YEAR TWELVE! TWELVE! When we launched this in 2009, we were able to donate several hundred years to a racing charity. Last year? More than $2,700. Since that first contest, nearly $13,300. That’s a lot of money to benefit the horses and humans that make this sport possible, and you don’t have to be an…
Translated literally, his name means “more than perfect.” Francophones will recognize it as the verb tense that correlates with the pluperfect in English. Clint Joiner et Tyler Alexander de Calloway Stables avaient tous deux travaillé avec des chevaux avant de démarrer une enterprise de course. Clint Joiner and Tyler Alexander had both worked with horses…
Churchill Downs: The GI, $3 million Kentucky Derby at 1 1/4 miles #1 War of Will (15-1): The reported inside speed drew worst of all, but, because of the two defections, he will at least get to move over one stall and not actually break from the extremely disadvantageous rail, though being inside in the…
Oaklawn Park: The GI, $1 million Arkansas Derby at 1 1/8 miles (Kentucky Derby qualifying points: 100-40-20-10) #1 Improbable (8-5): The favorite was run down late by fellow rival Long Range Toddy in his return in the slower (by only .07) split division of the local prep, the GII Rebel last month, and will be…
New Yorker Mike Repole arrived at Aqueduct Racetrack on Saturday, April 6, with an entourage of 50 friends and family members. He had horses entered in each of the last five races, four of them in stakes. Standing in the winner’s circle after Life’s a Parlay, co-owned by Repole and St. Elias Stable, won the Grade 3 Excelsior,…
Tacitus may be named for a Roman historian that one encyclopedia calls “the greatest prose stylists who ever wrote in the Latin language,” but it took more grit and guts than elegance to win the Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct Racetrack. Breaking from post 2 under José Ortiz, Tacitus was one of many horses…
Santa Anita: The GI, $1 million Santa Anita Derby at 1 1/8 miles (Kentucky Derby qualifying points: 100-40-20-10) by Brian Nadeau #1 Roadster (5-2): The first of two from Baffert looked good winning his comeback here last month, when he settled just off the early pace in an optional-claimer and drew off late, in what…
Keeneland: The GII, $1 million Blue Grass at 1 1/8 miles (Kentucky Derby qualifying points: 100-40-20-10) #1 Somelikeithotbrown (10-1): Turf/Poly specialist has been a terror for Maker since a no-show debut sprinting in the slop at Saratoga and will now try to take his graded stakes form to real stuff in the hopes of qualifying…
Aqueduct: The GII, $750,000 Wood Memorial at 1 1/8 miles (Kentucky Derby qualifying points: 100-40-20-10) by Brian Nadeau #1 Tax (9-2): The 3-year-old version of Rodney Dangerfield has gotten little respect on the Triple Crown Trail this year but has done nothing but impress—and run fast—in his two starts since being claimed by Gargan, which…
Gulfstream Park: The GI, $1 million Florida Derby at 1 1/8 miles (Kentucky Derby qualifying points: 100-40-20-10) #1 Hidden Scroll (5-2): The most polarizing horse in training seems to have as many lovers as he does non-believers after he flew on the lead when he tried two turns in the local GII Fountain of Youth…
Brooklyn Backstretch 