First Look: Ky. Derby prep at Fair Grounds is 1 of 8 key stakes
Photo:
Ron Flatter & Tim Sudduth / Eclipse Sportswire – edited composite
Imagine how quickly conventional wisdom changes on any given
horse. East Avenue, for example.
Graduating to two turns, the Godolphin homebred colt by
Medaglia d’Oro looked unbeatable dominating the Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity last
fall at Keeneland. Four weeks later East Avenue dropped to his knees coming out
of the gate at Del Mar, leaving him to finish ninth in the Breeders’ Cup
Juvenile.
From the penthouse to the outhouse. And back? If he were to
win Saturday in the $500,000 Risen Star Stakes (G2) at Fair Grounds, East
Avenue will all but mathematically clinch an invitation to Kentucky Derby 2025
and make a push to be the futures favorite.
This is the part in the script where the virtual
win-and-you’re-in races start. The Risen Star is the first of the preps worth
50-25-15-10-5 Derby points. Since the current qualifying system started 12
years ago, no horse getting more than 45 points has been denied entry into the
20-horse field at Churchill Downs.
Four other graded tests including a Kentucky Oaks (G1)
points prep will support the Risen Star at Fair Grounds. Graded stakes also are
coming Saturday to Gulfstream Park and Santa Anita. Lower-level Derby and Oaks
preps will be run Sunday at Sunland Park.
Saturday
Risen Star (G2), Fair Grounds, 1 1/8 miles, 3-year-olds,
Kentucky Derby 50-25-15-10-5 points race
He may be the favorite based on two open-lengths triumphs
before his Breeders’ Cup flop, but East Avenue is not exactly getting a
walkover this weekend. Iroquois (G3) victor Jonathan’s Way finished second last
out in the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) on Nov. 30 at Churchill Downs. Gun Runner
winner Built lost the Lecomte (G3) by just a neck when he was stuck in post 12 in
the Fair Grounds slop, so getting the 9 hole actually is an improvement for
him. Vassimo carries a 2-for-2 record to his third track but his first stakes
for trainer Todd Pletcher.
| Post | Silks | Horse / Sire | Rating | Trainer / Jockey | Last start / Next start | Morn. line |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
American Promise Justify |
5.59 | 12-1 | ||
|
Last race Next race |
||||||
| 2 |
|
Jonathan’s Way Vekoma |
6.74 | 4-1 | ||
|
Last race Next race |
||||||
| 3 |
|
Vassimo Nyquist |
5.87 | 8-1 | ||
|
Last race Next race |
||||||
| 4 |
|
East Avenue Medaglia d’Oro |
7.34 | 9-5 | ||
|
Last race Next race |
||||||
| 5 |
|
Chunk of Gold Preservationist |
0.00 | 30-1 | ||
|
Last race Next race |
||||||
| 6 |
|
Seattle Road Quality Road |
5.84 | 30-1 | ||
|
Last race Next race |
||||||
| 7 |
|
Septarian Protonico |
5.45 | 12-1 | ||
|
Last race Next race |
||||||
| 8 |
|
Giocoso Not This Time |
6.19 | Keith Desormeaux | 20-1 | |
|
Last race Next race |
||||||
| 9 |
|
Built Hard Spun |
6.57 | 5-1 | ||
|
Last race Next race |
||||||
| 10 |
|
Render Judgment Blame |
6.17 | 12-1 | ||
|
Last race Next race |
||||||
| 11 |
|
Jolly Samurai First Samurai |
5.95 | 30-1 | ||
|
Last race Next race |
||||||
| 12 |
|
Vamos Carlitos Catholic Boy |
0.00 | 30-1 | ||
|
Last race Next race |
||||||
| 13 |
|
Magnitude Not This Time |
6.20 | 12-1 | ||
|
Last race Next race |
||||||
Rachel Alexandra (G2), Fair Grounds, 1 1/16 miles,
3-year-old fillies, Kentucky Oaks 50-25-15-10-5 points race
Good Cheer may not have the three Grade 1 victories and the Eclipse Award her injured stablemate Immersive has. She does, however, sport the same 4-for-4 record. The Godolphin homebred daughter of Medaglia d’Oro looks like a more-than-ready understudy who would clinch her place in the Kentucky Oaks (G1) with another triumph Saturday. Good Cheer comes back from a 2 1/2-month break since she scored in the Golden Rod (G2) at Churchill Downs. That was her second win in an Oaks prep, the first coming Oct. 7 in the Rags to Riches. She has been favored every time she starts, and her average margin of victory has been 8.1 lengths.
