Sat, 03/22/2025 - 15:45

Sovereignty draws the outside in 10-horse field for Florida Derby

By Mike Welsch
Lauren King / Coglianese Photos
Sovereignty, winner of the Fountain of Youth in his 3-year-old debut, drew post 10 for next Saturday's Florida Derby.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Sovereignty, the 8-5 morning-line favorite, will have to overcome the disadvantage of breaking from the extreme outside in a field of 10 drawn for Saturday’s $1 million Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park. The Grade 1 fixture and important Kentucky Derby prep will be the final event on a 14-race card that features nine other stakes, four of them graded, including the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Oaks. Post time for the headliner is 6:42 p.m. Eastern.

Fri, 03/21/2025 - 15:38

Espinoza confident that Zeus' War can break through

By Steve Andersen

When Zeus’ War finished fourth by a half-length in an allowance race on turf on Jan. 25, jockey Assael Espinoza was left encouraged.

The allowance race was the first career start on turf for Zeus’ War, who was stakes-placed on dirt at Pleasanton last November.

“I always knew he would run good on the grass,” Espinoza recalled on Friday. “He’s got that stride. He gave me a good run down the lane.”

Fri, 03/21/2025 - 15:25

Express Train likely to travel for next start

By Steve Andersen
Emily Shields
Express Train may start next in the Oaklawn Handicap or Ben Ali at Keeneland.

Decision time is looming on where to race Express Train in the next month.

Express Train, who races for Lee and Susan Searing and trainer John Shirreffs, finished second in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap on March 1. An 8-year-old, Express Train had his first work since the Big Cap on Friday, officially going five furlongs in 1:02.40.

Trainer John Shirreffs said the official time included a one-furlong gallop out and that Express Train worked a half-mile in 49 seconds. Jockey Hector Berrios was aboard.

Fri, 03/21/2025 - 14:34

Taxed candidate for Derby City Distaff

By Mary Rampellini
Coady Media
Taxed won an Oaklawn allowance over six furlongs in her most recent start on March 9.

Taxed is under serious consideration for the Grade 1, $1 million Derby City Distaff at Churchill Downs, said trainer Randy Morse. The seven-furlong race for fillies and mares will be run May 3.

Taxed won an Oaklawn allowance over six furlongs in her most recent start on March 9, closing from more than 15 lengths off the pace for a neck win.

“She got it done,” Morse said. “I might try the Grade 1 at Churchill going seven-eighths. We’ll kind of just play it by ear and we’ll see.”

A Grade 2 winner, Taxed is nearing career earnings of $900,000.

Fri, 03/21/2025 - 14:25

Booth returns to track after meet-best Beyers

By Mary Rampellini
Coady Media
Booth has posted Beyer Speed Figures of 107 and 105 in his last two races.

Booth has emerged as the fastest horse at Oaklawn based on Beyer Speed Figures, earning a 107 for his win in the Grade 3, $250,000 Whitmore last Saturday and a 105 for his victory in an overnight stakes, the Commodore. The numbers are the top two Beyers put up this meet.

“We’re extremely proud of how good Booth’s running right now,” said trainer Steve Asmussen. “It was great to have him win his first graded stakes. I think he definitely has benefited from time and he’s obviously faster now than he’s ever been.”

Fri, 03/21/2025 - 14:21

Arkansas Derby, Fantasy fields taking shape

By Mary Rampellini
Coady Media
Coal Battle has won two Kentucky Derby preps during the Oaklawn meet.

Oaklawn racing secretary Pat Pope said he’s hoping for a field of nine to 12 horses for the Grade 1, $1.5 million Arkansas Derby next Saturday. Entries for the 1 1/8-mile race will be drawn Sunday.

Arkansas Derby probables include Coal Battle and Speed King, who have won the meet’s first three preps for the Kentucky Derby, as well as Sandman and Bestfriend Rocket.

The Arkansas Derby will be showcased on a 13- or 14-race card, Pope said Friday. All of the races will be either stakes, overnight stakes, allowances, or maiden special weight races.

Fri, 03/21/2025 - 14:11

Disarm ready to return to graded-stakes company

By Mary Rampellini
Coady Media
Disarm’s next race will likely come in either the Grade 2, $1.25 million Oaklawn Handicap on April 19 or the Grade 2, $750,000 Alysheba on May 2 at Churchill Downs.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Disarm is poised to return to graded-stakes company after opening his 5-year-old season with a sharp allowance win at Oaklawn Park.

Trainer Steve Asmussen said Disarm’s next race will likely come in either the Grade 2, $1.25 million Oaklawn Handicap at 1 1/8 miles on April 19 or the Grade 2, $750,000 Alysheba at 1 1/16 miles on May 2 at Churchill Downs.

Fri, 03/21/2025 - 13:22

Brown likely sending Chancer McPatrick to Blue Grass, Hill Road to Wood

By David Grening
Barbara D. Livingston
During his 2-year-old campaign, Chancer McPatrick won the Grade 1 Hopeful at Saratoga and the Grade 1 Champagne at Aqueduct.

In hopes of getting both horses qualified for the Kentucky Derby, trainer Chad Brown said that he is leaning toward running multiple Grade 1 winner Chancer McPatrick in the Grade 1, $1.25 million Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland while sending Hill Road to the Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct. Both races are on April 5.

Chancer McPatrick and Hill Road finished second and third, respectively, in the Tampa Bay Derby on March 8, the 3-year-old debut for both.

Fri, 03/21/2025 - 13:18

Jimmy Jerkens returns to U.S.; may get into bloodstock business

By David Grening
Barbara D. Livingston
During his training career in the United States, Jimmy Jerkens won 846 races and 12 Grade 1 races.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – After a successful two-year stint training in Saudi Arabia, Jimmy Jerkens has returned to New York. Jerkens, 66, is weighing his options about his future in the sport.

Jerkens trained 12 individual Grade 1 winners, including two Breeders’ Cup winners, in a 26-year career before taking a job in Saudi Arabia to train for Faisal bin Khalid Al Saud. Jerkens said while he wants to be around horses, he is not interested in starting over from scratch in the U.S. with his own stable.

Thu, 03/20/2025 - 14:19

Prat, Hernandez, Rispoli headed out of town for lucrative stakes

By Steve Andersen
Susie Raisher
Flavien Prat will be aboard Breeders' Cup Classic winner Sierra Leone in Saturday's New Orleans Classic at Fair Grounds.

ARCADIA, Calif. – The three leading jockeys at the current Santa Anita winter-spring meeting – Juan Hernandez, Flavien Prat, and Umberto Rispoli – will ride at Fair Grounds or Turfway Park on Saturday, the first time the trio have all been away from California since Jan. 25.

Through Monday, Hernandez led all riders with 43 wins, closely followed by Prat with 41. Rispoli is third with 32 wins.

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