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On a quiet April 28 morning at Churchill Downs for Kentucky Derby (G1) prospects after a half-dozen breezed April 27, three Derby entrants notched their final high-speed workouts for the 1 1/4-mile classic, the opening leg of the Triple Crown.

Enjoy the 151st running of the Kentucky Derby (G1) May 3 at Keeneland with a community celebration in the Bluegrass. On Derby Day, Keeneland is offering enhanced programming campus-wide featuring live music, food trucks, family activities and more.

On a quiet April 28 morning at Churchill Downs for Kentucky Derby (G1) prospects after a half-dozen breezed April 27, three Derby entrants notched their final high-speed workouts for the 1 1/4-mile classic, the opening leg of the Triple Crown.

To celebrate Sandman being in the 151st Kentucky Derby and to highlight the importance of taking care of Thoroughbreds after their racing careers, Ken Freirich wanted to do something big for the heart and soul of the sport: the horses.

For the 20 3-year-old Thoroughbreds expected to compete in the Kentucky Derby (G1), racing luck can make or break their Derby run from the start. Some of that luck comes into play several days beforehand: the luck of the post-position draw.

We only have a handful of races to base wet track form on but some are compelling and worth noting.

America's Best Racing cheat sheet provides short bios on each Kentucky Oaks (G1) filly.

Horse Racing Radio Network (HRRN) once again kicks off a full slate of Kentucky Derby week programming on Tuesday morning live from Churchill Downs with the first of three 'Derby Countdown' Shows presented by Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa.

A list compiled by America's Best Racing of TV, radio, and livestream racing coverage for a busy Kentucky Derby (G1) week.

Veteran analyst Randy Moss recently helped separate pretenders from contenders during a question-and-answer session with Tom Pedulla conducted on behalf of America's Best Racing.

Returning from Kentucky—including a five-hour layover in Atlanta—was worth it as Rispoli guided Jungle Peace to victory in the 6 1/2-furlong, $100,000 Senorita Stakes (G3T) over Santa Anita's downhill turf April 27.

The Aqueduct Racetrack spring meet, which ran from April 3-27, saw jockey Kendrick Carmouche pick up his fourth riding title at a NYRA meeting. Carmouche paced all other riders to secure his second Big A spring meet riding title with 21 wins.

The top-priced horse sold at public auction entered in the Kentucky Derby (G1) is Sandman, winner of the Arkansas Derby (G1). The son of Tapit, who is third choice on the morning line at 6-1, sold for $1.2 million as a 2-year-old.

Stablemates Public Assembly and Sun Of Hill, the one-two finishers in the April 26 Royal Heroine Stakes (G3T), were both in good order and pointed toward the Gamely Stakes (G1T).

The Royal Palm Meet's leading rider is slated to ride Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at Churchill Downs, including a mount in the May 2 $1.5 million Kentucky Oaks (G1) aboard Saffie Joseph Jr.-trained Early On.

Two months after the death of his more senior training partner Mike Moroney, Thompson cheered home Benagil as she stormed from near the tail of the field to record a commanding 1.29-length victory.

Top-rated sprinter Ka Ying Rising got Champions Day in Hong Kong off to a formful start but things went a different way in the two following group 1 races.

Trained by Andre Fabre, Sosie was beaten four and a quarter lengths behind Bluestocking in the Arc, but showed a good turn of foot early in the straight to win the first group 1 of the year in Europe.

7th-Aqueduct, $71,340, Alw (NW1$X)/Opt. Clm ($100,000), 4-27, 3yo, 1m, 1:36.58, ft, 3 1/4 lengths.
GARAMOND (c, 3, Uncle Mo–Blue Watch, by Tapit) broke his maiden by 1 3/4 lengths on debut at Tampa Bay Jan. 25. The colt ran third to Flood Zone (Frosted) in the GIII Gotham Stakes Mar. 1 before going off as the 5-2 second choice here in a field that scratched down from eight to three. The homebred rolled from the word 'go' and gave 'TDN Rising Star' Cornucopian (Into Mischief) a dose of his own medicine. The 3-year-old continued to carve out the fractions up the backstretch and around the far turn. Every time Cornucopian would get close before the quarter pole, Garamond kept finding. Down the lane the bay extended his margin and got his picture taken by 3 1/4 lengths over the favorite. The winner's dam is responsible for 2-year-old filly Padisha (Kitten's Joy), who was sent to Kazakhstan in 2024. Blue Watch was bred back-to-back to Munnings, which so far has yielded a filly in 2024. Garamond's extended female family includes SW Lambeth (Arrogate) and current sire Expert Eye (GB) (Acclimation {GB}). Lifetime Record: GSP, 3-2-0-1, $99,980. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
O/B-Juddmonte (KY); T-Chad C. Brown.

#3 GARAMOND ($7.70) defeats Cornucopian in the 7th race at Aqueduct. The three-year-old @JuddmonteFarms homebred colt by Uncle Mo was last seen finishing 3rd in the Gotham Stakes (G3). Flavien Prat was aboard for trainer Chad Brown. pic.twitter.com/1BLhwvlGUw

— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) April 27, 2025

The post Garamond Gate To Wire At The Big A, Cornucopian Second Best appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Oaklawn Park's Hot Springs Stakes winner Clever Again (American Pharoah) worked ahead of an intended tilt in the GI Preakness Stakes at Pimlico May 17.

Clever Again worked five-eighths of a mile in 1:00.40 at Churchill Downs Sunday morning.

“[It was a] solid work. The racetrack is in very good shape,” said trainer Steve Asmussen, who won the 2007 and 2009 Preakness with Horses of the Year Curlin and the filly Rachel Alexandra. “I think he'll actually do a little more next week.”

Asmussen also trains Kentucky Derby contenders Publisher (American Pharoah) and Tiztastic (Tiz the Law) in addition to Magnitude (Not This Time), winner of the GII Risen Star Stakes. The latter was forced to miss the Run for the Roses following his win in the GII Risen Star Stakes.

“I think Clever Again is like Publisher and Magnitude and Tiztastic,” Asmussen said. “He's been keeping that company his whole life. When you're afforded the opportunity to train horses like that you realize what they are capable of and what they should and shouldn't go in.”

Clever Again, runner-up going 4 1/2 furlongs in his career debut at Keeneland last fall, graduated in his 3-year-old bow going 1 1/16 miles in an Oaklawn Feb. 23. Trying a two-turn mile for the first time in the Hot Springs, the colt won by four lengths over Grade I winner Gaming (Game Winner).

“I think the farther he goes, the better he'll be,” Asmussen said. “He's very quick, but he has a tremendous cruising speed. I don't think we've been anywhere near the bottom of him. He ran a very fast race at a mile and a sixteenth. Don't think the distance will be any issue.”

Clever Again has the same ownership combination as GII Louisiana Derby winner Tiztastic, with Winchell Thoroughbreds owning 50% and the other half owned by the partnership of Mrs. John Magnier Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith.

“Off of the Hot Springs and the number that he ran and beating a Grade I winner in there, it was easy to make a decision on what would be next for him,” Asmussen said of Clever Again and the 1 3/16-mile Preakness.

 

The post Hot Springs Winner Clever Again Works for Preakness appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.