| Post | Silks | Horse / Sire | Rating | Trainer / Jockey | Last start / Next start | Morn. line |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Anonima Sharp Azteca |
0.00 | 6-1 | ||
|
Last race Next race |
||||||
| 2 |
|
Good Cheer Medaglia d’Oro |
7.37 | 6-5 | ||
|
Last race Next race |
||||||
| 3 |
|
Ballerina d’Oro Medaglia d’Oro |
6.34 | 7-2 | ||
|
Last race Next race |
||||||
| 4 |
|
Gowells Delight Practical Joke |
0.00 | 12-1 | ||
|
Last race Next race |
||||||
| 5 |
|
Aledean Game Winner |
6.12 | 15-1 | ||
|
Last race Next race |
||||||
| 6 |
|
Simply Joking Practical Joke |
6.47 | Whit Beckman | 4-1 | |
|
Last race Next race |
||||||
| 7 |
|
Bless the Broken Laoban |
5.87 | 12-1 | ||
|
Last race Next race |
||||||
Mineshaft (G3), Fair Grounds, 1 1/16 miles, 4-year-olds
and up
Returning to the site of his Louisiana Derby (G2) triumph
last year, Catching Freedom shakes off the cobwebs from spending 7 1/2 months
on Cox’s bench. In eight starts that have earned the Albaugh family $1,372,350,
the Constitution colt never has been worse than fourth, which is where he finished
in Kentucky Derby 2024. Cox freshened Catching Freedom last summer before returning him to training in the fall. Hall of Fame, a $1.4 million Gun Runner colt,
tries again for his first stakes win after a pair of allowance scores in his
last two starts for trainer Steve Asmussen.
| Post | Silks | Horse / Sire | Rating | Trainer / Jockey | Last start / Next start | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Warrior Johny Cairo Prince |
5.59 | 3rd, 2024 Tenacious 2025 Mineshaft G3 |
Entered | |
|
Last race Next race |
3rd, 2024 Tenacious 2025 Mineshaft G3 |
|||||
| 2 |
|
Heroic Move Quality Road |
5.79 | Entered | ||
|
Last race Next race |
||||||
| 3 |
|
Tuscan Sky Vino Rosso |
6.35 | Entered | ||
|
Last race Next race |
||||||
| 4 |
|
Hall of Fame Gun Runner |
6.09 |
1st, FG Alw OC (1/5/2025-R6) |
Entered | |
|
Last race Next race |
1st, FG Alw OC (1/5/2025-R6) |
|||||
| 5 |
|
Catching Freedom Constitution |
7.69 | Entered | ||
|
Last race Next race |
||||||
| 6 |
|
Maycocks Bay Speightstown |
6.14 | Entered | ||
|
Last race Next race |
||||||
| 7 |
|
Batten Down Tapit |
6.64 | Bill Mott | Entered | |
|
Last race Next race |
||||||
| 8 |
|
Komorebino Omoide California Chrome |
6.19 | Entered | ||
|
Last race Next race |
||||||
Fair Grounds presented by Horse Racing Nation
(G3), Fair Grounds, 1 1/8 miles, turf, 4-year-olds and up
Five-year-olds Gigante and Idratherbeblessed will be
rematched after they finished one-two in that order in a pair of Fair Grounds
stakes this winter. They had a length between them in the Buddy Diliberto
Memorial on firm turf, and they were 1 3/4 lengths apart last month in the
Colonel E. R. Bradley, which was rained off the grass. With $1,187,650 in
earnings, Gigante is a seven-time stakes winner for Asmussen who finished
fourth in this race last year.
| Post | Silks | Horse / Sire | Rating | Trainer / Jockey | Last start / Next start | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
What Say Thee Sea The Stars |
0.00 |
1st, CD Alw OC (11/17/2024-R4) |
Entered | |
|
Last race Next race |
1st, CD Alw OC (11/17/2024-R4) |
|||||
| 2 |
|
Gigante Not This Time |
6.52 | Entered | ||
|
Last race Next race |
||||||
| 3 |
|
Unit Economics Showcasing |
0.00 |
2nd, GP Alw OC (12/28/2024-R6) |
Entered | |
|
Last race Next race |
2nd, GP Alw OC (12/28/2024-R6) |
|||||
| 4 |
|
Idratherbeblessed Unified |
3.79 | Entered | ||
|
Last race Next race |
||||||
| 5 |
|
Relampago Verde Bolt d’Oro |
0.00 |
1st, FG Alw OC (01/27/2025-R8) |
Entered | |
|
Last race Next race |
1st, FG Alw OC (01/27/2025-R8) |
|||||
| 6 |
|
Money Supply Practical Joke |
6.23 | Entered | ||
|
Last race Next race |
||||||
| 7 |
|
Dean Martini Cairo Prince |
5.80 |
7th, John Forbes Memorial |
Entered | |
|
Last race Next race |
7th, John Forbes Memorial |
|||||
| 8 |
|
Taking Candy Twirling Candy |
4.09 |
3rd, CD Alw OC (11/17/2024-R4) |
Entered | |
|
Last race Next race |
3rd, CD Alw OC (11/17/2024-R4) |
|||||
| 9 |
|
Higgins Boat Omaha Beach |
5.09 | Entered | ||
|
Last race Next race |
||||||
| 10 |
|
Warrior Johny Cairo Prince |
5.59 | Entered | ||
|
Last race Next race |
||||||
Royal Delta (G3), Gulfstream Park, 1 1/16 miles, fillies
and mares, 4-year-olds and up
Four-year-old Grand Job may be fulfilling the promise that
came with her being a Justify filly with Coolmore ties in the stable of Joseph
O’Brien. After four failed attempts in 2023 to break her maiden in Ireland, she
was sold to Bell Tower Thoroughbreds and Medallion Racing and sent across the
Atlantic to trainer Bill Mott. In and out of training for more than a year, she
finally got back to racing in October. Two starts have produced two victories
by six and 8 1/4 lengths. The Royal Delta will be Grand Job’s first time racing
more than a mile.
