Horse Racing News

Verrazano lived up to his billing as a top Triple Crown contender with a solid three-length score over eight other sophomores in the $350,000 Tampa Bay Derby (gr. II) March 9 at Tampa Bay Downs.

Ive Struck a Nerve, the 135-1 upset winner of the Feb. 23 $400,000 Risen Star Stakes, sustained an ankle injury during a workout the morning of March 9 and will miss both the Louisiana Derby and the Kentucky Derby

Violence, one of the winter book favorites for the Kentucky Derby, has been officially retired from racing and will reside at John G. Sikura's Hill 'n' Dale Farms near Lexington. The son of Medaglia d'Oro will not stand at stud this year.

Rachel Alexandra was described as "bright and alert with a good appetite" on the evening of March 7 after undergoing a surgical procedure at Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital to drain an abscess discovered in the morning.

Jockey Calvin Borel claimed career win No. 5,000 March 7 at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark.

Janis Whitham's homebred Fort Larned, who has not started since his gutsy victory in the Nov. 3 Breeders' Cup Classic, will face just five opponents when he makes his 5-year-old debut March 9 in the $300,000 Gulfstream Park Handicap.

Highly-regarded sophomore Verrazano makes his stakes debut against eight others March 9 in the $350,000 Tampa Bay Derby at Tampa Bay Downs, rolling in off an impressive 16 3/4-length allowance optional claiming win at Gulfstream Park.

Flashback and Goldencents, acknowledged by most as the leading 3-year-old males in Southern California, meet for the first time in the $300,000 San Felipe Stakes March 9 at Santa Anita Park.

Joel Rosario has sure gotten some live pick-up mounts following his decision to ride Speak Logistics instead of Orb, on whom he had won two in a row, in the Besilu Fountain of Youth Stakes.

Oliver Tait, Darley's chief operating officer, has resigned from the board of the Breeders' Cup because of the organization's medication policy.