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Handicapping the Kentucky Derby Preps: Blue Grass, Santa Anita Derby & Wood Memorial

TDN's Senior Racing Editor Steve Sherack provides analysis for Saturday's trio of GI Kentucky Derby prep races.

GI Toyota Blue Grass S. – In a race billed as a showdown between the re-opposing GII Remsen S. one-two Dornoch (Good Magic) and Sierra Leone (Gun Runner), don't look past likely third choice Just a Touch (Justify). The highly regarded bay ran to the hype with a powerful debut score for trainer Brad Cox over the promising $1.7-million KEESEP graduate Gun Party (Curlin) (he returned with another very good second-place finish Mar. 16) on debut sprinting in the Fair Grounds slop Jan. 27. He was well-backed at the windows again for his second career start and lost little in defeat finishing second as the favorite over another saturated surface in a deep renewal of the GIII Gotham S. Mar. 2. Just a Touch will finally get a chance to showcase his ability on a fast surface and has every right to take another step forward stretching out to two turns for the first time as well. He should be able to sit a perfect trip just off Dornoch and have the jump on the stretch-running Sierra Leone, who is the horse to beat off his impressive come-from-behind win in the GII Risen Star S. Feb. 17. Selection: #6 Just a Touch (7-2).

GII Wood Memorial S. – No knocks on the 7-5 morning-line favorite and impressive Gotham winner Deterministic (Liam's Map), but I prefer the fellow unbeaten Tuscan Sky (Vino Rosso) here. Like the aforementioned Just a Touch, Tuscan Sky has raced only on wet, sealed tracks in his first two starts. The gray finished up like a real good thing after a bit of an interesting journey (led early, dropped back to third on the far turn and leveled off beautifully in stretch to win going away) sprinting on debut at the Big A Jan. 13. He backed up that effort with another fantastic performance–albeit in a three-horse field–with a two-length decision over sharp next-out Hot Springs S. winner Nash (Medaglia d'Oro) (good for a 95 Beyer) while making his two-turn debut on the Risen Star undercard. Tuscan Sky tuned up for this with a four-furlong bullet in :48 3/5 (1/20) for seven-time Wood Memorial-winning trainer Todd Pletcher at Palm Beach Downs Mar. 30. Tuscan Sky's young sire Vino Rosso won this same race in 2018. Selection: #9 Tuscan Sky (4-1).

GI Santa Anita Derby – It's difficult to make a case against Imagination (Into Mischief), who will be the much-deserved Santa Anita Derby favorite. The $1.05-million KEESEP yearling has run well in all five of his career starts and has taken a nice step forward in his last two. He gave highly regarded Bob Baffert-trained stablemate Maymun (Frosted) all he could handle while finishing second in an optional claimer Feb. 11, then dug in gamely to secure a career high in the GII San Felipe S. Mar. 3. Should be well-spotted beneath Frankie Dettori either on or just off the lead. Selection: #4 Imagination (8-5).

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Northern CA Advisory Committee Formally Recognized By CARF

The California Authority of Racing Fairs has formally recognized a group of owners, breeders and trainers in Northern California to serve as an advisory committee for the upcoming Pleasanton race meet. According to a press release, the committee has been informally in place since the announcement of the closure of Golden Gate Fields. The group will work with representatives in the industry to “address challenges and opportunities in real time and ensure that future CARF decisions have the collective support of the industry stakeholders.”

“Our Advisory Committee has the experience and willingness to galvanize horse racing fans and make our sport economically viable,” said Executive Director of CARF Larry Swartzlander. “This is the beginning of an exciting era for Northern California horse racing.”

The committee consists of the following seven members: Justin Oldfield, George Schmitt, Johnny Taboada, Rob Smolich, Blaine Wright, Jamey Thomas and Gloria Haley.

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Keeneland Features Ashland Showdown As Spring Meet Opens Friday

Kentucky Senator Henry Clay might be considered one of the premier American politicians pre-Lincoln, but what is not up for debate was his fervent commitment to breeding equine athletes and attending the races.

You cannot actually visit his home–Ashland–because the structure that stands on the Clay Estate just south of downtown Lexington is not original to “The Great Compromiser” and his time. However, interpretations of Clay-related objects enliven the tour.

Ashland in name was imported as a stakes race when Keeneland opened in 1936. Some familiar female runners who graced the winner's circle at the old Keene Farm include Myrtlewood, Bewitch and Doubledogdare, and more recent fillies like Inside Information, Take Charge Lady and a personal favorite of mine, Bushfire.

