Un Ojo lost his left eye in a pasture accident as a yearling, which partially explains how he got lost in the shuffle of Saturday’s Grade 2 Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park. One-eyed geldings aren’t usually the bettor’s favorites, which explains how the son of the late Laoban went off […]
Tag: Newgrange
Favorite Newgrange Gives Rebel Stakes an Old-School Baffert Look
When it comes to the Grade 2 Rebel Stakes, it doesn’t really matter that Bob Baffert is suspended from Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Derby. All that matters is one question, the answer of which is typically “yes.†Does Baffert have a live candidate in this year’s Rebel? Of course […]
Saudi Cup Opens This Week’s International Cross Country Pick 5
The $20 million Saudi Cup, a.k.a. the world’s richest race, opens this week’s opportunity for horseplayers to get rich via the New York Racing Association’s Cross Country Pick 5. This week’s five-race sequence takes on a cross-global flavor. It features races from the home of the Saudi Cup — King Abdulaziz Racetrack […]
McPeek Trying to Figure Out Why Dash Attack Went South in Southwest
Dash Attack came into last Saturday’s Southwest Stakes as one of the Kentucky Derby prospects to watch. He came in as the unbeaten, 3.40/1 second favorite for the Southwest. He came out of it unscathed physically, according to trainer Kenny McPeek. As for his once-invincible aura? Not so much. Not […]
Southwest Champ Newgrange Remains Unbeaten, Ineligible for Derby
The fact Bob Baffert’s Newgrange won his second Kentucky Derby prep in as many months was more important to the Hall of Fame trainer than the fact that, right now, Newgrange isn’t eligible to run in the May 7 Derby. “I’m not going to worry about that right now,” Baffert […]
Yes, Baffert has the Southwest Stakes Favorite, But He’s Got Company
Today’s $750,000 Grade 3 Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park has the usual Bob Baffert flavor: 2/1 morning-line favorite Newgrange, shipping in from California in search of Baffert’s record-tying fifth Southwest title. But there’s a new contender awaiting: Kenny McPeek, who finds himself in the unfamiliar role of trainer of Kentucky […]
Smarty Jones Winner Dash Attack Gives McPeek a Pleasant Problem
Kenny McPeek has what you call a Kentucky Derby embarrassment of riches coming courtesy of Dash Attack, who won Saturday’s Listed Smarty Jones Stakes at Oaklawn Park. And the dynamic trainer is still trying to put the talented pieces together. That’s because, on Saturday, McPeek added another piece to an […]
When it Comes to the Derby, Nothing Phony About These Sham Stakes
Unlike many of its early Kentucky Derby prep predecessors, Saturday’s Grade 3 Sham Stakes at Santa Anita Park brings the recent Derby chops with it. How recent? How about the last two Derby champions? The one-mile Sham, which offers 10-4-2-1 Derby qualifying points to the top four finishers, gave you […]