Edited Press Release Cyberknife emerged in good order from his breakthrough victory in the $1.25 million Arkansas Derby (G1) before 60,000 Oaklawn fans and “probably” ships Tuesday to Churchill Downs to begin preparing for the May 7 Kentucky Derby (G1), the colt’s trainer, Brad Cox, said the morning of April 3. Cyberknife received a preliminary Beyer Speed Figure of 92 (a career high) for Saturday’s 2 ¾-length victory over Barber Road, which marked the second consecutive for the son of Gun Runner since a disappointing sixth-place finish in his stakes debut, the $200,000 Lecomte (G3), at 1 1/16 ..read more

Edited Press Release Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. expressed pleasure with White Abarrio’s condition the morning of April 3 at Gulfstream Park following his victory in Saturday’s $1 million Florida Derby (G1), and he has reason to believe that the son of Race Day will be even better on the first Saturday in May. “Physically, he’s not an overly big horse. He’s filled out and he’s grown a bit. He’s a changed horse,” Joseph said. “He’s changed from November to now, and he’s showing it on the track. That’s what you want. You want to be improving at this time of year. I feel he’s making forward progres ..read more

Edited Press Release Otter Bend Stables’ Gufo saved his best punch for last, turning in a powerful finishing kick to chase down and overpower Abaan to win the $200,000 Pan American Stakes (G2). Away from the races since early November when the 5-year-old was 10th in the Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1), Gufo showed no signs of rust, settling toward the back of the pack in the 1 1/2-mile grass stakes before mounting a late charge to blow past Abaan and win in a hand ride under jockey Joel Rosario. Novo Sol was third. Gufo, the Christophe Clement-trained son of Declaration of War was ..read more

Edited Press Release Tsunebumi and Sekie Yoshihara’s Yuugiri, coming off a third behind Secret Oath in the Feb. 26 Honeybee Stakes (G3), earned her time in the spotlight with a front running victory in the $600,000 Fantasy Stakes (G3) at Oaklawn Park on April 2. The win earned her 100 points and a guaranteed spot in the Kentucky Oaks (G1) Friday, May 6.  Yuugiri, ridden by Florent Geroux, showed the way throughout, setting fractions of :22.89 and :46.65 for the first half mile while being tracked by Bubble Rock.  Beguine, at 11-1, lurked throughout, but could not get to the winner in ..read more

Edited Press Release Juddmonte Farm Inc.’s Fulsome, winner of last year’s Oaklawn Stakes, returned to Hot Springs for his 4-year-old debut and pulled the mild upset in the $400,000 Oaklawn Mile (G3) on April 2.  Fulsome got shuffled back to last at the break and stayed there while Market Analysis set the early fractions of :22.73 and :45.87 or the first half mile. Cezanne, the 4-5 favorite, came from third to grab the lead at the top of the stretch, but could not hold off the fast closing winner, who got up in the final jump to win by a neck in 1:36.43 for a mile over a fast track. Runnin ..read more

By Alicia Hughes There are some race horses who make their trainer’s lives easy, either because they are blessed with talent that is impervious to the whims of human error or because they have the kind of mind that absorbs crucial lessons like a sponge. Cyberknife has not been one of those horses. While the son of Gun Runner showed the ability that is becoming the hallmark of offspring by the 2017 Horse of the Year, he was mentally all over the place in his first five outings. He left his two-time Eclipse Award winning conditioner fitful on occasion due to his erratic behavior, mostly because ..read more

Edited Press Release C2 Racing Stable LLC and La Milagrosa Stable LLC’s White Abarrio punched his ticket for Louisville, Ky. on the first Saturday of May when the gray son of Race Day took the lead in the stretch and held off Charge It to capture the $1 million Florida Derby (G1) at Gulfstream Park on April 2. “It means the world to me. The Florida Derby is up there with the Kentucky Derby because we’re based at Gulfstream,” emotional trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said. “I’m just thankful and blessed that we have this opportunity. It’s amazing.” The 71st running of the Florida Derby headlined ..read more

Edited Press Release Winngate Stables’ multiple stakes-winning filly Kathleen O. kept her perfect record intact and further established herself as one of the leaders of her division with a powerful 2 ¾-length triumph over Goddess of Fire in the $250,000 Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) on April 2. The 52nd running of the 1 1/16-mile Oaks for 3-year-old fillies was the eighth of 10 stakes, six graded, worth $2.2 million in purses on a blockbuster 14-race program anchored by the $1 million Florida Derby (G1). Favored at 1-2 over six rivals off three wins to start her career, the last two coming th ..read more

Edited Press Release The California Horse Racing Board announced on Saturday, April 2 that “[trainer Bob Baffert is now suspended pursuant to CHRB Rule 1484].”  California has thus reciprocated the suspension against Bob Baffert imposed by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, which will begin on April 4, 2022.  Because of the CHRB’s ruling, any trainer on the grounds at Santa Anita Park, Golden Gate Fields, San Luis Rey Downs or Los Alamitos Race Course who may be the transferee of horses from the Baffert barn will be required to apply for stalls for those horses from the Santa Anit ..read more

Edited Press Release Repole Stable’s Fearless, a multiple grade stakes-winning son of Ghostzapper, lived up to his 1-5 favoritism with a six-length romp in the $100,000 Ghostzapper Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream Park on April 2.  Fearless, who finished second in the Fred W. Hooper (G3) and Gulfstream Park Mile (G2) going around one-turn, appreciated the stretch-out to 1 1/8 miles. The Todd Pletcher-trained 6-year-old gelding pushed his career record at Gulfstream to five wins to go along with three runner-up finishes in eight starts. Under jockey Luis Saez, Fearless stalked the pace around the ..read more