretty excited,” Wolf said. “Relatively speaking, paying $120,000 for him in comparison to what we've paid for some of the others is a bit of a bargain, especially if he moves forward.”

Wolf and owner Sol Kumin of Madaket Stables tasted Derby victory together previously with Justify and Authentic.

Wolf appears to have horses firing on multiple cylinders on the Derby trail as Starlight Racing also is part owner of Spielberg, a fellow Baffert trainee who was recently a game second to champion Essential Quality in the Grade 3 Southwest at Oaklawn Park. A son of Union Rags, Spielberg won the Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity in December and currently sits seventh on the leaderboard with 17 points.

He also has Grade 3 Holy Bull runner-up Tarantino for trainer Rodolphe Brisset, who was a last out fourth in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth and is No. 22 on the leaderboard with nine points.

Both Spielberg and Tarantino are owned by the same five other owners who also own Freedom Fighter.

Wolf said that the ownership group is an enjoyable one to be involved with.

“I've been friends with Tom [Ryan of SF Racing] a number of years,” said Wolf. “He talked to me about getting together with SF and then Sol came along as well. It's a really fun group of people. All of us have been through the highs and lows and we all have a good time, win, lose or draw.

“We've got two of the best trainers in the business,” Wolf added. “Bob doesn't get too excited until April, which is probably the right thing. I think if you have one that's qualified and doing well by April, then you can get excited. The end of a horse's 2-year-old year and the beginning of the following year is too early, but we all like to dream.”

Having traveled the road to the Kentucky Derby many times, Wolf said he knows not to get too carried away with Derby fever.

“There's so many variables between now and then, but it's cool to have nice horses and be in this position,” Wolf said.

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Keepmeinmind Stays ‘Nice And Relaxed’ In Final Work For Oaklawn’s Rebel

Grade 2 winner Keepmeinmind completed major preparations for the $1 million Rebel Stakes (G2) for 3-year-olds March 13 at Oaklawn with a 5-furlong workout over a fast track Friday morning for trainer Robertino Diodoro.

Keepmeinmind breezed alone after the second surface renovation break under regular rider David Cohen. A late-running son of Laoban, Keepmeinmind was clocked in 1:02.20 and galloping out 6 furlongs in 1:16, according to clockers who recorded earlier splits of :13 for the colt's opening eighth of a mile, :37 for 3 furlongs and :49.80 for a half-mile. The 5-furlong time ranked 23rd of 32 published at the distance.

“We were just looking for something easy,” Diodoro said after watching the work from the frontside. “David did a good job of keeping him nice and relaxed because he can get a little tough. It's just about keeping him healthy and happy now.”

Friday's work was the eighth this year at Oaklawn for Keepmeinmind, unraced since a last-to-first victory in the $200,000 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2) Nov. 28 at Churchill Downs.

Keepmeinmind has been scheduled to make his 3-year-old debut in the $750,000 Southwest Stakes (G3) Feb. 15 at Oaklawn before the 1 1/16-mile race was postponed twice because of harsh winter weather. The Southwest was run last Saturday, but Diodoro opted to begin Keepmeinmind's 2021 campaign in the Rebel after Oaklawn lost 11 days of training (Feb. 12-22) because of arctic temperatures and heavy snow. Keepmeinmind returned to the work tab Feb. 26, covering 5 furlongs in 1:03.20.

“Those two weeks back training, having a couple of works in him, really seemed to do him a lot of good,” Cohen said. “Today was just an easy work, trying to keep him as quiet as possible. Still, a nice, long gallop out, with nothing too rapid. I was very happy with the way he broke off. He has a tendency to get real tough. He did it really relaxed. Was very within himself.”

Prior to breaking his maiden in the Kentucky Jockey Club, Keepmeinmind finished second in the $400,000 Breeders' Futurity (G1) Oct. 3 at Keeneland and third in the $2 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) Nov. 6 at Keeneland. Essential Quality won the Breeders' Futurity and Breeders' Cup Juvenile en route to being named the country's champion 2-year-old male and captured the Southwest in his 2021 debut for Eclipse Award-winning trainer Brad Cox to remain unbeaten in four lifetime starts.

The 1 1/16-mile Rebel is Oaklawn's third of four Kentucky Derby points races and will offer 85 (50-20-10-5, respectively) toward starting eligibility for the first leg of the Triple Crown.

The Oaklawn racing department listed eight early probables Friday morning for the Rebel – Big Lake for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen, Caddo River (Cox), Concert Tour (Bob Baffert), Keepmeinmind, Nova Rags (Bill Mott), O Besos (Greg Foley), Starrininmydreams (Dallas Stewart) and Super Stock (Asmussen).

Caddo River, a homebred for John Ed Anthony of Hot Springs, was a record-setting 10 ¼-length winner of the $150,000 Smarty Jones Stakes Jan. 22, Oaklawn's first Kentucky Derby points race. Unbeaten Concert Tour (2 for 2) possesses a resume that is a carbon copy of last year's Rebel winner, Nadal, another Baffert trainee.

