Latest news with #NashvilleDerby
Powys County Times
7 days ago
- Sport
- Powys County Times
Wimbledon Hawkeye teaming up with Dettori for Kentucky bid
James Owen is relishing linking up with Frankie Dettori when Wimbledon Hawkeye heads to America for the Nashville Derby later this month. The son of Kameko – who won the Group Two Royal Lodge as a juvenile – gave William Haggas' potential Arc contender Merchant a fright in Goodwood's Gordon Stakes and his trainer feels the colt has all the attributes to thrive at Kentucky Downs in a $3.5million event won by Andrew Balding's Bellum Justum 12 months ago. Explaining the decision to head Stateside, Owen said: 'After his good run at Goodwood we were invited over for the race and I think it looks ideal, the track will suit him. 'Bellum Justum won it last year after doing well in the Gordon Stakes and I think Wimbledon Hawkeye is the ideal horse for it really. 'He has a very good mind, he'll travel over well and handle the whole experience well and he's shown us this year how tough he is by holding his form really well. 'It's great prize-money and hopefully he can go over there with a great chance.' It will be a first runner in America for Owen, who will be hoping for kinder weather at the Franklin track than that which greeted Wimbledon Hawkeye at Goodwood recently. And the icing on the cake for the Newmarket handler has been securing the services of Dettori, who was in fact aboard the victorious Bellum Justum last year and is no stranger to Wimbledon Hawkeye's owners the Gredley family. 'It's great that Frankie can ride him and he's had a lot of success for the Gredleys before and even won the race last year on Bellum Justum,' continued Owen. 'We don't have to take a jockey over which is another plus and having Frankie is a little cherry on top for us and a big part of the decision to go over, it's lovely to have him. 'He's never ridden for me, but I'm looking forward to it.'
Scottish Sun
7 days ago
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Frankie Dettori confirmed for shock ride for British trainer in £2.6million race ‘too good to miss'
DETT TO PAY Frankie Dettori confirmed for shock ride for British trainer in £2.6million race 'too good to miss' Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) FRANKIE DETTORI has been confirmed for a shock link-up with a British trainer in a £2.6million race 'too good to turn down'. The legendary rider, who filed for bankruptcy earlier this year, has prize money earnings exceeding £2.5m in the States in 2025 alone. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 Frankie Dettori could net Wimbledon Hawkeye's owners a massive £830,000 prize day with victory in the Nashville Derby Credit: PA Dettori, 54, made the move to the US after opting to leave Britain behind for the second half of his career. But at this year's Royal Ascot he said would 'never say never' to racing here again. And John Gosden revealed he had enquired about the ride on odds-on favourite Field Of Gold in the Sussex Stakes at Glorious Goodwood. Dettori actually dodged a bullet there as 150-1 Qirat - only in the race as pacemaker to Field Of Gold - produced one of the biggest shocks in racing history. But his links to Blighty continue to grow stronger since his move across the Atlantic - and the latest is with James Owen. His 'exciting' Wimbledon Hawkeye has taken up the chance to run in the money-spinning Nashville Derby later this month. The three-year-old colt was second to Field Of Gold in the Craven in April and his form has been franked massively since then. He was a two-length second to subsequent Godolphin Group 1 scorer El Cordobes at Newmarket. And he was pipped just a nose by William Haggas' Arc de Triomphe hope Merchant when last seen at Goodwood. Andrew Balding won the Nashville Derby with Dettori on Bellum Justum last year. And Owen says he moved quickly to secure the services of the Italian this time round. He told the Racing Post: "Wimbledon Hawkeye has been invited for the Nashville Derby and with $3.5m up for grabs it looks too good an opportunity to turn down. "The trip is just over ten furlongs, which should be ideal for him, and we've already booked Frankie for the ride." FREE BETS - GET THE BEST SIGN UP DEALS AND RACING OFFERS Commercial content notice: Taking one of the offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. You should be aware brands pay fees to appear in the highest placements on the page. 18+. T&Cs apply. Remember to gamble responsibly A responsible gambler is someone who: Establishes time and monetary limits before playing Only gambles with money they can afford to lose Never chases their losses Doesn't gamble if they're upset, angry or depressed Gamcare – Gamble Aware – Find our detailed guide on responsible gambling practices here.
Yahoo
10-08-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Sandman Breezes On Turf At Saratoga, Aimed For Nashville Derby
Sandman Breezes On Turf At Saratoga, Aimed For Nashville Derby originally appeared on Paulick Report. D.J. Stable, St. Elias Stable, West Point Thoroughbreds and CJ Stables' Grade 1 winner Sandman breezed over Saratoga Race Course's Oklahoma training turf on Sunday in his first foray over the grass, covering a half-mile solo in :49.70. Piloted through the work by Jose Ortiz, who rode the colt to his victory in the Arkansas Derby (G1) in March at Oaklawn Park, Sandman skipped along the turf without being asked and came through the lane strongly before an extended gallop-out. Trainer Mark Casse said he was more than pleased with the effort, which was Sandman's first breeze since finishing a disappointing last-of-5 in the Jim Dandy (G2) on July 26 won by dual classic winner Sovereignty. 'I was very happy with him, and more importantly, he was very happy. He was like a kid in a candy store,' Casse said, with a smile. 'Jose and I had talked about it before. He said especially in the Jim Dandy, when you ask him to go, he kind of scrambles. He doesn't have the turn-of-foot, and that's why he relies on others to do his dirty work. If they don't do it, he's not going to run good. That's why he didn't run well in the Jim Dandy – the pace was too slow, and he couldn't catch them. Plus, really good horses. 'Turf horses, when you ask them to go, they can accelerate, and I had told Jose – I hadn't planned on Jose breezing him today, but I said, 'I just want you to let him drop his head and see if he wants to do something just the last eighth of a mile,'' Casse continued. 'He said to me, 'I never even had to ask him. I just sat there.' Then it was more about trying to pull him up. We weren't looking for speed.' Ortiz agreed that Sandman was enjoying himself on the grass. 'He worked good and Mark was looking for an easy half, so that's what we tried to do,' Ortiz said. 'He feels good.' With a successful first breeze over the turf now on his resume, Sandman, who finished third in the Preakness (G1) after a closing seventh in the Kentucky Derby (G1), is likely headed to Kentucky Downs for the $3.5-million Nashville Derby (G3) on August 30 traveling 1 5/16 miles. 'I think we can make it official – we're going to go to the Nashville Derby,' Casse concluded. 'The only way we weren't doing that is if I wasn't happy today. I've never seen Jose so excited. A mile and five sixteenths for three-and-a-half million – that's where we're going. I would have been shocked and disappointed if he didn't get over [the turf] because every indication he's ever given me was he would like grass.' The son of Tapit was a $1.2 million purchase at last year's OBS March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training and is out of the Distorted Humor mare Distorted Music, who won one race over the Arlington Park synthetic in 2014. He is a half-brother to graded stakes-winner She Can't Sing, who was Grade 3-placed and a three-time stakes-winner on grass. This story was originally reported by Paulick Report on Aug 10, 2025, where it first appeared.
