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While a decision on Golden Tempo (Curlin)'s participation in the May 16 GI Preakness Stakes at Laurel Park is still to be determined, Vinnie Viola's St. Elias Stable, co-owner of the GI Kentucky Derby winner, has another colt waiting in the wings for the second leg of the Triple Crown in GIII Gotham Stakes winner Iron Honor (Nyquist). Viola co-owns the 3-year-old, most recently seventh in the GII Wood Memorial, in partnership with William Lawrence and Glassman Racing.

“He's a nice, nice horse,” St. Elias racing and bloodstock manager Monique Delk said of Iron Honor. “He kind of had a tough trip in the Wood, got banged up a bit, so we wanted to give him some extra time. [Trainer] Chad [Brown] opted to skip the Derby with the potential target being the Preakness. If all stays well and the horse takes us there, that's where he'll be headed.”

Silent Tactic (Tacitus), scratched from the Derby with a minor foot ailment, is doing well, but a decision on whether to run in the Preakness will hinge on a mid-week workout, according to trainer Mark Casse.

“He's actually great,” Casse said Sunday morning. “I want to see how he trains for a couple of days. If we're happy with his foot, we'll probably breeze him mid-week and then make a decision. Right now his foot is perfect–of course.”

Casse said the foot issue was part bruise and part a tiny separation in the hoof wall.

“He has a little separation in the wall, but it actually looked pretty good when we pulled the shoe off,” he said. “He's just kind of tender all over his left foot. We put a pad over it, just to try to give it a little relief for a few days. That's really seemed to help him.”

Silent Tactic, winner of the GIII Southwest Stakes, was second behind Kentucky Derby runner-up Renegade (Into Mischief) in the Mar. 28 GI Arkansas Derby.

“As it turned out, the race would have set up very nice for us as well, the closer that he is,” Casse said of the Kentucky Derby. “That's what could have been, but it didn't. Can't worry about it. But it was nice to see Renegade show up and run so well.”

Two horses under Preakness consideration are already at Laurel, Taj Mahal (Nyquist) and The Hell We Did (Authentic), who both breezed over the main track Saturday.

Taj Mahal, who went five furlongs in 1:00.40 (1/12), is undefeated in three starts–all at Laurel. He won the Apr. 18 Federico Tesio Stakes, which earned the Brittany Russell trainee an automatic Preakness berth.

The Hell We Did worked five furlongs in 1:00.60 (3/12). He has raced at four different racetracks in as many starts and most recently ran second in the Apr. 11 GIII Stonestreet Lexington Stakes at Keeneland while making his two-turn debut. Trained by Todd Fincher, he shipped from Kentucky to Maryland Apr. 28.

Other possible Preakness horses include: Cherokee Nation (Not This Time), Chip Honcho (Connect), Crude Velocity (Beau Liam), Crupper (Candy Ride {Arg}), Express Kid (Bodexpress), Great White (Volatile), Napoleon Solo (Liam's Map), Ottinho (Quality Road), Pretty Boy Miah (Beau Liam), Talkin (Good Magic) and Talk to Me Jimmy (Modernist).

The post Preakness Field Takes Shape: Iron Honor Could Make Two For Viola appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Churchill Downs Inc. officials had predicted that the 152nd Kentucky Derby (G1) would set records, and business numbers released after Golden Tempo won the Run for the Roses lived up to that billing.

Trainer Cherie DeVaux makes history as the first female trainer to win the Run for the Roses with Golden Tempo's upset in the 152nd running of the Kentucky Derby (G1) May 2 at Churchill Downs.

After becoming the first woman to capture the Kentucky Derby (G1) as a trainer, Cherie DeVaux may be the one who sparks dreams of girls and women thinking about becoming involved in horse racing.

Mondego and Emisael Jaramillo outfinish Flashiest to prevail by a half-length in the $200,000 Charles Whittingham Stakes (G2T) for older horses going 1 1/4 miles May 2 at Santa Anita Park.

Gary Barber, Cheyenne Stable, and Wachtel Stable's Rhetorical tallies a front-end score in the Turf Classic Stakes (G1T) May 2 at Churchill Downs under Irad Ortiz Jr., drawing off to win by 3 1/4 lengths.

Stark Contrast skips the Kentucky Derby (G1) and stays on the grass, leading him to a win in the American Turf Stakes (G1T) May 2 at Churchill Downs.