Concert Tour broke his maiden Jan. 15 at Santa Anita and won the $200,000 San Vicente Stakes (G2) Feb. 6 at Santa Anita. Concert Tour will be making his two-turn debut in the Rebel, a race Baffert has won a record seven times. Nova Rags finished second, beaten a length, in the $250,000 Sam F. Davis Stakes (G3) Feb. 6 at Tampa Bay Downs in his last start.

The Rebel is among five stakes races to be run March 13 at Oaklawn, the others being the $150,000 Temperence Hill for older horses at 1 ½ miles, $200,000 Hot Springs for older sprinters, $350,000 Azeri (G2) for older females at 1 1/16 miles and the $500,000 Essex Handicap for older horses at 1 1/16 miles.

Whitmore, the country's champion male sprinter of 2020, is scheduled to make his seasonal debut in the Hot Springs. The gelding has won the Hot Springs a record four consecutive years.

The Rebel is the final major local prep for the $1 million Arkansas Derby (G1) April 10.

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Weekend Lineup: Three Derby Preps, Big ‘Cap

A trio of prep races for the Kentucky Derby are slated for this weekend with the Grade 3 Gotham Stakes, Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby, and Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes all offering Derby qualifying points to the top four finishers on a 50-20-10-5 basis. One of racing's most prestigious races for older horses, the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap, is also scheduled for March 6.

America's Day at the Races, produced by the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) in partnership with FOX Sports, will air coverage both Saturday and Sunday showcasing live racing action from Aqueduct Racetrack, Oaklawn Park, Tampa Bay Downs, Santa Anita Park and Fair Grounds.

Presented by America's Best Racing and Claiborne Farm, America's Day at the Races will broadcast Saturday from 5-6 p.m. ET on FS2, while Sunday will feature coverage on FS2 from 1:30-6:30 p.m.

TVG will have live coverage of the Kentucky Derby prep races as well as the $400,000 Santa Anita Handicap. In addition to racing from Santa Anita, Tampa Bay Downs and Gulfstream Park, TVG will be featuring racing from Fair Grounds, Oaklawn 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.

Saturday, March 6

2:18 p.m.—$100,000 Grade 3 Challenger Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs on TVG

The Bill Mott-trained Modernist seeks his first victory in more than a year when he breaks from the outside post in a field of five for the Challenger Stakes going 1 1/16-miles. Modernist won the Grade 2 Risen Star Stakes last February but has not started since finishing fifth in the Grade 3 Peter Pan Stakes last July 16.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/TAM030621USA5-EQB.html

4:02 p.m.—$200,000 Grade 3 Tom Fool Handicap at Aqueduct on TVG

Gold Square's Wendell Fong will look to make the grade in Saturday's Tom Fool Handicap, a six-furlong sprint for older horses. Wendell Fong provided trainer Natalia Lynch – previously an assistant and exercise rider for Jeremiah Englehart – her first career win last out with a neck score in the six-furlong Fire Plug on January 16 at Laurel Park. Lynch helped prepare the 5-year-old son of Flat Out, previously trained by Englehart, for a winning career debut in December 2018 at Laurel. She was also along for the journey with Wendell Fong through a win in the 2019 Gold Fever at Belmont in a campaign that ended with a prominent fifth in the Grade 1 Woody Stephens at Belmont and a tenth in the Grade 2 Amsterdam at Saratoga.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/AQU030621USA7-EQB.html

4:25 p.m.—$225,000 Grade 2 Hillsborough Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs on TVG

On Saturday, Magic Attitude (GB) will try to launch an even better 4-year-old campaign in the Grade 2, $225,000 Hillsborough Stakes at 1 1/8-miles on the Oldsmar turf course. After trailing early, Magic Attitude took off in the stretch, sweeping to victory against her four rivals to win the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks Invitational last September. She followed that up with a strong third-place performance in the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes, also for 3-year-old fillies, on October 10 at Keeneland.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/TAM030621USA9-EQB.html

4:55 p.m.—$200,000 Grade 3 Florida Oaks at Tampa Bay Downs on TVG

Trainer Arnaud Delacour, who will saddle Magic Attitude in the Hillsborough, is seeking his first triumph in the Florida Oaks when he sends out Lael Stables homebred Be Sneaky. Yet to race on grass, Be Sneaky is 1-for-3, with a second-place finish at Tampa Bay Downs in the Suncoast Stakes on February 6 in her most recent start. The daughter of Into Mischief broke her maiden at Laurel Park last October.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/TAM030621USA10-EQB.html

5:07 p.m.—$300,000 Grade 3 Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct on FS2 and TVG

Owner Klaravich Stables and trainer Chad Brown already campaigned a winner in a Kentucky Derby qualifier in New York when Risk Taking captured the Grade 3 Withers last month. On Saturday, they will look to put another contender in the running for the first Saturday in May with stakes-winner Highly Motivated in the Gotham. Highly Motivated graduated at second asking going 6 ½ furlongs over the Belmont Park main track on September 27, where he defeated eventual two-time winner Known Agenda, who finished third in the Grade 2 Remsen in December. Last out, Highly Motivated displayed a winning effort in the Nyquist on November 6 traveling 6 1/2-furlongs at Keeneland.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/AQU030621USA9-EQB.html

