Undefeated Good Cheer, the early favorite for the Kentucky Oaks, turned in a serious drill toward the May 2 filly classic on Thursday morning at Churchill Downs. She went five furlongs in company in 59.40 seconds, the fastest at the distance Thursday morning.
Skip to main content
Create Your DRF Account
New to DRF?
Everything you could possibly
need in one place
need in one place
Register
Don't have an account?
Register Here
Baeza, the Santa Anita Derby runner-up who needs several defections to make it into the Kentucky Derby field, will ship to Churchill Downs and be entered, at the very least, as an also-eligible for the race, trainer John Shirreffs said Thursday.
The Thoroughbred Daily News reported the change in plans Wednesday night.
Manny Franco has picked up the mount on East Avenue in the Kentucky Derby, while Javier Castellano will ride Owen Almighty.
Luan Machado rode East Avenue to a second-place finish in the Blue Grass Stakes, but he is committed to ride Jeff Ruby Steaks winner Final Gambit in the Derby.
East Avenue is owned by Godolphin and trained by Brendan Walsh. Franco filled in for the injured Junior Alvarado aboard the Godolphin-owned Sovereignty for the Grade 1 Florida Derby. Alvarado returned to action Wednesday and will ride Sovereignty in the Kentucky Derby.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Grande, the Wood Memorial runner-up, was scheduled to leave New York for Kentucky by van on Thursday afternoon. He will make a pit stop at Keeneland before shipping to Louisville for the May 3 Kentucky Derby.
At Belmont Park on Thursday, trainer Todd Pletcher said Grande will have one work before the Kentucky Derby. It will take place at Keeneland, not Churchill Downs.
Haulin Ice is on schedule to make her next start in the Grade 1, $1 million Derby City Distaff at Churchill Downs, trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said Wednesday. The seven-furlong race for fillies and mares is May 3.
“She’s going to work Friday and all being well, we’ll probably take a chance in the Grade 1,” Joseph said.
Wed, 04/16/2025 - 13:55
Free Like a Girl emerged from her runner-up finish in the Grade 1, $1.25 million Apple Blossom Handicap at Oaklawn last Saturday in good order and is scheduled to make her next start in the La Troienne at Churchill Downs, trainer Chasey Deville-Pomier said Wednesday.
The Grade 1, $1 million La Troienne will be run May 2. Thorpedo Anna, the reigning Horse of the Year who won the Apple Blossom by 4 1/4 lengths, is also being pointed for the La Troienne, according to her trainer, Kenny McPeek.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Oaklawn Park leading trainer Steve Asmussen is coming off an outstanding weekend with his sprinters, as Booth gave him his seventh win in the Grade 3, $500,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap on Saturday and Skelly popped a Beyer Speed Figure of 107 for an allowance win last Friday in his first out since November.
Skelly’s big Beyer is tied for highest of the meet, equaling the number Booth earned last month winning the Grade 3 Whitmore. The Beyers also are North America’s highest for male runners at distances of up to one mile on the main track so far in 2025.
Laurel Park will run its first turf races of the year this weekend, including three stakes races. Average field sizes at the track will increase significantly as many turf runners either ship back to Maryland or return from long winter breaks.
Parx Racing does not intend to schedule any turf racing until at least August due to potentially unsafe racing conditions. The Pennsylvania track, which typically hosts its first turf races in late spring, had issues maintaining the course last year and claims that adverse conditions over the winter have rendered the surface unsatisfactory for racing.
“This winter was a particularly challenging one, with extreme weather across the country,” a Parx spokesperson said in a statement. “We will not schedule any turf racing until we can properly evaluate the course this spring.”
Colonial Downs has released an expanded stakes schedule for the track's 41-day meet in 2025. Between July 9 and Sept. 13, the Virginia track will host 31 stakes races, including four graded stakes.
The highlight of the meet will be the Colonial Downs Festival of Racing, scheduled for Aug. 9, when the Grade 1 Arlington Million, Grade 2 Beverly D., and Grade 2 Secretariat will all be run on the same card alongside four ungraded stakes races. All the graded stakes that day will be run on the Secretariat Turf Course.