road to the kentucky derby | Horse Racing Free Tips

JRita Young Thoroughbreds' four-time winner Man in the Can will take his next step on the Road to the Kentucky Derby in the $600,000 Blue Grass (Grade 2) on July 11 at Keeneland following his 1 ½-length allowance victory Friday at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.

“That sure was an impressive turn of foot,” trainer Ron Moquett said. “I wasn't expecting him to go off as that big of a favorite but he ran against some stiff Arky-bred competition in his last couple of starts at Oaklawn. I think the bettors saw that before the race and that's why he ended up going off favorite. He definitely deserves a shot in the Blue Grass. There have been so many top Kentucky Derby contenders that have gone off the trail this week that it's really anyone's game.”

The rescheduled Blue Grass will award the Top 4 finishers 100-40-20-10 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. Should Man in the Can qualify for the Sept. 5 Kentucky Derby (G1), he would become the first Arkansas-bred to run in the race since Barbizon Streak, who finished 16^thin 1971.

Another improving 3-year-old who won an allowance event this week at Churchill Downs was Bruce Lunsford's Art Collector. The 3-year-old son of Bernardini collected his third lifetime victory with a powerful 6 ½-length score on Saturday, only 34 one-hundredths of a second off the track record after he blitzed a final time of 1:41.35 for 1 1/16 miles.

“He's certainly getting better at the right time,” trainer Tommy Drury said. “That is as impressive as it gets to kick clear as he did. I asked Bruce to let us enjoy this one for a couple of days and then we'd get together and talk about our next options.”

The next stop on the Road to the Kentucky Derby is Saturday's $1 million Belmont Stakes (GI), which is expected to be headlined by Florida Derby (GI) winner Tiz the Law.

The post ‘It’s Anyone’s Game’: Moquett Puts ‘Arky-Bred’ Man In The Can On Road To The Derby appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. sent Ny Traffic and Tonalist's Shape to the Gulfstream Park racetrack Sunday morning in South Florida to prepare for upcoming preps for the Kentucky Derby (G1) and Kentucky Oaks (G1), respectively.

John Fanelli, Cash Is King LLC, LC Racing and Paul Braverman's Ny Traffic returned to the worktab for the first time since finishing second in the May 23 Matt Winn (G3) at Churchill Downs. The son of Cross Traffic breezed three-furlongs in 37.50 seconds.

“He went an easy three-eighths,” Joseph said. “We're not sure where we're going to go yet – probably the [Grade 2] Blue Grass, [July 11 at Keeneland], the [Grade 1] Haskell [July 18 at Monmouth Park], the [Grade 3] Indiana Derby [July 8 at Indiana Grand] or the [Grade 3] Ohio Derby [June 27 at Thistledown]. We're going to talk it over.”

Ny Traffic, who finished a length behind Maxfield in the Matt Winn, previously finished second, 1 ½ lengths behind Wells Bayou in the Louisiana Derby (G2), and third in the Risen Star (G2) at Fair Grounds. In his first start for Joseph, the New York-bred colt scored a front-running 6 ¾-length romp in a 1 1/16-mile optional claiming allowance at Gulfstream Jan. 11.

Ny Traffic currently ranks seventh with 70 Kentucky Derby qualifying points.

Slam Dunk Racing, Doug Branham and Legacy Racing Inc.'s Tonalist's Shape breezed a half-mile in 46.75 seconds, the fastest of 68 recorded at the distance, following up a three-furlong workout in a solid 35.50 seconds a week earlier.

“She was never a super work horse, but her last two works have been really good,” Joseph said. “We haven't decided where we're going to go. The [Grade 1] Acorn [June 20 at Belmont Park] is a possibility. Maybe the [Grade 1] Ashland [Aug. 1 at Keeneland]. There's an outside possibility she could go in the [Grade 3] Delaware Oaks [July 4 at Delaware Park].”

Tonalist's Shape is coming off a sharp 3 ¾-length victory in the May 15 Hollywood Wildcat, her first around two turns, rebounding from sustaining her first career loss in the March 28 Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2). The Kentucky-bred filly had won her first five starts, including victories in the Forward Gal (G3) and the Davona Dale (G2) during the 2019-2020 Championship Meet at Gulfstream.

Tonalist's Shape currently ranks sixth with 60 Kentucky Oaks qualifying points.

The post Joseph Pondering Next Kentucky Derby, Oaks Preps For Ny Traffic, Tonalist’s appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post