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Preakness Draw Moved to Tuesday

Hours after releasing a statement saying it was reviewing the “relevant facts and information relating to the reported medication positive as a result of the post-race blood sample testing completed by Churchill Downs following the 147th Kentucky Derby involving Medina Spirit trained by Bob Baffert,” The Stronach Group announced it was postponing the draw for Saturday's GI Preakness S. until Tuesday. The draw had originally been scheduled for Monday. It will now take place at 4 p.m. Tuesday at Pimlico Race Course and can be viewed at Facebook.com/Preakness.

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National Defense Filly Blitzes Belmont Maidens for ‘Rising Star’ Badge

Twilight Gleaming (Ire) (National Defense {GB}), a strong second debuting on the Keeneland main track last month, got to her likely preferred surface of turf Sunday at Belmont and rocketed clear in the lane for 'TDN Rising Star' honors.

Bought for £75,000 by Ben McElroy at the Goffs Orby Yearling Sale last October, Twilight Gleaming became the first starter for her freshman sire when backed down to 3-5 Apr. 8 at Keeneland, and ran a game second despite being pinched at the start and going wide on the turn. Recording a pair of sharp half-mile works in Lexington since, the bay was punched down to 65 cents on the dollar here and broke alertly from the rail. Taking charge early while trying to get out just a bit heading into the turn, the bay led narrowly while well in hand through a :22.26 quarter. Shaking clear into the lane on her own power, the favorite burst away impressively once given her cue by Irad Ortiz, Jr. and cruised in under a hold for the final sixteenth, hitting the wire 7 1/2 lengths to the good. Poppy Flower (Lea) completed the exacta.

Twilight Gleaming is the second winner for National Defense, an Irish National Stud resident who was a French highweight colt and Group 1 victor as a 2-year-old in 2016. He picked up his first winner Saturday in Italy. Dam Thames Pageant is an unraced full-sister to Group 1-placed Mainstream (GB) out of MSW/MGSP Golden Stream and third dam Phantom Gold was a three-time Group winner in England. Thames Pageant produced a colt by Sioux Nation last term.

4th-Belmont, $90,000, Msw, 5-9, 2yo, f, 5fT, :56.49, fm, 7 1/2 lengths.
TWILIGHT GLEAMING (IRE) f, 2, by National Defense {GB}
1st Dam: Thames Pageant {GB}, by Dansili {GB})
2nd Dam: Golden Stream (Ire), by Sadler's Wells
3rd Dam: Phantom Gold (GB), by Machiavellian
Sales History: £75,000 Ylg '20 GOFOR. Lifetime Record: 2-1-1-0, $56,740. Click for the Equibase.com chart, VIDEO, sponsored by TVG or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. O-Stonestreet Stables LLC; B-Pier House Stud (IRE); T-Wesley A. Ward.

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Zedan Stands by Baffert

Amr Zedan, the Saudi Arabian businessman who owns Medina Spirit (Protonico), said Sunday that he believes Bob Baffert is innocent of any wrongdoing in this year's GI Kentucky Derby and will stand behind his trainer.

Baffert informed the media Sunday that Medina Spirit tested positive for the medication Betamethasone, a corticosteroid, after crossing the wire in front in this year's Derby.

“I totally support and believe Bob Baffert,” Zedan told the TDN. “He is a professional beyond belief and he has never administered this drug to this horse at all. Medina Spirit has never been treated with this drug and we hope that the split sample will definitely prove that. Bob Baffert has my support, 100%.”

Zedan said he was confident that Baffert will be exonerated and Medina Spirit will remain the official winner of the 2021 Derby.

“This story does not add up,” Zedan said. “I know Bob Baffert as a human being and as a friend and I trust him. I trust him blindly. This will go away and, hopefully, Medina Spirit will get reaffirmed as the 2021 Kentucky Derby winner.”

Should Medina Spirit be disqualified, Zedan will lose the $1,860,000 in purse money that goes to the winner of this year's Derby.

During a news conference he held at Churchill Downs, Baffert said he is not a “conspiracy theorist,” but, at the same time, questioned why he keeps getting positives. The implication was that he had done nothing wrong and that the system is flawed.

“I know one thing for sure, when you are that successful you create a lot of animosity,” Zedan said. “And a lot of issues get stirred up. I am not a believer in conspiracy theories. But this is a tax one pays for being that successful. There is absolutely no upside for anybody to do this. There was no reason to do this. He just finished up with whatever happened in Arkansas, where he was exonerated.”

Zedan said he had no plans to take any legal action of his own.

“I will leave it to Baffert,” he said. “He will take the lead on this. I am very much looking forward to being at the Preakness. I think he will make us proud in the Preakness and show everyone what a great horse he is. This, too, shall pass.”

Zedan has owned horses since 2017 and started off with Doug O'Neill. He had little success until sending his horses to Baffert in 2020. In addition to Medina Spirit, Baffert and Zedan teamed up to win the 2020 GI Del Mar Debutante and GI Chandelier S. with Princess Noor (Not This Time).

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Gun Runner Gets First Winner at Churchill

Well-bred Red Run (Gun Runner) ran to 3-5 backing Sunday in the Churchill Downs slop to become the first winner for his freshman sire (by Candy Ride {Arg}). Sporting the same Winchell silks that near $16-million earner and fellow Steve Asmussen pupil Gun Runner did, the chestnut broke in midpack and was ridden along to track from third as second timer Trebbiano (Connect) showed the way. One of several pursuers revving up behind the pacesetter heading for home, Red Run mounted his three-wide bid in upper stretch and outkicked a stubborn Trebbiano late to prevail by 1 3/4 lengths in :59.22. A very green Woodline (Gun Runner) rounded out the trifecta.

Red Run is the first foal out of an unraced full-sister to his connections' champion 3-year-old filly and GI Kentucky Oaks heroine Untapable (Tapit), as well as GISW Paddy O'Prado (El Prado {Ire}). Dam Red House produced another Gun Runner colt last March and was bred back to Copper Bullet for 2021.

Gun Runner, the 2017 Horse of the Year who stands at Three Chimneys–which co-campaigned him–was the leading first-crop sire by yearling average last year at $246,413. He has also led freshmen with more than one sold by 2-year-old sales average this term ($372,000), including a $1.7-million colt at Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream and an $850,000 colt at OBS April.

3rd-Churchill Downs, $99,058, Msw, 5-9, 2yo, 5f, :59.22, sy, 1 3/4 lengths.
RED RUN (c, 2, Gun Runner–Red House, by Tapit) Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $57,488. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
O/B-Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen.

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