Japanese shipper T O Elvis outruns his American counterparts in scoring a decisive victory in the Churchill Downs Stakes (G1) on the Kentucky Derby (G1) undercard May 2.

In a battle of unbeaten colts making their stakes debuts, Crude Velocity overpowers Englishman to take the $741,330 Pat Day Mile Stakes (G2) May 2 at Churchill Downs in stakes record time.

Facing a field featuring a solid if not top-level proven slate of contenders, Classic Q ended her streak of futility in graded stakes when she bested Portfolio Duration by a neck to annex the $976,000 Churchill Distaff Turf Mile Stakes (G2T).

St. Elias Stable, Ken Langone, Steven Duncker, and Vicarage Stable's Deterministic repeats in the May 2 Fort Marcy Stakes (G3T) at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Yellow Card stole the spotlight May 2 at Churchill Downs, digging deep to win the $594,600 Twin Spires Turf Sprint Stakes (G2T) in a time of 1:02.20 for the 5 1/2 furlongs on turf.

R Disaster pulls a gate-to-wire upset in the May 2 Derby City Distaff Stakes (G1) at Churchill Downs, defeating favored grade 1 winners Splendora and Way and Means.

This was supposed to be an underwhelming Two Thousand Guineas (G1), but in the May 2 event, we saw a future champion jockey deliver a precision ride on a horse who could well dominate this season. 

Churchill Downs media follows up on the runners from the Kentucky Oaks (G1).

Fans arriving at Churchill Downs for racing on Kentucky Derby Day should prepare for cool weather, with high temperatures expected to be in the mid- to upper-50s. Cloudy skies will eventually give way to the sun appearing in midafternoon.

Rhetorical picks up second Grade 1 victory in Saturday’s Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic at Churchill Downs. Ashley Phillips/Coady Media.

By Paul Halloran

Will Walden wasn’t planning on entering Rhetorical in the Grade 1 Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic on Saturday’s Kentucky Derby undercard at Churchill Downs. The New York-bred gelding had run three weeks prior in the Makers Mark Mile at Keeneland and finished third, coming off a five-month layoff since running fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Del Mar.

But when Walden got a look at who was nominated for the Turf Classic and who was committed to run, he called an audible.

Good call.

Under Irad Ortiz Jr., Rhetorical led every step of the way in a 3 1/4-length victory, giving Walden his second Grade 1 win. The $833,280 winner’s share gave him $1,806,730 in career earnings, 14th all-time among New York-breds. He has won six times in nine starts.

“This really wasn’t part of the plan, but you have to keep everybody ready in the barn at all times for when opportunity strikes,” Walden said. “What do they say, better be prepared for an opportunity that you don’t have than not be prepared for one you do. He was doing really, really well.”

Rhetorical, a 4-year-old gelding by Not This Time, was bred by Mallory and Karen Mort and foaled at Marlene Brody’s Gallagher’s Stud in Ghent, where Mallory Mort has worked since 1979 and managed the farm operation since 2005. He was a $320,000 purchase at the 2022 Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale.

He broke his maiden at first asking for Siena Farm and WinStar Farm, and was bought by Gary Barber, Everett Dobson’s Cheyenne Stable and Adam Wachtel’s Wachtel Stable after his third career start. One of three winning foals out of the Distorted Humor mare Sheet Humor, Rhetorical is a half-brother to $1.4 million-earner Sterling Silver, who was also bred by the Morts.

After winning his first stakes in the West Point at Saratoga last August, Rhetorical gave Walden his first Grade 1 by taking the Coolmore Turf Mile at Keeneland, earning him a berth in the Breeders’ Cup, where he was leading at the stretch call before finishing fourth.

In the Makers Mark Mile against a stacked field – “like the Breeders’ Cup Mile in April,” Walden said – Rhetorical did not get to the lead, never looked comfortable and finished 1 1/4 lengths behind Zulu Kingdom, who led gate to wire. Walden expected a different type of race Saturday and he got it.

“He breaks really well. He’s always had such a good turn of foot out of the gate,” Walden said. “I told Irad that I know (Corruption) is going to go, but if you outbreak him, take it over. I’ve always felt deep down inside that this horse would just shut off if he got the lead and he did. He’s always been behind horses, always been stalking and been on the bit and wasting that late turn of foot.”

Rhetorical covered the 1 1/8 miles in a stakes record 1:45.96, including a final furlong in :11:67. Make Me King closed for second and Corruption, who did not show speed, finished third.

