Tag: Triple Crown

Trainer Ron Moquett is in a waiting game with King Russell after the 3-year-old colt moved into the Kentucky Derby (G1) picture by collecting 40 qualifying points for his second-place finish in the Arkansas Derby (G1) April 1 at Oaklawn.

King Russell's 40-point total, however, only ranked 25th entering Saturday on the latest Kentucky Derby Leaderboard released by Churchill Downs. The Kentucky Derby is limited to 20 starters, meaning King Russell will need several defections in the next 2½ weeks to make the 1¼-mile race May 6 at Churchill Downs.

“Just waiting to see if we make it,” Moquett said during training hours Friday morning at Oaklawn. “We want to run.”

A gray son of Creative Cause, King Russell entered the Arkansas Derby, Oaklawn's fourth and final Kentucky Derby points race, with only a maiden victory on his resume. King Russell made his first two starts last fall in Kentucky and finished second in his first two races this season at Oaklawn before his breakthrough victory at 1 1/16 miles Feb. 25. King Russell, under Rafael Bejarano, closed strongly in the Arkansas Derby to finish 4¼ lengths behind Angel of Empire and ahead of Grade 3 winners Reincarnate (third) and Rocket Can (fourth).

“We knew that when the distance stretched out, we were going to be better and better,” Moquett said. “He's one of those horses that was very talented, but we knew it was going to take some races to mentally mature and he's putting it together, step by step. Kind of come into his own at the right time. The last race, not everything went perfect for him in the Arkansas Derby, but he showed that he definitely prefers more ground and definitely has the class and ability to run with those type of horses.”

Moquett said King Russell is already at Churchill Downs with assistant trainer Greta Kuntzweiler, adding Bejarano would retain the mount for the Kentucky Derby. Bejarano, in his debut as an Oaklawn regular, rode first call for Moquett at the 2022-2023 meeting.

Asked about a Plan B, Moquett said King Russell could be wheeled back in the $200,000 Bath House Row Stakes at 1 1/8 miles April 22 at Oaklawn or go in an allowance race on the Kentucky Derby undercard. The Bath House Row winner, providing it's Triple Crown eligible, will receive automatic entry into the Preakness (G1) May 20 at Pimlico. The Preakness is the second leg of the Triple Crown.

“We know he's a good, quality horse, so, it doesn't have to be all right now,” Moquett said. “If we get to the Derby fine, it not we'll regroup and work our way to the next big one.”

Moquett has had two Kentucky Derby starters, finishing 15th with Far Right in 2015 and 19th with Whitmore in 2016. Moquett trains King Russell for Roger Naber and former Kentucky Governor Brereton C. Jones, the colt's breeder.

Angel of Empire, in his first work since the Arkansas Derby, covered a half-mile in :48.20 Saturday morning at Churchill Downs for trainer Brad Cox. Angel of Empire (154 points) ranks third on the Kentucky Derby Leaderboard.

Other Oaklawn-raced horses safely in the Kentucky Derby field, according to Churchill Downs, are Rocket Can (60 points to rank 10th through Friday), Hit Show (60/11th), Confidence Game (57/12th), Verifying (54/13th), Sun Thunder (54/14th) and Reincarnate (45/18th).

Another Oaklawn-raced horse, Jace's Road (45 points), entered Saturday No. 19, but he could be bounced by Oaklawn-raced Disarm. Disarm (40/26th) was entered in the $400,000 Stonestreet Lexington Stakes (G3) Saturday at Keeneland, a 1 1/16-mile race that offered 20 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the winner, eight to the runner-up and six to the third-place finisher. Continuar, a Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby invitee, holds the 20th spot in the rankings.

Angel of Empire also finished second in the Smarty Jones Stakes at 1 mile Jan. 1, which was Oaklawn's first Kentucky Derby points race. Confidence Game won Oaklawn's third Kentucky Derby points race, the $1 million Rebel Stakes (G2) at 1 1/16 miles Feb. 25.

The post ‘We Want To Run’: Moquett Playing Derby Waiting Game With King Russell appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Trainer Todd Pletcher's horses are set to move into Barn 39 at Churchill Downs over the next 72 hours.

On Sunday, Blue Grass Stakes (GI) winner Tapit Trice is scheduled to arrive at Churchill Downs from Keeneland at 10:30 a.m. (ET). Kentucky Derby (G1) favorite Forte, along with TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby (G2) winner Kingsbarns, are tentatively scheduled to arrive from South Florida early Tuesday morning. The duo are scheduled to van to Churchill Downs on Monday afternoon.

Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable's Forte breezed an easy half-mile in :50.23 Friday at Palm Beach Downs in Delray Beach, Fla.

The Violence colt, 2-year-old male champion of 2022, ranks first on the Kentucky Derby L:eaderboard with 190 qualifying points. He will arrive in Louisville as a solid favorite for the classic off five consecutive wins, including a resolute victory in the Curlin Florida Derby (G1) presented by Hill 'n' Dale Farms at Xalapa and a powerful 4½-length season-opening triumph in the Fountain of Youth (G2) March 4 at Gulfstream.

The post Kentucky Derby Favorite Forte Tentatively Set For Churchill Arrival Tuesday appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Frank Sumpter's homebred Sunland Park Derby (G3) winner Wild On Ice is scheduled to breeze Monday at Churchill Downs, according to trainer Joel Marr.

Wild On Ice arrived at Churchill Downs on Easter Sunday following a 15-hour journey from New Mexico. The Texas-bred Tapizar gelding was vanned to California, boarded a plane to Tennessee, and then was vanned to Churchill Downs.

Ken Tohill, who at age 60 would become the oldest jockey to ride in the Kentucky Derby (G1), is scheduled to work Wild On Ice on Monday.

“I think he's really gotten used to Kentucky this week,” Marr said. “He seems happy and is feeling good. We like to graze him after training in the morning and we just got done taking him to the equine spa.”

Wild On Ice is stabled in Barn 43.

The post Sunland Derby Victor Wild On Ice Set For Monday Breeze At Churchill Downs appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Two of trainer Brad Cox's four Kentucky Derby (G1) hopefuls–Arkansas Derby (G1) winner Angel of Empire and Gun Runner Stakes winner Jace's Road–continued their training toward the $3-million classic with easy half-mile moves Saturday morning at Churchill Downs.

When the track opened at 5:30 a.m. (ET), Albaugh Family Stables' Angel of Empire worked :48.20 alongside 3-year-old stablemate Tapit's Conquest. Two hours later, West Point Thoroughbreds and Albaugh Family Stables' Jace's Road posted the same time for his breeze on the outside of Victory Formation.

Angel of Empire, who will enter the Kentucky Derby following his 4¼-length victory in the Arkansas Derby, sported blinkers while working outside his stablemate through early fractions of :12.40 and :24.40. He galloped out five furlongs in 1:00.80, according to Churchill Downs clocker John Nichols. Cox's exercise rider Edvin Vargas was aboard the Classic Empire colt for the move.

Angel of Empire has previously used blinkers for his workouts.

Two hours later, Vargas was back in the irons on Jace's Road, a Quality Road colt who worked in similar fractions as Angel of Empire.

“It was a solid morning with three weeks out from the Derby,” Cox said. “It's always an exciting time of year and we'll see what happens in 21 days.”

Following Jace's Road's work, Cox's other Derby contenders, Blue Grass (G1) runner-up Verifying and Wood Memorial (G2) runner-up Hit Show, galloped about 1½ miles. They are scheduled to work next Saturday.

The post Angel Of Empire, Jace’s Road Breeze Easy Half Miles For Kentucky Derby appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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