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UPI
27-05-2025
- Sport
- UPI
Skippylongstocking starsin Memorial Day Weekend horse racing
1 of 3 | Two Sharp wins Monday's Winning Colors Stakes at Churchill Downs. Photo courtesy of Churchill Downs May 27 (UPI) -- Trainer Saffie Joseph had a happy Memorial Day weekend at the races, sending two horses to California to win graded stakes and another to a profitable stop in Texas, as top-level racing spread from coast to coast with the unofficial advent of summer. The international action was, if anything, even more heated with Group 1 and Grade 1 races from Japan to Hong Kong, Ireland, France and Chile, where yet another Breeders' Cup "Win and You're In" slot was decided. After a moment to give silent thanks to those for whom Memorial Day is meant ... we forge on with ... Classic Skippylongstocking shipped west for Monday's $200,000 Grade II Hollywood Gold Cup at Santa Anita and made the trip worthwhile with an off-the pace, 3/4-length victory over the locals. Midnight Mammoth was closest the visitor at the finish and 6 lengths better than third-place finisher Extensive. That wrapped the two-stakes-win day in California for Saffie Joseph Jr. At Lone Star Park, Instant Replay battled gamely through the stretch to land Monday's $300,000 Texas Derby by 1 length over Itsmybirthday. Distaff Seismic Beauty led virtually gate to wire in Sunday's $200,000 Grade II Santa Margarita Stakes at Santa Anita and wasn't challenged through much of the 1 1/8 miles, drawing off to a 5-lengths victory. Her stablemate, odds-on favorite Splendora, settled for second, giving trainer Bob Baffert the exacta. Dirt Mile Komorebino Omoide overcame a bad start in Monday's $400,000 Grade III Steve Sexton Mile at Lone Star Park and drew off in the end to win by 2 1/4 lengths. Sprint Buccherino dueled to the lead in Monday's $100,000 Mr. Prospector Stakes at Monmouth Park, and then kept at it for a 1-length win over late-running Subrogate. Blue Light won Monday's $100,000 Speightstown Stakes at Lone Star Park by 1 1/2 lengths. Filly & Mare Sprint Two Sharp was too fast for six rivals in Monday's $250,000 Grade III Winning Colors at Churchill Downs. Leading all the way under Junior Alvarado, the 4-year-old Twirling Candy filly romped home first by 3 1/2 lengths. Two Sharp is emerging as a force in the division. Her 3-year-old campaign netted three wins, including the Grade III Chilukki Stakes, and two seconds from five starts. The Winning Colors was her 2025 debut. Mystic Lake shot right to the front and controlled things from there in Monday's $100,000 Memorial Day Sprint Stakes at Lone Star Park, and then worked clear to win by 2 lengths for Joseph Jr. Filly & Mare Turf Be Your Best was quickly away in Monday's $300,000 Grade I Gamely Stakes at Santa Anita, crossed over from the outside gate to take the lead and wasn't caught. The 5-year-old, Irish-bred mare opened a 4 1/2-length lead in the lane and coasted home first by 2 3/4 lengths over Lady Claypool. Be Your Best ran 1 1/8 miles on firm turf in 1:46.26. Irad Ortiz Jr. rode that same Joseph Jr. At Lone Star Park, half of the 10 entries defected from Monday's $200,000 Ouija Board Distaff when the course came up yielding. That left it to Neom Beachto rally from last and draw off late to a 6 1/2-length victory. Marksman Queen led the way in Saturday's $250,000 Keertana Stakes at Churchill Downs and held on to win by 1/2 length over Dreaming of Mo. Tarneema was third. On Saturday at Monmouth Park, Spaliday left the gate last of seven, but crossed the finish line first, 2 1/2 lengths in front of Joyful Lass. Turf Otago and Highestdistinction both came running late in Saturday's $104,000 Cliff Hanger Stakes at Monmouth Park, with Otago getting the better of the late duel by 1/2 length. Turf Mile King of Gosford came after the early leaders at the top of the stretch in Monday's $300,000 Grade I Shoemaker Mile at Santa