“He bounced out of that last race and was training like a wild horse,” Walden said. “He’s just a good horse.”

Rhetorical’s victory also marked the second straight year a New York-bred won the Turf Classic, following Spirit of St Louis’ triumph in 2025.

The post Rhetorical adds Grade 1 Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic to glistening resume appeared first on New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. News.

Waralo fends off multiple challengers to win Saturday’s Elusive Quality at Aqueduct. Coglianese Photo.

Waralo made a successful return to the races and led at every call en route to his first stakes victory in Saturday’s $145,500 Elusive Quality at Aqueduct.

My Purple Haze Stables’ 7-year-old son of New York-based sire War Dancer won the 6-furlong Elusive Quality in his first start since a runner-up effort in the New York Turf Sprint Championship at the same distance on Empire Showcase Day in late October at Aqueduct. Richardo Santana Jr. rode Waralo for the first time Saturday.

Waralo stepped up against open company for trainer Chris Englehart in his first start of 2026. Bettors sent him off at 6-1, fourth choice in the field of five behind 6-5 favorite Spiced Up, 8-5 second choice and fellow New York-bred Twenty Six Black and 5-1 third pick Son of a Birch.

Santana put Waralo on the lead from the start and they led their four rivals through opening splits of :22.37 and :45.49. Clock Tower, on the outside, and Twenty Six Black, trying to come through on the inside, made runs at the leader approaching the stretch and into the lane, but Waralo fended off the challenges.

Waralo won by a neck from Twenty Six Black, running the 5 1/2 furlongs on the firm turf in 1:09.23. Twenty Six Black, making his first start since winning the New York Turf Championship, finished a neck in front of Clock Tower with Son of a Birch and Spiced Up completing the field.

“The scratch of [Dancing Buck] made the difference,” Santana said. “My horse and the other one were the ones with speed. You could see it today that my horse is a game horse. He broke really sharp, put me in the lead, he was happy and comfortable. Turning for home, he was so game. I had a horse inside, a horse outside, and he kept fighting.

“Turning for home, I thought I was going to win for fun. Then, he felt Dylan [Davis, aboard Clock Tower] and he kept fighting. Then, every time he felt Dylan, he wanted to get out more to get close to him. When he heard the horse inside, he gave me an extra kick.”

Bred by Casey Newick LLC, Waralo is out of the winning New York-bred Indidab mare I Drink Alone. Englehart agent for My Purple Haze Stables, purchased Waralo for $40,000 as a short yearling at the 2020 OBS winter mixed sale.

Waralo is the seventh foal out of I Drink Alone and the fourth stakes winner. She’s also the dam of stakes winners Bust Another, Bustin It and May Shares and winners I Prowl Alone, Last Drink, Stonely the Lonely and Zealin It.

Waralo improved to 10-for-24 – including a mark of 4-for-6 with two seconds on the turf – and picked up $82,500 to boost his bankroll to $463,305 in the Elusive Quality.

The post Waralo secures first stakes win in Elusive Quality appeared first on New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. News.

Journalism (Curlin), who finished third in the GII Oaklawn Handicap in his 4-year-old debut April 18 in Hot Springs, returned to the work tab Saturday at Santa Anita for trainer Michael McCarthy.

Also working for McCarthy was MGISW Formidable Man (City of Light), who has been off since finishing second in the Breeders' Cup Mile on Nov. 1.

Journalism worked four furlongs in :48.40. In the 1 1/8-mile Oaklawn Handicap, Journalism finished two lengths back of winner Sovereignty (Into Mischief), his rival from last year's Triple Crown run.

McCarthy has reported Journalism could return in the GI Met Mile at Saratoga Race Course June 6.

Formidable Man drilled four furlongs in :48.60. It was his fourth work on the comeback trail.

A 6-year-old, Formidable Man won the GI Frank E. Kilroe Mile at Santa Anita last, and both the GII Eddie Read and GII Del Mar Mile during the Del Mar summer meet. He is a candidate to return in the GI Shoemaker Mile May 25.

The post Journalism Back to Work For McCarthy At Santa Anita, Met Mile Could Be Next appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Tampa Bay Derby (G3) winner and Florida Derby (G1) runner-up The Puma has been scratched from the May 2 Kentucky Derby (G2) at Churchill Downs due to what his connections say is some leg swelling caused by a skin infection.