| Post | Silks | Horse / Sire | Rating | Trainer / Jockey | Last start / Next start | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
American Retro American Pharoah |
4.45 |
4th, Wayward Lass |
Entered | |
|
Last race Next race |
4th, Wayward Lass |
|||||
| 2 |
|
Dream Concert Jess’s Dream |
0.00 |
3rd, Wayward Lass |
Entered | |
|
Last race Next race |
3rd, Wayward Lass |
|||||
| 3 |
|
Foreseen Uncle Mo |
0.00 | Rusty Arnold Luca Panici |
4th, KEE ALW (10/17/2024-R7) |
Entered |
|
Last race Next race |
4th, KEE ALW (10/17/2024-R7) |
|||||
| 4 |
|
Libban Laoban |
5.93 | Entered | ||
|
Last race Next race |
||||||
| 5 |
|
Intrepid Daydream Jess’s Dream |
6.09 | Entered | ||
|
Last race Next race |
||||||
| 6 |
|
Riding Pretty Jack Milton |
4.45 |
8th, GP Alw OC (1/18/2025-R8) |
Entered | |
|
Last race Next race |
8th, GP Alw OC (1/18/2025-R8) |
|||||
| 7 |
|
Dazzling Move Not This Time |
0.00 | Entered | ||
|
Last race Next race |
||||||
| 8 |
|
Grand Job Justify |
0.00 | Bill Mott |
1st, CD ALW (12/1/2024-R7) |
Entered |
|
Last race Next race |
1st, CD ALW (12/1/2024-R7) |
|||||
| 9 |
|
Miss New York Good Magic |
6.09 | 2nd, 2024 Carousel 2025 Royal Delta G3 |
Entered | |
|
Last race Next race |
||||||
| 10 |
|
Autumn Evening Malibu Moon |
5.79 | Entered | ||
|
Last race Next race |
||||||
| 11 |
|
Neon Icon Arrogate |
5.94 | Rusty Arnold | Entered | |
|
Last race Next race |
||||||
Palos Verdes (G3), Santa Anita, 6 furlongs, 4-year-olds
and up
Big City Lights not only tries for his second straight score
in this race, but he also is trying to run his winning streak to three. The
6-year-old Mr. Big horse owned by William Peeples and trained by Richard
Mandella was an 8 1/2-length victor Nov. 9 going seven furlongs in the Cary
Grant at Del Mar. He came back Jan. 18 to run off by 7 3/4 lengths in the
six-furlong California Cup Sprint at Santa Anita. Those races were against
fellow Cal-breds. The last two times Big City Lights faced open company, he
wound up third in both the Triple Bend (G2) and Pat O’Brien (G2).
| Post | Silks | Horse / Sire | Rating | Trainer / Jockey | Last start / Next start | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Big City Lights Mr Big |
6.30 |
1st, California Cup Sprint |
Entered | |
|
Last race Next race |
1st, California Cup Sprint |
|||||
| 2 |
|
Anarchist Distorted Humor |
6.92 | Entered | ||
|
Last race Next race |
||||||
| 3 |
|
Roll On Big Joe Prospective |
5.94 | Bob Hess Jr. |
1st, SA Alw OC (1/3/2025-R8) |
Entered |
|
Last race Next race |
1st, SA AOC (1/3/2025-R8) |
|||||
| 4 |
|
Bartholdy Mendelssohn |
0.00 |
1st, SA Alw OC (12/28/2024-R7) |
Entered | |
|
Last race Next race |
1st, SA Alw OC (12/28/2024-R7) |
|||||
| 5 |
|
Mbagnick Practical Joke |
0.00 | Entered | ||
|
Last race Next race |
||||||
| 6 |
|
For All Mankind Into Mischief |
0.00 |
2nd, SA Alw OC (1/3/2025-R8) |
Entered | |
|
Last race Next race |
2nd, SA Alw OC (1/3/2025-R8) |
|||||
Sunday
Sunland Derby, Sunland Park, 1 1/16 miles, 3-year-olds,
Kentucky Derby 20-10-6-4-2 points race
Skipping this month’s Saudi Derby (G3), Getaway Car might be looking at his last chance to measure
up to the bar that six-time Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Bob Baffert sets for
classics. Once 2-for-2 with a Grade 3 score in his second race, the Curlin colt
owned by the SF Racing partnership is 4: 0-2-0 since. Last seen fading to
second in the 1 1/8-mile Los Alamitos Futurity (G2), Getaway Car has not scored
going longer than seven furlongs. Baffert has won the Sunland Derby three times,
most recently with Chitu in 2014.
