KeenelandWeather: CloudyTemperature: 58Training Track: Fast
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The first of Daily Racing Form’s workout reports leading up to the 2016 Kentucky Derby was supposed to start with a real bang, with likely favorite Nyquist scheduled to put in his penultimate work for the race Friday at Keeneland. But Mother Nature stepped in to alter those plans, with overnight rain leading trainer Doug O’Neill to postpone the work until Saturday.
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Ten days into the Keeneland spring meet, and Wesley Ward already had four 2-year-old winners. Tack on another one at Aqueduct, and there’s little danger of Ward losing his reputation as a 2-year-old master anytime soon.
Ward said Friday while home in south Florida that it’s been an exciting start to a year that will take him back to the Royal Ascot meet in England in June.
“We’ll nominate them all to the big races over there,” said Ward, referring to Big City Dreamin, Con Te Partiro, Silvertoni, Lady Aurelia, and the New York winner, Lady Stardust.
CYPRESS, Calif.– Enola Gray, the smashing winner of a maiden race for California-breds by 16 1/4 lengths in her debut April 10, could make her stakes debut at Santa Anita in May.
On Thursday, Enola Gray worked a half-mile in 47.60 seconds at Santa Anita. On Friday, trainer Phil D’Amato said he has numerous options for Enola Gray, including the $75,000 Angels Flight Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at seven furlongs May 15 against open company or the $200,000 Melair Stakes for 3-year-old California-bred fillies at 1 1/16 miles on May 28.
Mor Spirit, the two-time stakes winner who was second in the Santa Anita Derby on April 9, was flown to Churchill Downs on Friday for the Kentucky Derby on May 7, a day after a five-furlong breeze at Santa Anita.
Mor Spirit was timed in 1:01.60 in his first workout since finishing behind Exaggerator in the Santa Anita Derby. Trainer Bob Baffert considered waiting until Mor Spirit was based at Churchill Downs before resuming workouts but said he changed his mind.
CYPRESS, Calif. – Martin Pedroza reached a career milestone with a victory aboard Justin Squared in Thursday’s seventh race at Los Alamitos, becoming the all-time winningest rider at Los Alamitos meetings that are primarily for Thoroughbreds.
In his career, which began in 1982, the 50-year-old Pedroza has won 87 races at Los Alamitos at the former Orange County fair meetings, held from 1977 to 1991, and at daytime Thoroughbred meetings held since 2014 following the closure of Hollywood Park in late 2013.
Curtis Burns is one of the most sought-after farriers in both the Thoroughbred and show-horse worlds, so it was no surprise that owner Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale had Burns flown in recently to tend to Runhappy, his star colt whose 4-year-old campaign has been delayed by a foot bruise.
Burns said while visiting Keeneland last weekend that he is satisfied with the progress being made by Runhappy, whose current training regimen under Laura Wohlers consists merely of daily jogs at the Thoroughbred Center on the north side of Lexington.
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Track records have been falling like pennies from heaven this spring at Keeneland, but knowing fans and horsemen are taking them in context.
It got pretty ridiculous early this week, as the Wednesday card opened with back-to-back records: Hey Mike went 4 1/2 furlongs in 51.36 seconds, and Tale of Life went 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.34. Then, on Thursday, Lady Aurelia further lowered the 4 1/2-furlong record by winning in 50.85 seconds, and Free Rose set a turf-course record for 1 1/8 miles in 1:51.42.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Barkley and Crazy Prophet were impressive winners in their 3-year-old debuts last Sunday, and they could face each other in the $75,000 Emerald Downs Derby on July 31 or the Grade 3, $150,000 British Columbia Derby on Sept. 10. If either horse wins both races, he will receive a $25,000 bonus.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Jockey Emma-Jayne Wilson once again will head to Ascot Racecourse in August to defend her Shergar Cup jockey-challenge title as the captain of the Girls team.
Wilson, Sammy Jo Bell, and Hayley Turner combined to win last year’s Shergar Cup, marking the first title for the Girls team in the 15-year history of the event. This year, Wilson will captain the Girls team for the second consecutive year and will be joined on the team by Cathy Bannon and Melbourne Cup winner Michelle Payne.
