Horse Racing News is the source of thoroughbred racing information with horse racing odds, betting tips, racing picks, race results, and handicapping. Latest news and articles on top horse racing contenders, jockeys, trainers, three-year-olds, race tracks, and major stakes races such as the Triple Crown races: the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes as well as the Breeders' Cup horse races.Jockey Breaks Neck in Accident
Posted on Thursday, April 27th, 2006
Jockey Guy Smith, second in the standings at Evangeline Downs Racetrack & Casino, suffered a broken neck after a fall on April 22 at the Opelousas, La., racetrack. He underwent surgery April 25.
Doctors said Smith, a native of Vinton, La., is lucky to be alive after the fall. The jockey was riding horse Pronounced in the eighth race at Evangeline when the horse lost his footing, throwing Smith to the ground.
The horse directly behind him, Net Wire, ridden by Sylvester Carmouche Jr., couldn’t avoid the fallen horse and fell on Smith’s neck.
Carmouche suffered a broken leg. Pronounced, trained by Keith Bourgeois and owned by James Green, was euthanized.
Smith was taken to Opelousas General Hospital but was transferred to Lafeytte General Medical Center later that evening. According to a Smith family spokesperson, neurosurgeons couldn’t believe he wasn’t instantly paralyzed in the accident. Test results showed Smith had shattered his C-7 vertebrae and broke his shoulder.
Doctors told the family paralysis is a possible side effect, but hopeful he can recover within four months.
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Race Entries Analysis for Kentucky Derby 132
Posted on Wednesday, April 26th, 2006
For the 132nd time 3-year-olds will take to the Churchill Downs main track for America’s Race. Of more than 425 horses nominated for the 2006 Triple Crown, only 20 or fewer will run in the Kentucky Derby. By Greg Melikov
Read full story: "Race Entries Analysis for Kentucky Derby 132"...
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2006 Kentucky Derby Notes
Posted on Tuesday, April 25th, 2006
Jockey Corey Nakatani, who will ride the son of A.P. Indy in the Derby, was aboard for the move.
Trainer John Shirreffs, who trained 2005 Kentucky Derby winner Giacomo, expressed satisfaction with the move and said A.P. Warrior likely would work again on Sunday. The colt is schedule to ship to Louisville on Tuesday, May 2.
BARBARO - Lael Stables’ Barbaro, the unbeaten winner of the Florida Derby (gr. I), was reported to be "doing great" by trainer Michael Matz the morning after a five-furlong breeze in 1:01.40 at Keeneland.
The son of Dynaformer is scheduled to ship to Churchill Downs on Thursday.
BLUEGRASS CAT/KEYED ENTRY/SUNRIVER - Two of trainer Todd Pletcher’s Kentucky Derby trio - Starlight Stable, Saylor and Lucarelli’s Keyed Entry and Aaron and Marie Jones’ Sunriver - walked in the shedrow on the day after pre-Kentucky Derby workouts on Sunday.
Pletcher said both colts came out of the works well and remain on target for the Kentucky Derby on May 6.
WinStar Farm’s Bluegrass Cat, winner of the Remsen (gr. II), galloped 1 ¼-miles under exercise rider Luis Castillo. The son of Storm Cat is scheduled to work on Sunday, April 30.
BOB AND JOHN/POINT DETERMINED/SINISTER MINISTER - Two of trainer Bob Baffert’s Kentucky Derby hopefuls - Wood Memorial (gr. I) winner Bob and John and Santa Anita Derby (gr. I) runner-up Point Determined - put in seven-furlong works Monday morning at Santa Anita.
Point Determined, owned by the Robert and Beverly Lewis Trust, was clocked in 1:24.80 and Stonerside Stable’s Bob and John covered the distance in 1:25.
"They both went fine," Baffert said. "Victor Espinoza was on Point Determined and he worked in company. Garrett Gomez was on Bob and John and he worked by himself."
Baffert did not disclose when he was shipping the duo to Churchill Downs.
Baffert’s third prospect, Toyota Blue Grass (gr. I) winner Sinister Minister arrived at Churchill Downs from Keeneland Monday afternoon.