| Post | Silks | Horse / Sire | Rating | Trainer / Jockey | Last start / Next start | Morn. line |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Itsmybirthday Vekoma |
0.00 |
1st, TUP ALW (1/16/2025-R5) |
20-1 | |
|
Last race Next race |
1st, TUP ALW (1/16/2025-R5) |
|||||
| 2 |
|
Remember Big Jim Medaglia d’Oro |
0.00 |
2nd, Riley Allison Derby |
12-1 | |
|
Last race Next race |
2nd, Riley Allison Derby |
|||||
| 3 |
|
Smash It Star Guitar |
5.79 |
3rd, Riley Allison Derby |
12-1 | |
|
Last race Next race |
3rd, Riley Allison Derby |
|||||
| 4 |
|
Getaway Car Curlin |
6.92 | 9-5 | ||
|
Last race Next race |
||||||
| 5 |
|
Spenard Spun To Run |
0.00 |
1st, TUP MOC (1/16/2025-R3) |
20-1 | |
|
Last race Next race |
1st, TUP MOC (1/16/2025-R3) |
|||||
| 6 |
|
Take Charge Tom Tom’s d’Etat |
0.00 |
1st, Riley Allison Derby |
8-1 | |
|
Last race Next race |
1st, Riley Allison Derby |
|||||
| 7 |
|
McKinzie Street McKinzie |
6.39 | 4-1 | ||
|
Last race Next race |
||||||
| 8 |
|
Touchy Nyquist |
6.06 | 7-2 | ||
|
Last race Next race |
||||||
| 9 |
|
Caldera Liam’s Map |
5.87 |
1st, OP MSW (1/17/2025-R2) |
5-1 | |
|
Last race Next race |
1st, OP MSW (1/17/2025-R2) |
|||||
Sunland Park Oaks, Sunland Park, 1 mile, 3-year-old
fillies, Kentucky Oaks 20-10-6-4-2 points race
Baffert is in position to sweep New Mexico’s two points
races when Maysam comes back three weeks after her lopsided debut score at
Santa Anita. The $500,000 Game Winner filly drew away to win by six lengths as
the 1-2 favorite in the 6 1/2-furlong race. Maysam earned a 74 Beyer Speed Figure, according to Daily Racing Form. Baffert has won the Sunland Park
Oaks a record eight times, the last time coming with Chasing Yesterday in 2019.
| Post | Silks | Horse / Sire | Rating | Trainer / Jockey | Last start / Next start | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Rogue Justice Constitution |
0.00 |
2nd, Borderplex |
Entered | |
|
Last race Next race |
2nd, Borderplex |
|||||
| 2 |
|
Runnin N Gunnin Gun Runner |
5.79 |
1st, HOU ALW (1/19/2025-R2) |
Entered | |
|
Last race Next race |
1st, HOU ALW (1/19/2025-R2) |
|||||
| 3 |
|
Pink Pacific Improbable |
0.00 |
1st, SUN ALW (1/30/2025-R7) |
Entered | |
|
Last race Next race |
1st, SUN ALW (1/30/2025-R7) |
|||||
| 4 |
|
Maysam Game Winner |
6.12 | Entered | ||
|
Last race Next race |
||||||
| 5 |
|
Enchanting Gun Runner |
0.00 |
1st, HOU MSW (1/19/2025-R7) |
Entered | |
|
Last race Next race |
1st, HOU MSW (1/19/2025-R7) |
|||||
| 6 |
|
Street Colors Mucho Macho Man |
0.00 |
8th, Borderplex |
Entered | |
|
Last race Next race |
8th, Borderplex |
|||||
| 7 |
|
Stubby War of Will |
0.00 |
4th, SUN MSW (1/31/2025-R1) |
Entered | |
|
Last race Next race |
4th, SUN MSW (1/31/2025-R1) |
|||||
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