As Keeneland kicks off racing on Friday, the GI Central Bank Ashland S. boasts a showdown with 3-year-old fillies looking to deposit 100 points into their Kentucky Oaks account.

For starters, the top three finishers from the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies are present, including winner Just F Y I (Justify). The champion 2-year-old filly almost made the races this spring to kick start her 2024, but trainer Bill Mott was forced to wait until Keeneland.

Also Ashland bound is Jody's Pride (American Pharoah), who was second to Just F Y I at Santa Anita, and last month won the Busher S. at Aqueduct. She will be joined by the third-place finisher from the Juvenile Fillies, Candied (Candy Ride {Arg}), who also has not made a start this year for trainer Todd Pletcher. The filly returns to the site of her win in the GI Alcibiades S. last fall.

Impel | Coady Photography

In an effort to put her own stamp on an Oaks run, 'TDN Rising Star' Impel (Quality Road) will look to keep her record unblemished. Under Brad Cox's tutelage, the Juddmonte homebred broke her maiden at Fair Grounds Jan. 1 and then posted an 8 1/2-length score and a 91-Beyer against optional claimers at Oaklawn Mar. 3.

Finally, Candied's stablemate Leslie's Rose (Into Mischief) justifiably earned her 'TDN Rising Star' when she broke her maiden by 9 1/4 lengths at Aqueduct last fall before returning to finish third in the GII Davona Dale S. at Gulfstream Park Mar. 2. Halina's Forte (Mitole) will seek to raise her game for Rigney Racing, as she attempts to capitalize on her first black-type win in the Ruthless S. at the 'Big A' Feb. 17.

Keeneland's Friday slate includes the GIII Transylvania S., which draws 12, plus a pair of also-eligibles. The field for the 3-year-old turf route includes Musical Act (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), the first of several overseas arrivals in Kentucky for Godolphin and trainer Charlie Appleby.

With a packed stakes schedule, plus everything from the baby races to lower daily double takeout, these are just some of the storylines on tap at Keeneland. As for past April meet leaders, Jockey Tyler Gaffalione recorded 21 victories to secure his second consecutive spring meet riding title in 2023, while last year conditioner Wesley Ward earned his sixth consecutive training honor and ninth total.

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The Jockey Club And 1/ST Racing Partner To Enhance International Turf Races

The Jockey Club and 1/ST Racing have partnered to increase international participation in several of their respective turf races, the two companies announced on Thursday.

The aim of the partnership is to create links between historic races in the UK and high-profile U.S. turf races over two different distances. The winner of the May 4 $200,000 GII Charles Whittingham S. at Santa Anita will gain an automatic berth and travel incentive to run in the £750,000 G1 Coral-Eclipse over the same 10-furlong distance at Sandown Park on July 6. Whichever horse wins the Eclipse, will receive an automatic entry and a travel incentive to run in the $750,000 GII California Crown John Henry Turf at Santa Anita on Sept. 28.

Turf Sprinters are also catered to in the new partnership, with the May 18 $100,000 Listed Jim McKay S. at Pimlico over five furlongs receiving a berth and travel money in the £600,000 G1 My Pension Expert July Cup over six furlongs at Newmarket on July 6. The July Cup winner will receive an automatic entry in the $750,000 GII California Crown Eddie D Turf Sprint over 6 1/2 furlongs at Santa Anita, the same day as the John Henry Turf.

Aidan Butler, President of 1/ST, said, “A special thank you to our friends at The Jockey Club on launching this innovative partnership. We look forward to welcoming in competitors to the inaugural California Crown at Santa Anita Park this autumn.

“This partnership with The Jockey Club is part of our wider global strategy for improving international interest and top-class participation in the world's biggest races–as evidenced by a similar alliance we have with Royal Ascot, via our Royal Palm juvenile series at Gulfstream Park, which delivered Crimson Advocate (Nyquist), the winner of the prestigious [G2] Queen Mary S., in its inaugural year.”

Matt Woolston, The Jockey Club's assistant racing and international director, added, “We are delighted to announce this great new initiative today and I would like to thank everyone at 1/ST for helping to make it happen.

“By pairing two of the UK's most famous and prestigious Group 1 contests in the summer with a quartet of valuable North American turf contests in the spring and autumn, we feel we have the perfect race schedule for transatlantic runners.

“In addition, British and other European trainers now have the chance of an incentivised trip to North America in the autumn for races at Santa Anita's exciting new California Crown meeting.

“We feel we have highlighted a race schedule that incentivises runners to travel across the Atlantic.”

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