Triple Crown | Horse Racing Free Tips

Churchill Open To The Public For Derby/Oaks Works And Will Livestream Training

Between Saturday, April 17 and Wednesday, April 28, Churchill Downs will be open free-of-charge daily from 7-10 a.m. so guests can watch the nation's top 3-year-old Thoroughbreds train toward their engagements in this year's Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks.

“For the past 146 years, the Kentucky Derby has created memories and traditions for so many families and friends in our community,” said Churchill Downs Racetrack President Mike Anderson. “There's no better way to start the day than to watch our majestic Thoroughbreds train up-close and personal. We're thrilled to deliver this new experience free of charge and open it up to the general public for everyone to enjoy.”

Horses train on Churchill Downs' main track daily from 5:15-10 a.m. Beginning Saturday, April 17, there will be an exclusive training window only for Derby and Oaks participants from 7:30-7:45 a.m. following the 7-7:30 a.m. renovation break. Those horses will be identified by special saddle towels which include their names: yellow saddle towels for Derby horses and pink saddle towels for Oaks contenders.

Churchill Downs will livestream the Kentucky Derby Morning Works presented by TwinSpires.com across its social media channels starting on Monday, April 19. Video also will be broadcast on Churchill Downs' Big Board.

Guests can enter Churchill Downs through the Paddock Gate and should park for free in the nearby White Lot for convenient entry. Guests will be directed to Sections 115-117 to watch the morning workouts.

Face coverings are required and guests must practice social distancing. Churchill Downs will continue to rely on proven health and safety protocols and operate within the guidance of local and state health officials as well as the CDC.

Between Saturday, April 17 and Friday, April 23, guests may bring in their own food and beverage during the morning workouts. Food and beverage may not be brought into the facility between Saturday, April 24 and Wednesday, April 28 because of Kentucky Derby Week security protocols but Churchill Downs' new Paddock Grill will be open during that period to offer breakfast items for purchase.

The 147th runnings of the $1.25 Longines Kentucky Oaks (Grade I) and $3 million Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (GI) will be held Friday, April 30 and Saturday, May 1, respectively. Opening Night of Derby Week and the 38-day Spring Meet is Saturday, April 24. For Derby Week and Spring Meet tickets, visit www.KentuckyDerby.com/Tickets.

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Hidden Stash, Likely To Make Derby Field, Fires Bullet Workout At Keeneland

BBN Racing's Hidden Stash began preparations for a likely start in the Kentucky Derby (G1) Presented by Woodford Reserve by working a half-mile in :47.80 Wednesday morning at Keeneland shortly after the track opened for training at 5:30 a.m. The work was the best of 23 at the distance for the morning.

Working in company with 4-year-old allowance winner Kentucky Ghost and unraced 3-year-old Social Chatter, Hidden Stash produced fractions of :12.60, :24.40, :36.60 and :47.80, catching up to his workmates at the wire after starting 8 lengths back. He galloped out five furlongs in 1:00 and six furlongs in 1:13.80 over a fast track with jockey Rafael Bejarano aboard.

Fourth in Keeneland's Toyota Blue Grass (G2) in his most recent start, Hidden Stash ranks 21st on the Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard. The top 20 point earners to pass the entry box will be in the starting gate for the $3 million race. A few horses ahead of Hidden Stash are considered not likely to enter.

The bullet work put to rest any concerns trainer Vicki Oliver might have had about Hidden Stash being tired following his Toyota Blue Grass run.

“I thought he worked really well and we beat the rain,” Oliver said, referring to a steady rain that began at 6:15 a.m. “I was going to work Thursday, Friday or Saturday. I was watching the weather and I wanted to get a decent work in, so we went this morning.”

Oliver plans to work Hidden Stash again on Saturday, April 24 and ship to Churchill Downs the morning of Tuesday, April 27. The colt by Constitution is familiar with Churchill, where he raced twice last year and picked up one of his two career victories.

Under operation for less than three years, BBN Racing is proud of its accomplishments with such runners as Grade 1 winner Concrete Rose, raced in partnership with Ashbrook Farm, and Grade 2-placed Hidden Stash.

