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Carl Spackler, shown winning the 2024 Coolmore Turf Mile at Keeneland, returns in Friday's Grade I Maker's Mark Mile at the same track. Photo courtesy of Keeneland
April 11 (UPI) -- With the Kentucky Derby field all but set after Tuesday's weather-delayed Blue Grass at Keeneland, the successful contenders have started to gather on the Churchill Downs backstretch, and owners' and trainers' nerves have started to twang in anticipation of May 3.
Meanwhile, there's more than enough action around the ovals to provide distraction. And 3-year-olds are getting cranked elsewhere around the world, too, with Classics season fast approaching. Check out Japan, England and France for some good-looking ones.
But first, check this out, including some early-week results from Keeneland:
The Road to the Roses
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Thorpedo Anna, shown winning the Azeri Stakes at Oaklawn, returns in Saturday's Grade I Apple Blossom at the same track. Coady Photography, courtesy of Oaklawn Park
Likely Kentucky Derby favorite Journalism remains in California, with his trainer watching the weather before deciding when to ship him to Kentucky. The forecast is reasonably favorable for the next few weeks -- a notable contrast to the torrential rains that forced racing and training disruption throughout much of the Ohio River Valley and central Kentucky.
A few of the contenders already reside at Churchill Downs including Derby hopeful Final Gambit and Kentucky Oaks favorite Good Cheer, both of whom put in workouts Wednesday under the Twin Spires for trainer Brad Cox.
Shipments from Japan and Dubai will deliver their horses to quarantine before they can start training spins.
Saturday's $400,000 Grade III Stonestreet Lexington at Keeneland technically is part of the "Road to the Kentucky Derby" series, but the minor points awarded to the top five runners aren't enough to affect this year's standings. Still, watch for potential Preakness "new shooter" candidates.
Elsewhere:
Distaff
The Grade I Apple Blossom at Oaklawn Park is one of the year's top races, and Saturday's $1.25 million will be no exception for one main reason -- Thorpedo Anna.
The 4-year-old Kentucky Oaks winner looks for her 10th win in her 12th start and her sixth Grade I win. She returned from victory in November's Breeders' Cup Distaff to win the Grade II Azari Stakes at Oaklawn by 3 1/2 lengths, unchallenged.
Looking to beat her? Where's My Ring won her last start, also at Oaklawn, by 12 1/4 lengths with sparkling speed numbers. But that was a highly restricted optional claimer.
Sprint
Booth is on a two-race win streak at Oaklawn Park and tabbed the odds-on morning-line favorite among seven in Saturday's $500,000 Grade III Count Fleet Sprint Handicap at the Hot Springs oval. The 4-year-old Mitole colt, from Steve Asmussen's barn, won the Grade III Whitmore on March 15 by 2 1/4 lengths.
Extra Anejo found enough extra oomph in the stretch run of Tuesday's $350,000 Grade III Commonwealth Stakes at Keeneland to chase down pacesetting Montalcino and win by 1 1/2 lengths from that one. Hoist the Gold was third.
Extra Anejo, a 5-year-old son of Into Mischief, ran 7 furlongs on a fast track in 1:23.63, scoring his first graded stakes win.
Filly & Mare Sprint
Positano Sunset found a seam between rivals in the stretch run of Tuesday's $650,000 Grade I Resolute Madison Stakes for fillies and mares at Keeneland, shrugged off a little contact and ran on to post a 14-1 upset win. The favorite, Emery, finished second, with My Mane Squeeze third.
Julien Leparoux rode Positano Sunset, a 5-year-old Goldencents mare, for trainer Ian Wilkes. She now is 2-for-2 this year after going 0-for-7 in 2024.
Turf Mile
Friday's $650,000 Grade I Maker's Mark Mile at Keeneland is another of the year's landmark races. Nine are entered, with the morning line starting with Carl Spackler, winner of the Grade I Coolmore Turf Mile during the Autumn meeting, as well as the Group I Fourstardave and Grade III Kelso at Saratoga.
Chad Brown trains the Irish-bred son of Lope De Vega, who was last seen finishing sixth, beaten less than 3 lengths, in the Breeders' Cup Mile.
Turf
Test Score got an A-plus for his winning effort in Monday's $600,000 Grade III Transylvania for 3-year-olds at Keeneland.
The Lookin At Lucky colt, trained by Graham Motion, tracked the pace, launched his bid a furlong out and got home first, 1 1/4 lengths ahead of Scipio. Maui Strong was third.
Test Score ran 1 1/16 miles on good turf in 1:43.84 with Manny Franco aboard.
Filly & Mare Turf
Nitrogen came with a late run to win Tuesday's $500,000 Grade II Appalachian for 3-year-old fillies at Keeneland by 2 1/4 lengths, going away. Vixen and Fionn filled the trifecta.
A daughter of Medaglia d'Oro, Nitrogen has never been worse than third in six career starts, finished third in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf and had consecutive wins in the Sweetest Chant and Grade III Herecomesthebride at Gulfstream Park before shipping north.
Saturday's $650,000 Grade I Jenny Wiley at Keeneland features Excellent Truth making her first U.S. start for trainer Chad Brown.
Turf Sprint
Think Big tracked the leaders in Tuesday's $400,000 Grade II Valvoline Global Shakertown at Keeneland, made steady progress from the top of the lane and was up to win by 1/2 length over Rogue Lightning.
The 4-year-old Twirling Candy gelding, with Ben Curtis in the irons for Michael Stidham and owner-breeder Godolphin, finished 5 1/2 furlongs on good turf in 1:04.21 in his stakes debut.
Also, Sunday's $350,000 Grade III Giant's Causeway and Friday's $350,000 Fan Duel Limestone for 3-year-old fillies, both at Keeneland.
Around the world, around the clock
Japan
Sunday's Oka Sho or Japanese 1,000 Guineas kicks off the Classics season in Japan. The race looks pretty wide open unless last year's 2-year-old champion filly, Arma Veloce, fires right off the bench in her first start of the year. Even if she does, there's some sorting out yet to be done in this division.
England
Newbury's Saturday "Premier Raceday" program has two 7-furlong, Group 3 races for promising 3-year-olds -- the Greenham and the Fred Darling, the latter for 3-year-old fillies. The usual-suspect heavy hitters test some prospects.
The day's first race, the Group 3 John Porter Stakes, pending final declarations, has Godolphin's Ancient Wisdom and Arabian Crown against Sunway, Absurde and some others going 1 1/2 miles.
France
Some of the Continent's highly regarded 3-year-olds get a spin Sunday at Longchamp. The Group 3 Prix de Fountainbleu is for colts and geldings at 1,600 meters. The Group 3 Prix de la Grotte is for fillies at the same distance.
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