Here & There – April 9
Nearly all the major Kentucky Derby preps are in the books, the hardware was handed out at the New York Thoroughbred Breeders Annual Awards Dinner and the spring steeplechase season is starting to hit its stride.
Tom Law
Breeding Watch: Eyes on the Oaks
Brereton Jones has won the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks twice with homebreds by Proud Citizen – Proud Spell in 2008 and Believe You Can in 2012.
The former governor of Kentucky may have to make room in his trophy case with a pair of contenders for this year’s Oaks in Grade 1 Central Bank Ashland Stakes winner Lovely Maria and Grade 3 Fantasy Stakes victress Include Betty.
Progress continues for Icabad Crane
Phillip Dutton occasionally risks sounding like he’s on replay when discussing the reinvention and remarkable progression of Icabad Crane. But there’s no exaggeration or overstatement in his assessments of the now 10-year-old gelding who continues to consistently surpass all expectations.
Breeding Watch: Gold Standard
The influence of the late Claiborne Farm Seeking the Gold was especially prominent around the globe last weekend while sires from some other Mr. Prospector lines launched major contenders into Kentucky Derby orbit.
Rice loaded for Keeneland opener
Nine horses. Entries in seven of the 10 races on the opening day card at Keeneland Race Course. Just another day at the office for Todd Pletcher? Think again.
The above scenario is not in store for Pletcher, who only has one entered Friday. It’s what’s on the docket for Wayne Rice, who shipped a string of 27 into Lexington earlier this week and is ready to roll.
NY breeders continue to up ante through 2015 foals
As the snow recedes from the landscape in upstate New York, this year’s crop of foals is taking its place. Even on the heels of a benchmark year for the New York State breeding and racing program in 2014, it is clear that New York breeders are continuing to up the ante with each cohort of foals, and the 2015 crop is no exception.
Breeding Watch: Line to the classics
Line of David’s second Derby winner of 2015 vaulted him to the top of the second-crop sire chart while Candy Ride and Lemon Drop Kid saw their latest graded stakes winners emerge in Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks preps at Turfway Park.
Breeding Watch: Big bucks, big success
Six North American stallions command an advertised fee of $100,000 or more for the 2015 season and three of them sired new stakes winners last weekend.
Here & There – March 13
Two days from the Ides of March and we’re playing a little catch-up here at This Is Horse Racing.
Breeding Watch: Sweet Songs
Daughters of Unbridled’s Song produced a trio of stakes winners last weekend – two of them major Kentucky Derby contenders – while City Zip’s latest good 3-year-old sped to the top of the sophomore sprint division.
