ARCADIA, Calif. - Royal Ship was being walked in the paddock after a half-mile workout early Sunday morning when the banter began between Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith atop the 5-year-old gelding and Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella, who was watching from the rail.
No one was in a hurry, particularly Smith, who was cooling out the Brazilian-bred.
“Should I walk him around one more time, Mr. Mandella?” the 55-year-old Smith asked.
“Yes, I think you need the experience,” Mandella cracked.
Roman Centurian, who was withdrawn from consideration for the Santa Anita and Arkansas derbys this month, will be rested for 45 days and is currently in Kentucky, trainer Simon Callaghan said Sunday.
Roman Centurian was flown to Kentucky last week. Earlier this year, the colt was second in the Grade 3 Robert Lewis Stakes on Jan. 30 and fourth in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes on March 6 at Santa Anita.
“We’ll give him a little bit of time,” Callaghan said. “He’s got a little bone bruising.”
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Champion Monomoy Girl and Group 1 winner Letruska put in workouts Sunday at Oaklawn Park as they move closer to a start in the Grade 1, $1 million Apple Blossom Handicap.
The 1 1/16-mile race will be run Saturday. It shares a card with the Grade 2, $1 million Oaklawn Handicap. The stakes close out the Racing Festival of the South, a run of eight major races over the meet's first three Saturdays in April.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Keith Asmussen, the 79-year-old patriarch of one of racing’s most successful families, was spending time on Sunday at the barn with son Steve Asmussen, as he has on so many mornings through the years.
But this visit was unlike any other.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - As a half-brother to 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify, Stage Raider certainly has the pedigree to get his connections excited. Now, he has a performance to, ahem, justify that excitement.
While the Triple Crown prep season was wrapping up Saturday, Stage Raider set the foundation to be a presence in the 3-year-old division in the second half of the year with a flashy 10 3/4-length maiden victory in the slop at Keeneland.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Paco Lopez became the latest jockey to join the 3,000-win club, reaching that milestone after being awarded the victory in Saturday’s second race at Gulfstream Park aboard Heart of God, who was elevated to first via the disqualification of apparent winner Sassy Beast.
LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Like the King, who punched his ticket to the Kentucky Derby by winning the Grade 3 Jeff Ruby on Turfway's Tapeta, began his serious preparations for the Derby with an in-company work on the turf Saturday morning at trainer Wesley Ward's Keeneland base.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Hot Rod Charlie, the Louisiana Derby winner, worked five furlongs in 1:01.20 on Saturday morning at Santa Anita as he moves on toward the Kentucky Derby on May 1, but it was the person on his back, as much as the quality of the work, that was noteworthy.
Flavien Prat was up for trainer Doug O’Neill, who said Prat would have the mount pending the decision of the colt’s regular rider, Joel Rosario.
Rosario is also the regular rider of Concert Tour, who was set for his final Derby prep later Saturday in the Arkansas Derby for trainer Bob Baffert.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – As trainer Jorge Abreu watches Mystic Guide turn into the top older horse in training, he is getting excited for Liveyourbeastlife’s return to racing.
Last summer at 3, Liveyourbeastlife finished second to Mystic Guide in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga. Liveyourbeastlife came back to run last in the Preakness Stakes before being put away for the rest of the year. This year, Mystic Guide has won the Dubai World Cup and the Grade 3 Razorback.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – After a winter vacation in South Florida, Firenze Fire is back in New York where on Friday the 11-time stakes winner worked five furlongs in 1:00.99 over the Belmont Park training track in preparation for his 6-year-old campaign.
Trainer Kelly Breen said Firenze Fire is pointing to the Grade 3, $150,000 Runhappy Stakes at Belmont Park on May 8. Firenze Fire won the Runhappy in 2019, one of five stakes victories Firenze Fire owns at Belmont Park. In 2017, Firenze Fire won the Grade 1 Champagne.
