Horse Racing News

Plum Pretty took charge at the top of the stretch and then held off a late bid from St. John's River to win the $1 million Kentucky Oaks on Friday at Churchill Downs.

First Dude won the Grade 3, $300,000 Alysheba Stakes by the slimmest of noses over Regal Ransom at Churchill Downs May 6.

Taking advantage of a fast and contested pace, Victoria's Wildcat rallied from well back on the outside through the stretch to post a going-away victory in the $100,000 Eight Belles Stakes.

Favored Blind Luck overcame a bad stumble at the start to collar Unrivaled Belle in the final strides for a half-length victory in the $333,900, Grade 2 La Troienne May 6, the first of five graded stakes on Kentucky Oaks Day at Churchill Downs.

Without a mount following the scratch of Uncle Mo on Friday, Velazquez was picked up by the connections of Amimal Kingdom later in the morning, according to Barry Irwin, the president of the Team Valor Syndicate that owns Animal Kingdom.

Uncle Mo will not run in Saturday's Kentucky Derby.

Uncle Mo's status for the Kentucky Derby will be known by Friday morning, after the colt's owner, trainer and veterinarian study his bloodwork and decide whether he'll enter the Run for the Roses on Saturday.

The fine performances of one-two finishers Unrivaled Belle and Blind Luck in the Nov. 5 Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic seemingly pointed toward their dominance in the filly and mare ranks this year.

Although Arienza has come quite far in just a handful of starts in the past two months, her trainer, Dan Peitz, thought it wise to bypass the Kentucky Oaks on Friday at Churchill Downs and instead run her on the undercard in the Grade 3 Eight Belles.

For a Grade 3 event, Friday's $300,000 Alysheba came up a pretty tough spot. Anybody who doesn't agree with that assessment need only ask trainer Chris Block, who will send out the likely favorite, two-time Grade 1 winner Giant Oak.