BROTHER DEREK - Cecil Peacock’s Brother Derek turned in his final California work for Derby 132 by working seven furlongs in 1:28.40 Monday morning over a "fast" track at Santa Anita under Derby rider Alex Solis.
Working in company with stablemate Littlebitofzip, Brother Derek was clocked in fractions of :28.40, :52.20, 1:03.80 and 1:16.40.
"The work was fine. He broke off nice and easy and then picked it up and cruised on home," trainer Dan Hendricks said. "Alex was happy with the work. He never looks like he is doing anything because he does it so easy."
Hendricks called an audible on his travel plans for Brother Derek and will now ship to Louisville on Thursday, April 27 rather than Tuesday.
"This is a new option that was presented to me and it gives him two more days here at home," Hendricks said.
CAUSE TO BELIEVE - Peter Redekop and Peter Abruzzo’s Cause to Believe completed the California segment of his Kentucky Derby training by galloping 1 ½-miles at Bay Meadows with exercise rider Daron Long up.
Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said the son of Maria’s Mon was scheduled to leave at 6:30 (PDT) Tuesday morning for the flight to Louisville.
Hall of Fame rider Russell Baze will have the Derby mount.
DEPUTY GLITTERS - On another wet morning at Belmont Park, Deputy Glitters galloped a mile and a quarter under exercise rider Simon Harris.
Owned by Joseph Lacombe Stable Inc., Deputy Glitters is scheduled to work Wednesday or Thursday before he ships to Louisville on Thursday.
Deputy Glitters would mark the first Derby starter for trainer Tom Albertrani, who was here from 1999-2002 as an assistant to Dubai-based Godolphin’s Saeed bin Suroor.
FLASHY BULL/JAZIL/LIKE NOW - Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin reported from Keeneland that West Point Thoroughbreds LLC’s Flashy Bull came out of his Sunday work in good order and walked Monday morning. The Holy Bull colt had worked a half-mile in :50.40 over the Polytrack training surface at Keeneland.
No riding assignment has been confirmed for Flashy Bull for the Derby.
Shadwell Stable’s Jazil trotted 1 ½-miles under Simon Harris over a wet track Monday morning at Belmont Park. Fernando Jara has the riding assignment on Jazil.
LAWYER RON - The Estate of James Hines Jr.’s Lawyer Ron galloped two miles just before the renovation break under exercise rider Betsy Couch.
"He will do this every day until he works," Couch said of the son of Langfuhr, who is scheduled to work Saturday.
Trainer Robert Holthus, who has saddled horses in the past two Run for the Roses, is scheduled to return to Louisville on Thursday from sales in Ocala, Fla.
John McKee, who rode Pro Prado in 2004 and Greater Good in 2005 for Holthus, has the riding assignment on Lawyer Ron.
PRIVATE VOW/STORM TREASURE - Mike McCarty’s Kentucky Derby hopefuls Private Vow and Storm Treasure worked a sharp five furlongs in company on Monday at Churchill Downs.
The Steve Asmussen-trained duo hit the wire together in 1:00.20 over a "track" and galloped out six furlongs in 1:13.30. The time tied as the fastest of 43 at the distance. Two other horses had the same five-furlong clocking, and one was Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC’s Summerly, Asmussen’s 2005 Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) winner who is working toward her 4-year-old debut.
Asmussen said he wanted a strong work for both horses in their next-to-last serious moves before the May 6 Kentucky Derby and the pair had worked in company at times during the winter at Florida’s Palm Meadows training center.
"Storm Treasure is an extremely laid-back horse and will do anything you want," said Asmussen. "He’s always been very good company for Private Vow."
The effort by Private Vow, who will be making only his third start since November in the Derby, was especially pleasing to Asmussen. The colt had finished a well-beaten seventh in his first start in the Rebel (gr. III) at Oaklawn before rebounding with his third-place finish behind Lawyer Ron in the Arkansas Derby.
"I was excited about how he went today," Asmussen said. "The Rebel was very disappointing to me. I knew he needed more in him, but I thought he would still make a better showing than that. He did move forward in the Arkansas Derby, which gave us a lot of hope. And he has not worked this good all year as he did today. So, is he good enough? Can he go far enough? Those are huge questions - but he sure made me think positive today."
Asmussen told both his riders that he wanted strong gallop-outs following the five- furlong works.
