Edited Churchill Staff Release – On a gorgeous Thursday morning at Churchill Downs, trainer Bill Mott’s barn was bustling with activity as Emily Bushnell & Ric Waldman’s Wood Memorial (Grade II) winner Resilience (4F, :50.20) along with George Krikorian’s Ashland (GI) runner-up Just F Y I (4F, :50) retuned to the work tab to continue their preparations for the 150th running of the $5 million Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (GI) and $1.5 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI), respectively.         &nb ..read more

As the HRI Faithful already know, we love turf racing — except when jockeys allow loose speed on a ridiculously early lead. That said, turf horses hold their form longer. While today’s fourth race has drawn seven horses, a solid case can be made for four of them to win. Busy Morning (5-2) comes off an impressive score for the white hot Jorge Abreau shed and is pole sitting. Lady Cha Cha (6-1) is a 3YO vs. older but never has taken a backward step on the Thoro-Graph scale and gets anywhere from 4 to 6 pounds from the major contenders. Crimson Princess (3-1) is consistently fastest and Mike Make ..read more

Hallandale Beach, April 16, 2024 — The Road to the Kentucky Derby is officially closed, and it’s a good thing, too. Although this rendition is led by a few standouts, the viable-contender traffic is bumper-to-bumper. Whoever wins landmark Derby 150 will have earned it, the hard way to be sure. The 20-horse gathering features good horses with speed, good horses with stalking ability, and good deep closers. This Derby has everything, truly a can’t-wait event for fans and horseplayers alike. And the bonus is that the pools are so large that rebating one-percenters, privileged with special access ..read more

Road to the Kentucky Derby Leaderboard, listed by rank, qualifying points, trainer, owner, and non-restricted-stakes earnings to break ties: 1. Sierra Leone 155 Peter Brant, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael B. Tabor, Derrick Smith, Westerberg & Brook T. Smith Chad Brown $871,250 2. Fierceness 136 Repole Stable (Mike Repole) Todd Pletcher $1,646,100 3. Catching Freedom 125 Albaugh Family Stables LLC (Dennis Albaugh) Brad Cox $802,000 4. Stronghold 125 Eric M. & Sharon Waller Phil D’Amato $742,800 5. Resilience 110 Emily Bushnell & Ric Waldman Bill Mott $416,000 6. Forever Young (JPN) 100 ..read more

Can Street View (7-2) stretch her speed at a fairly moderate tempo to breaker maiden in her seventh career start? We think, with Emisael Jaramillo in the boot, that’s a distinct possibility. First, she never has taken a backward step on the Thoro-Graph scale, showing incremental improvement from start to start … and her figures are most than enough if she brings her ‘A’ game for George Weaver. We love the idea of a mini-stretchout, the barn is showing a positive ROI with all starters in the last three months and Weaver is 29% profitable with Jaramillo, particularly adept with position types on ..read more

Edited Churchill Staff Release – With only three weeks remaining until the 150th running of the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (Grade I), Albaugh Family Stable’s Catching Freedom; Amerman Racing’s Endlessly; Lance Gasaway, 4 G Racing and Valley View Farm’s Mystik Dan; and David Bernsen, Tony and Michael Holmes and Norevale Farm’s Common Defense continued their training towards the “Run for the Roses” with published workouts Saturday morning at Churchill Downs.   &nbs ..read more

Edited Gulfstream Staff Release – Repole Stable’s Fierceness, who established himself as the early favorite for the May 4 Kentucky Derby (G1) with a record-breaking triumph in the $1 million Curlin Florida Derby (G1) March 30 at Gulfstream Park, returned to the work tab at Palm Beach Downs Friday morning with an ‘easy’ four-furlong breeze under Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez. The son of City of Light’s first workout since his 13 ½-length Curlin Florida Derby romp was timed in 50.17 seconds while breezing in company with graded-stakes winner Agate Road.      &n ..read more

Unless the first-time starters in today’s eighth race in Oldsmar can really run. or Ruby’s Big Red runs back to his debut in his return to Oldsmar, Bill Mott’s Mellifluous (9-5) has reached graduation day. As all know, Mott is patient, and it wasn’t until the colt’s third lifetime start, and Tampa debut, that he moved forward when a very good second in a fast race last out, his Tampa debut. And Mott is 29% effective when Samy Camacho is in the boot. We’re not fighting the obvious in this spot. Taking Mellifluous to win, no price restrictions, and key-boxing him first and second in exotic pools ..read more

A maiden claiming event for 3-year-olds going 1-1/16 miles on the Tampa turf is most intriguing. It’s a full field in which solid case can be made for four runners, but we’re settling on price shot Spectacular Luck (8-1). For openers, this is his third start since coming off a lifetime top, easily good enough to win here but also buoyed by trainer trainers and intent. Mike Dini is dropping him two classes, a profitable 25% win rate, with two more money finishers from a 16-race sample. He’s switching to Samy Camacho and had his runner work two closely spaced drills for this. Taking Spectacular ..read more

Even though today’s sixth race was decimated by scratches, surprising because it’s Tapeta Track, there still remains a good possibility for value. I can understand if the scratched connections feel it’s prudent to duck sold favorite, impressive maiden breaking Trumpets (2-1), On the Dot (8-1 has an excellent chance to upset this group. It’s unlikely that those early line odds will be a available–half would be very good, but no lower than 3-1. But bettors are also unlikely to back inexperienced apprentice Melvis Gonzalez, unless they believe, as I do, that it’s worth the chance if you’re in wit ..read more