LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Tappan Street, the Grade 1 Florida Derby winner who suffered a condylar fracture in his right foreleg during a workout Saturday at Churchill Downs, underwent successful surgery on Sunday and the prognosis is good for a return to the races later this year, his connections said.

“He should make a full recovery, Dr. [Larry] Bramlage was very optimistic about his chances to return to the races,” said Elliott Walden, president of WinStar Farm, which co-owns the colt.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Jockey Jareth Loveberry got his first chance to ride the Kentucky Derby in 2023 and put up a terrific ride aboard Two Phil’s who finished second to Mage.

When it came to the Derby, Loveberry, 37, thought he would be one and done.

“Going into that race I was very confident, I thought ‘Okay, I really like this horse, I like how it could play out.' He showed up and ran a really, really good second,” Loveberry said.  “I was pretty emotional after that race. It took 18 years to get there and I didn’t think I’d be back.”

Peter Stern, an executive with a San Francisco-based mobile workforce company, was appointed to the California Horse Racing Board by Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday, according to a statement from the governor’s office.

Stern’s appointment fills a vacant role on the seven-person racing board following the resignation of John Carvelli who was appointed in August and relinquished his position in February.

The California Crown Stakes, run for $1 million last September, and two other stakes on the same program worth $750,000, will not be run for those values later this year, according to Santa Anita officials.

The California Crown was previously run as the $300,000 Awesome Again Stakes for 3-year-olds and older horses at 1 1/8 miles, a race that serves as a prep for the Breeders’ Cup Classic each autumn.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Eric Kruljac, whose stable included the California star sprinter The Chosen Vron in recent years, has retired from training.

Kruljac, 72, said last weekend that he plans to continue his involvement in the sport as an owner and breeder, and recently transferred his small stable to his son, Ian, 36.

Eric Kruljac had his last runner at Santa Anita when Uffda finished fourth in a $20,000 claimer at Santa Anita on March 15. Three of his former runners started for Ian Kruljac at Santa Anita last weekend.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Forever Young set the bar for Japan-based horses participating in the Kentucky Derby when he was beaten a head at odds of 7-1 in last year’s race while getting bumped in deep stretch.

Forever Young and T O Password, who finished fifth at odds of 48-1, have produced the two best finishes among eight Japan-based horses to compete in the Kentucky Derby.

Saturday, in Kentucky Derby 151, Japan will be represented by Luxor Cafe and Admire Daytona, both of whom are coming off stakes wins, but neither of whom are being fancied like Forever Young was last year.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Things have gone so well all spring for Journalism that the sometimes nerve-wracking event that is the Kentucky Derby post-position draw didn’t weigh heavily on his trainer, Michael McCarthy.

But Journalism did fare extremely well, drawing post 8 in a field of 21 entered Saturday for the $5 million Kentucky Derby to be run May 3 at Churchill Downs. A stalking-type runner, Journalism did draw outside most of the expected speed in the race with the exception of East Avenue, who drew post 12.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Take Charge Milady's status for next week's Kentucky Oaks is in doubt as the filly's team deals with a foot abscess she recently developed. 

"We don't know if we have enough time to get that together - there's a chance she could miss the race," trainer Kenny McPeek said Saturday morning after the filly turned in a routine gallop. "It's minor, but at the same time, timing's a little bit tricky. At this point, we're going to enter her, and we're going to see what kind of week we have." 

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario and Woodbine Entertainment have finalized a settlement agreement following an AGCO investigation into a series of equine injuries in fall 2024.

Between Oct. 28 and Dec. 15, 2024,19 horses sustained injuries while racing or training on Woodbine’s all-weather Tapeta surface. Ten of those injuries resulted in euthanasia, including three on Nov. 9.

Beginning Friday, Juan Hernandez, the leading rider at Santa Anita, will have one day off through May 4. The hectic schedule is by design.

Hernandez is riding at Santa Anita from Friday through Sunday and then flying to Kentucky on Monday to ride at Churchill Downs from Tuesday through May 3. He will be back at Santa Anita to ride on May 4.

Next week marks the second time in a month Hernandez has ridden in Kentucky. He won with two of nine mounts from April 9-13 at Keeneland during a week in which Santa Anita did not race.