Horse Racing News

Bob and Cathy Zollars' Daddy Nose Best stamped his ticket the May 5 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs with a nice win in Sunday's Grade 3, $800,000 Sunland Derby under jockey Julien Leparoux.

Zvika Akin, Greg Avery, Bill Wilbur and trainer Art Sherman's Dynamic Host earned his first stakes victory on Saturday when gutting out a neck victory in the Grade 3, $100,000 Tokyo City Cup Stakes at Santa Anita Park.

Extra distance was the key for James Karp's homebred Newsdad to exact revenge on Simmard, as the son of Arch came from off the pace to win the $150,000 Pan American against a short field March 24 at Gulfstream Park.

In Lingerie, returning to the Turfway Park Polytrack where she broke her maiden in January, destroyed an overmatched group of 3-year-old fillies in the $100,000 Bourbonette Oaks, leading a one-two finish for trainer Todd Pletcher March 24.

Went the Day Well took command in Saturday's Grade 3, $500,000 Vinery Racing Spiral Stakes to give owner Team Valor International and trainer Graham Motion their second consecutive victory in the race.

In a surprising year which two Turfway Park maiden winners, Hansen and Gemologist, are leading Kentucky Derby prospects, it's apropos that another Turfway maiden winner, In Lingerie, has a chance to shine Saturday in a minor Kentucky Oaks prep.

Ann and Jerry Moss will breed their popular 2010 Horse of the Year Zenyatta to Tapit this year, according to an announcement the couple posted March 22 at Zenyatta.com.

Animal Kingdom was a relatively unknown commodity entering last year's Vinery Racing Spiral Stakes, but his victory launched him into the Kentucky Derby -- and the rest is history.

The March 22 live racing program at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots has been canceled due to torrential rain. The state and track stewards made the final decision in consultation with Fair Grounds officials at 10:30 a.m. CDT.

Just when we thought we had the key matchups for final Kentucky Derby preps all figured out, a couple major curveballs from two of the top contenders were thrown March 22.