"Going a mile and quarter (in the Derby), I just wanted them to stay steady and not let them back up underneath themselves," he said. "Private Vow’s been known to basically slide-stop galloping out, almost. He’s never been big on that. I told Shaun to keep him up underneath him. The other horse has shown that he’s kind of a stayer all along. I think that’s why, for this work, he was very good company for Private Vow. Speed isn’t something that I’m looking for from (Private Vow), he’s always had that. I just want him to stay steadier. With what they did today, I’ll probably separate them next week."
Asmussen said he would not begin a serious search for a rider for Storm Treasure until he sees that both colts have come out of Monday’s work in good shape.
The nation’s leader in wins in three of the last four years, Asmussen leads the victory category again this year. But the 40-year-old Texan has yet to taste success in the famed "Run for the Roses."
"It’s the most important race in the world to me," said Asmussen. "As far as professionally, I’d think that it’d be the one race that you’d want to win above all others."
SACRED LIGHT - Amerman Racing Stables LLC’s Sacred Light stood in the gate at Hollywood Park and then galloped a mile and half under exercise rider Martin DeRubin.
Trainer David Hofmans has slated a seven-furlong work for Wednesday morning at Hollywood Park and Kentucky Derby rider Aaron Gryder is expected to be aboard for the move.
Sacred Light is scheduled to ship to Louisville on Saturday.
SEASIDE RETREAT - William S. Farish Jr.’s Seaside Retreat galloped 1 1/2-miles before the renovation break at Churchill Downs with exercise rider Jose Castanon up.
Trained by Mark Casse, Seaside Retreat is scheduled to work Thursday morning. Patrick Husbands has the riding assignment for Derby 132.
SHARP HUMOR - Purdedel Stable’s Sharp Humor galloped a mile and three-quarters after the renovation break under exercise rider Faustino Orantes.
"He was on the muscle this morning," trainer Dale Romans said. "He is training about as well as any horse that I have brought into a race."
Mark Guidry has the riding assignment in the Derby and is scheduled to be aboard the Distorted Humor colt for a Saturday work.
SHOWING UP - Lael Stables’ Showing Up arrived at trainer Barclay Tagg’s barn at Belmont Park at 3:30 Monday morning after shipping from Keeneland where he won Sunday’s grade II Coolmore Lexington Stakes.
STEPPENWOLFER - Trainer Dan Peitz was on the scene Monday morning after driving in from New York on Sunday.
"The first 300 miles was nothing but rain, but after that the trip was fine," Peitz said.
With exercise rider Jody Pieper up, Steppenwolfer galloped 1 ½-miles before the renovation break.
Owned by Robert and Lawana Low, Steppenwolfer is scheduled to breeze six furlongs Saturday and Peitz said that Derby rider Robby Albarado would likely be up for that work.
"That will be his only work before the Derby," said Peitz, who added he would be monitoring the weather for the weekend. "If the track is muddy, that won’t be a problem. I just don’t want him out there if there is thunder and lightning."
SWEETNORTHERNSAINT - Joseph Balsamo and Ted Theos’ Sweetnorthernsaint galloped 1 ½-miles at Laurel Park under exercise rider Ernesto Ferdinand.
Trainer Michael Trombetta said the colt would have a light gallop in the morning with a scheduled departure by van at 9:30 (EDT) for the trip to Churchill Downs.