5:25 p.m.—$400,000 Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby at Tampa Bay Downs on FS2 and TVG

Saturday's Tampa Bay Derby will bring together 12 3-year-olds, most with much to prove if they are to continue to advance toward a date with destiny in the Kentucky Derby. Headlining the field will be Candy Man Rocket, who won the Grade 3 Sam F. Davis Stakes on February 6. Joining Candy Man Rocket and Super Strong as a graded-stakes winner in the race is trainer Dale Romans's Sittin On Go, who won the Grade 3 Iroquois Stakes last September 5 at Churchill Downs, then was a non-threatening ninth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile on November 6 at Keeneland.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/TAM030621USA11-EQB.html

5:45 p.m.—$300,000 Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita Park on FS2 and TVG

Bob Baffert's lightly raced Life Is Good heads an outstanding field of seven sophomores in Saturday's San Felipe Stakes. A key prep for the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby on April 3, the San Felipe will be contested for the 83rd time, with Baffert bidding to win it for a record eighth time. Owned by CHC, Inc. and WinStar Farm, Life Is Good was making his second start in the Grade 3 Sham Stakes and was off as the 1-5 favorite. Although he opened up a four length advantage at the top of the lane, he narrowly held sway by three quarters of a length over stablemate Medina Spirit, who helps provide Baffert with a solid one-two punch on Saturday.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/SA030621USA6-EQB.html

6:10 p.m.—$300,000 Grade 3 Honeybee Stakes at Oaklawn Park on TVG

Juddmonte Farms' two-time winner Sun Path was installed as the 5-2 morning line favorite in the field of eight 3-year-old fillies signed on to compete in the 1 1/16-miles Honeybee, which offers 85 points (50-20-10-5, respectively) to the top four finishers toward the Kentucky Oaks. Trained by two-time Kentucky Oaks-winning conditioner Brad Cox, Sun Path was an emphatic 12-length winner of a Dec. 18 allowance event at Fair Grounds. The Munnings filly attempted stakes company in the $150,000 Silverbulletday but settled for a fourth-place finish after a wide trip throughout the race.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/OP030621USA9-EQB.html

6:52 p.m.—$200,000 Grade 2 San Carlos Stakes at Santa Anita Park on TVG

Jay Em Ess Stable's graded stakes winning Extra Hope will cut back in distance off of five consecutive routes as he heads a field of nine older horses going seven furlongs in Saturday's San Carlos Stakes. Recent seven furlong allowance winner Exaulted steps into stakes company for the first time, 2019 Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Storm the Court tries a new game, recent California-bred stakes winner Brickyard Ride, lightly raced Tigre Di Slugo and reformed claimer Loud Mouth all rate good chances in a race devoid of a dominant favorite.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/SA030621USA8-EQB.html

7:26 p.m.—$400,000 Grade 1 Frank E. Kilroe Mile at Santa Anita Park on TVG

Trainer Michael McCarthy's Smooth Like Strait heads a deep and competitive field of 10 older horses in Saturday's Frank E. Kilroe Mile. A winner of the opening day Mathis Brothers Mile on December 26, Cannon Thoroughbreds' homebred Smooth Like Strait is a head away from three consecutive graded stakes wins and merits top billing in a close call over recent lights-out Grade 3 winner Hit the Road. With a strong local contingent in place, the Kilroe has also attracted five quality eastern shippers, headed by Chad Brown's Flavius, Todd Pletcher's Social Paranoia and Mark Casse's Ride a Comet.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/SA030621USA9-EQB.html

8 p.m.—$400,000 Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap at Santa Anita Park on TVG

Goldolphin's unbeaten homebred Maxfield heads ups Saturday's Santa Anita Handicap, which has attracted a field of eight older horses. Trained by Brendan Walsh, Maxfield, a 4-year-old colt by Street Sense, rallied from far back to win the Grade 3 Mineshaft Stakes by 3 ¼ lengths at Fair Grounds under Florent Geroux, who will be back aboard Saturday. A Grade 1 winner in his second start at age two in October 2019, Maxfield has three graded victories to his credit.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/SA030621USA10-EQB.html

Sunday, March 7

5 p.m.—$100,000 Grade 3 Santa Ysabel Stakes at Santa Anita Park on FS2 and TVG

Bob Baffert's well accomplished Kalypso heads a field of five sophomore fillies in Sunday's Santa Ysabel Stakes, which offers 50 Kentucky Oaks qualifying points to the winner. Baffert will also be represented by Baoma Corporation's Beautiful Gift as well as Pegram, Watson and Weitman's Heels Up in a race that Baffert has won a record five times. Kalyspo, a daughter of Brody's Cause, broke her maiden going six furlongs four starts back in the ungraded Anoakia Stakes on October 18 and then showed the way prior to running second, beaten 1 ½ lengths in the Grade 1 Starlet Stakes at Los Alamitos December 5.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/SA030721USA4-EQB.html

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