In Kentucky, “BBN” means only one thing: the University of Kentucky fandom. The enthusiastic group inspired the racing operation's name.

“BBN Racing does stand for Big Blue Nation, not because all the partners are from Kentucky – most of the partners are huge sports fans,” said Braxton Lynch, a Founding Partner of BBN Racing with Brian Klatsky and Brendan O'Brien. “Big Blue Nation is known for its enthusiasm and passion and that's what we wanted to capture with BBN Racing. It's made up of friends and family who watched horse racing from the sidelines and has given them a chance to participate, while spreading the (investment) risk.”

Hidden Stash, a colt by Constitution bred in Kentucky by Rhineshire Farm, comes from the family of Grade 1 winner and sire Sky Mesa and Grade 1 winner Maxfield. Vinery Sales, agent for Rhineshire Farm, consigned him to the September Sale, where he sold to BBN for $50,000.

“He was quite immature at the time,” Lynch said, “and I remember thinking that we might have just found a diamond in the rough. Either that or just a piece of coal. Luckily, he's looking more and more like a diamond.”

Trained by Vicki Oliver, Hidden Stash received his early training at Keeneland. He scored his first career victory here during the 2020 Fall Meet and next won an allowance race at Churchill Downs. Hidden Stash was third in the Sam F. Davis (G3) and second in the Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby (G2) in his first two starts at 3.

“This horse is tactical and can adapt to whatever options are thrown at him,” Lynch said. “He's a horse that has improved with every race. We've been itching to stretch him out, and I think he's slowly maturing into the kind of horse we hoped he would be. He tries hard every time, and that's all you can ask these athletes to do.”

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‘Money Mike’ Smith Picks Up Kentucky Derby Mount On Midnight Bourbon

As reported by the Daily Racing Form's Marty McGee on Twitter Tuesday, two-time Kentucky Derby-winning jockey Mike Smith has picked up a mount for the race's 2021 edition. He'll partner the Steve Asmussen-trained Midnight Bourbon (Tiznow), winner of the G3 Lecomte Stakes in January, and subsequently third and second in the G2 Risen Star and G2 Louisiana Derby, respectively.

Midnight Bourbon races for Winchell Thoroughbreds, LLC.

Smith's two Derby wins came in 2005 with longshot Giacomo and in 2018 with the favorite and eventual Triple Crown winner, Justify.

Originally, the Hall of Fame rider was booked on early roses favorite Life is Good for trainer Bob Baffert, but that colt was injured, underwent surgery for an ankle chip, and is expected to miss the 2021 Triple Crown races.

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Derby: Chad Brown Will Start Either Highly Motivated Or Crowded Trade, But Not Both

Trainer Chad Brown has a pair of 3-year-olds in the top 20 points-earners on the 2021 Road to the Kentucky Derby, Highly Motivated (13) and Crowded Trade (18), but told Blood-Horse he plans to start just one of those on the first Saturday in May.

“I'm leaning toward running Crowded Trade in the Preakness,” Brown told BH, “but I want to be represented in the Kentucky Derby by either him or Highly Motivated. I won't run both of them in the Derby, but I want to work both of them this weekend and see how their health status is before making a final decision.”

Highly Motivated (Into Mischief) ran a bang-up race in the Blue Grass Stakes last out, altering his running style to set the pace and racing game through the stretch to be beaten just a neck by likely Kentucky Derby favorite Essential Quality.

Meanwhile, Crowded Trade (More Than Ready) was third last out behind Bourbonic and Dynamic One in the Wood Memorial, beaten 1 1/4 lengths after closing from nearly the rear of the field.

The defection of Crowded Trade would mean Hidden Stash, 21st on the points list, would earn a spot in the starting gate for the Kentucky Derby. The Constitution colt ran third in the G3 Sam F. Davis, second in the G2 Tampa Bay Derby, and fourth in the G2 Blue Grass Stakes on the prep trail this season for trainer Victoria Oliver.