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2006 Kentucky Derby Contenders Graded Stakes Earnings
Posted on Monday, April 24th, 2006
| RANK | HORSE | OWNER | TRAINER | EARNINGS |
| 1 | Brother Derek | Cecil Peacock | Dan Hendricks | $1,114,980.00 |
| 2 | Lawyer Ron | Estate of James Hines, Jr. | Robert Holthus | $940,800.00 |
| 3 | Barbaro | Lael Stables | Michael Matz | $750,000.00 |
| 4 | Bob and John | Stonerside Stable | Bob Baffert | $590,370.00 |
| 5 | Sinister Minister | Lanni Family Trust, Mercedes Stable, LLC. & Schiappa | Bob Baffert | $465,000.00 |
| 6 | Private Vow | Mike McCarty | Steve Asmussen | $417,888.00 |
| 7 | A. P. Warrior | Stan Fulton | John Shirreffs | $323,185.00 |
| 8 | Sweetnorthernsaint | Balsamo & Theos | Michael Trombetta | $320,000.00 |
| 9 | Sharp Humor | Purdedel Stable | Dale Romans | $280,000.00 |
| 10 | Bluegrass Cat | WinStar Farm LLC | Todd Pletcher | $275,480.00 |
| 11 | Steppenwolfer | Lawana & Robert Low | Daniel Peitz | $230,000.00 |
| 12 | Keyed Entry | Starlight Stables, Paul Saylor & Donald Lucarelli | Todd Pletcher | $205,000.00 |
| 13 | Showing Up | Lael Stables | Barclay Tagg | $201,500.00 |
| 14 | Point Determined | The Robert & Beverly Lewis Trust | Bob Baffert | $200,000.00 |
| 15 | Cause to Believe | Abruzzo, Redekop B.C. Ltd. | Jerry Hollendorfer | $192,500.00 |
| 16 | Deputy Glitters | Joseph Lacombe Stable, Inc. | Thomas Albertrani | $163,750.00 |
| 17 | Storm Treasure | Mike McCarty | Steve Asmussen | $155,000.00 |
| 18 | Jazil | Shadwell Stable | Kiaran McLaughlin | $150,000.00 |
| 19 | Seaside Retreat | William S. Farish, Jr. | Mark Casse | $125,807.00 |
| 20 | Mister Triester | B. Wayne Hughes | Glen Stute | $112,000.00 |
| 21 | Flashy Bull | West Point Thoroughbreds LLC | Kiaran McLaughlin | $109,000.00 |
| 22 | Sunriver | Aaron & Marie Jones | Todd Pletcher | $100,000.00 |
| 23 | Sacred Light | Amerman Racing Stables LLC | David Hofmans | $97,300.00 |
| 24 | Malameeze | Mark Stanley | Bobby Barnett | $81,080.00 |
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Showing Up Undefeated After Winning Lexington Stakes
Posted on Monday, April 24th, 2006
Lael Stables could have two undefeated colts for the 2006 Run for the Roses after the inexperienced Showing Up passed his audition with a game win in the $325,000 Coolmore Lexington (gr. II) at Keeneland Saturday.
Read full story: "Showing Up Undefeated After Winning Lexington Stakes"...
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Lexington Stakes, Tesio Stakes - Last Derby Prep Races
Posted on Friday, April 21st, 2006
The last chance for three-year-olds being pointed toward the Kentucky Derby to gain enough earnings will be Saturday at Keeneland with the $325,000 Lexington Stakes. The field of the Run for the Roses on May 6 is limited to 20 horses based on graded stakes earnings.
Read full story: "Lexington Stakes, Tesio Stakes - Last Derby Prep Races"...
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Keeneland dirt track to be replace by Polytrack
Posted on Thursday, April 20th, 2006
While the change to Polytrack had been scheduled to take place after the current spring meeting, the plan still required the board’s final approval.
The new track still will be 1 1/16 miles around, but it will be widened in some areas, reaching 80-feet in width in the far turn. Keeneland plans to have the track ready in time for its October meet, which would make the Lexington facility the third in North America to race on Polytrack. Turfway Park installed the surface in September 2005 and Woodbine plans to race on Polytrack beginning in September ‘06.
The track plans to install a new tote board and a high-definition infield video screen. Also planned is a new modern safety rail.
"With these renovations and improvements, we hope to have one of the safest and most modern racetracks in the world," said Keeneland President Nick Nicholson. "Our track has not changed much since it was laid out and constructed using mules prior to our first race meeting in 1936. We believe that by taking advantage of the latest cutting-edge advancements, and creating the safest racing possible, we further the mission outlined by our founders to build a model racetrack."
Keeneland is a half owner in Turfway along with Harrah’s Entertainment Inc., and part of its reason for installing Polytrack at the Florence, Kentucky, track, was to determine if such a surface would be feasible for Lexington. Keeneland installed Polytrack on its five-furlong training track in September 2004.
Keeneland is the North American partner of the English-based Martin Collins Enterprises to distribute the surface to racetracks and training centers on its side of the Atlantic. Collins developed the surface in England.–Ed DeRosa
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