LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Though it is becoming increasingly likely trainer Bob Baffert won’t have a runner in this year’s Kentucky Derby, there is no doubt he has a serious one in Friday’s $1 million Kentucky Oaks.
On an otherwise quiet Sunday morning at Churchill Downs, Midnight Lucky had observers in awe with a sensational five-furlong workout over the main track.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – When it comes to getting horses to this year’s Kentucky Derby next Saturday, it has been the tale of two trainers, the best of times for Todd Pletcher, who it looks will have five in the race, and the worst of times for Bob Baffert, who all but ruled out both Code West and Govenor Charlie on Sunday morning.
Sadie’s Soldier, under patient handling by Diego Saenz, rallied out of the final turn and drew steadily clear the final furlong to successfully defend his title in the $50,000 John Henry Stakes on Saturday night at Evangeline Downs.
Bauers Got Hours also turned in a late run to finish second, 5 1/4 lengths back and a neck in front of Its Mr Slew to You, who was a head better than 7-5 favorite Quality Control.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Forty Tales and Capo Bastone capped a sensational run-up to the 139th Kentucky Derby for trainer Todd Pletcher by finishing one-two in the 89th Derby Trial on a chilly, rainy opener to the 38-day Churchill Downs spring meet Saturday night.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - A string of tricky winners at Betfair Hollywood Park on Saturday has led to a pick six carryover of $120,940 for Sunday’s program
Sunday’s pick six covers the fourth through ninth races on a nine-race program that begins at 1 p.m. Pacific.
There is also a carryover of $20,789 in the $1 super high five on Sunday’s ninth race.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Jockey Rafael Bejarano is closing in on his 3,000th career win in a hurry.
Saturday, he won three races at Betfair Hollywood Park, all stakes on California Gold Rush Day, including the $300,000 Snow Chief Stakes with Surfcup.
Through Saturday, Bejarano, 30, has 2,989 wins. He won four races at Hollywood Park on Friday to take an early lead in the spring-summer meeting that began on Thursday.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Heavily favored Evelyn’s Dancer paid $3.40 for her front-running win over Overvalued in the 6 1/2-furlong $50,000 Brighouse Belles for fillies and mares at Hastings Saturday.
Breaking alertly from her outside post in the seven-horse field, Evelyn’s Dancer carved out honest fractions of 22.48 and 45.64 seconds over a sloppy track that clearly favored speed. Overvalued made a strong bid on the stretch turn, but was easily repelled by Evelyn’s Dancer. Terlani made a late move to finish third.
PHOENIX – Red Zeus validated his heavy favorite status at Turf Paradise on Saturday, but it wasn’t easy. The 3-year-old Red Zeus captured the $56,129 Gene Fleming Breeders’ Derby, one of five stakes on Arizona-bred Day at the Phoenix track.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Curvy Cat, a former $8,000 claimer, gave trainer Jerry Hollendorfer his third stakes win on Saturday’s California Gold Rush program at Betfair Hollywood Park in the $126,000 B. Thoughtful Stakes for California-bred fillies and mares.
Hollendorfer expects even more in the future from the 4-year-old Curvy Cat, who her first stakes in the B. Thoughtful over 7 1/2 furlongs.
