Top News | Horse Racing Free Tips

Medina Spirit Ready to Represent Baffert in Santa Anita Derby

Zedan Racing Stables, Inc.'s Medina Spirit (Protonico) breezed a half in :48 flat (13/64) Sunday morning at Santa Anita as he readies to represent trainer Bob Baffert in Saturday's GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby. The GIII Robert B. Lewis S. winner has twice finished second to unbeaten stablemate Life Is Good (Into Mischief), who was also pointing for the Santa Anita Derby before being sidelined with an ankle chip.

“He went very nice [under jockey Juan Ochoa],” Baffert said. “I also worked [GII Rebel S. runner-up] Hozier (Pioneerof the Nile, 5f, 1:00.80, 26/76); [GISW and Saudi Cup runner-up] Charlatan (Speightstown, 4f, :48 flat, 13/64); and [defending champion female sprinter] Gamine (Into Mischief, 5f, 59.60, 3/76).”

'TDN Rising Star' Life Is Good, meanwhile, underwent surgery by Dr. Larry Bramlage at Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital on Friday to remove the chip.

“The surgery went well,” Baffert said. “I received great reports on it. It was minor, so that was good and he should be back a lot sooner than we thought he would.”

The post Medina Spirit Ready to Represent Baffert in Santa Anita Derby appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Prevalence Preps for Wood

Godolphin's unbeaten 'TDN Rising Star' Prevalence (Medaglia d'Oro) recorded his final breeze ahead of Saturday's GII Wood Memorial S. presented by Resorts World Casino, covering a half mile in a best-of-30 :47.60 at Palm Meadows Sunday morning.

“He worked here this morning at Palm Meadows and it went very well and he's flying up there [to Aqueductus] on Wednesday,” said conditioner Brendan Walsh. “It looks like he's going into the race in good shape. It's another step now, so we'll find out if he can go the two turns as well. This will answer our questions and be a good test for him.”

A buzzed-about 8 1/2-length debut winner going seven panels at Gulfstream Jan. 23, the homebred annexed a one-mile optional claimer by three lengths Mar. 11.

“He's a very nice, quiet, easy-going horse and I don't think the travel will affect him at all,” Walsh said. “We'll see how he handles the track. He hits me as a horse who can handle any kind of surface.”

Others to work in Florida Sunday before shipping to New York included the Saffie Joseph, Jr.-trained pair of GI Carter H. contender Mischevious Alex (Into Mischief) (4f, :47.14, 2/70 at Gulfstream) and GIII Bay Shore S.-bound Drain the Clock (Maclean's Music) (4f, :47.72, 5/70). Joseph will have 12 stalls at Belmont Park this spring.

“We're coming in with good horses in 'Alex' and Drain the Clock and it would be nice to get off to a good start,” he said. “I think we have a very strong set of horses.”

The post Prevalence Preps for Wood appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Known Agenda All Good After Florida Derby

St Elias Stable homebred Known Agenda (Curlin) appears to have exited his victory in Saturday's GI Curlin Florida Derby in good order. “Excellent. He came back in great shape, good energy. I'm very happy with him,” trainer Todd Pletcher said Sunday. “He'll stay here for a little while. We'll just kind of monitor the weather everywhere and play it by ear whether he has one work at Churchill [Downs] or two works [before the GI Kentucky Derby.”

Third in December's GII Remsen S., the son of GISW Byrama (GB) (Byron {GB}) was fifth as the favorite from far back in the GIII Sam F. Davis S. Feb. 6 at Tampa Bay Downs. He got a confidence builder while adding blinkers and annexing a Gulfstream optional claimer by 11 lengths two back Feb. 26.

“He's made a lot of progress in his last two starts,” Pletcher said. “I think the addition of blinkers has been part of it, and part of it is he's getting more experienced and more comfortable in those scenarios when he's behind horses and inside of horses and taking some dirt.

“I've been pleased with the way he's been able to get a better position in the race and improve his position going along. We've always had a strong feeling that added distance was going to be to his liking. To have three wins at a mile and an eighth now is great, and we feel great about him stretching out even farther.”

The post Known Agenda All Good After Florida Derby appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Hush of a Storm Aiming for Blue Grass

Hush of a Storm (Creative Cause), a scratch from Saturday's GIII Jeff Ruby Steaks despite having won that event's local prep, could make his next start in Keeneland's GII Toyota Blue Grass S. next Saturday. “We hope to run in the Blue Grass,” trainer Bill Morey said Sunday morning from Keeneland. “When we scratched, we brought him here yesterday afternoon.” The $75,000 OBS April grad has won his last three starts, all on the Turfway Tapeta, including the John Battaglia Memorial S. Feb. 26.

The post Hush of a Storm Aiming for Blue Grass appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post