Anita, worked past the last two foes inside the final sixteenth and won by a neck. Aa 4-year-old, British-bred colt by Zoustar, King of Gosford has six wins, three seconds and a third from 11 starts since reporting for duty with trainer Phil D'Amato in 2024. Turf Sprint Clock Tower grabbed the lead in Saturday's $150,000 Paradise Creek Stakes for 3-year-olds at Aqueduct, and then edged clear to win by 1 1/2 lengths. Usually Wrong rallied five-wide into the stretch in Monday's $100,000 Chamberlain Bridge Stakes at Lone Star Park and was up to win a tight, multihorse finish by 1/2 length. The 4-year-old Lookin At Lucky colt ran 5 furlongs on yielding turf in 56.78 seconds. Around the world, around the clock Ireland Field of Gold coasted home an easy winner in Saturday's Group 1 Irish 2,000 Guineas at the Curragh. The Kingman colt rebounded from a narrow defeat in the English 2000 Guineas at Newmarket in his previous start. A day later in the Group 1 Irish 1,000 Guineas, 2024 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf winner Lake Victoria also bounced back from a defeat at Newmarket to score by 2 1/4 lengths over California Dreamer. Also Tuesday, trainer Aidan O'Brien sent out Los Angeles to win the Group 1 Gold Cup and Albert Einstein to land the Group 3 Marble Hill Stakes. England On Saturday at Haydock, Mgheera led home a parade of five long shots in the Group 2 Betfred Temple Stakes. The favorite, Rumstar, finished sixth and Starlust, the 2024 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint winner, supposedly prepping for Royal Ascot, finished seventh. Hong Kong Voyage Bubble completed a rare sweep of Hong Kong's Triple Crown series with a commanding win Sunday in the Group 1 Champions & Chater Cup at Sha Tin Racecourse. The 6-year-old gelding earlier in the 2024-25 season won the 1,600-meter Stewards' Cup and the 2,000-meter Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup. His challenge Sunday was to stay the 2,400 meters of the third leg of the series. A massively favorable pace scenario helped him realize his potential as he rallied from off the pace to win by 3 1/2 lengths. France Mark down Sosie as the solid favorite for October's Group 1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. Fourth in last year's running of the Arc, the now 4-year-old showed he's matured nicely with a 1-length, off-the-pace victory in Sunday's Group 1 Prix d'Ispahan at Longchamp. The day's co-feature, the Group 1 Prix Vicomtesse Vigier, went the way of Candelari, a 4-year-old Frankel gelding. Japan The big question in Sunday's Grade 1 Yushun Himba or Japanese Oaks was which of the 18 fillies would best handle the 2,400 meters -- a new test for all. The answer was Kamunyak, who used just about every step of that 1 1/2 miles to outfinish the favorite, Arma Veloce, by a head. Visiting jockey Andrasch Starke got his first Japanese Grade 1 win. Australia Antino rolled from third-last to an easy victory in Saturday's Group 1 Doomben Cup with a confident mid-race move that saw him slingshot around most of the field into the stretch. He improved to 3-for-3 in 2025. Pride of Jenni, the reigning Aussie Horse of the Year, faded from the lead to finish 10th, her fifth defeat in her last six races. South Africa Eight On Eighteen made it three wins in a row with a popular 3 3/4-length victory over Spumante Dolce in Saturday's Grade 1 Daily News 2000 for 3-year-olds at Greyville in Durban. The Lancaster Bomber colt earlier accounted for the Grade 1 Cape Town Met and the Grade 1 Cape Derby. Chile Gran Oriente, a 3-year-old son of Classic Empire, took the lead in the final furlong of Sunday's Group 1 Gran Premio Club Hipico Falabella and held off the late surge of Dia de Otono for a 1-length upset victory. Gran Oriente earned a "Win and You're In" spot in the Breeders' Cup Mile on the Del Mar turf on Nov. 1.
USA Today
03-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
American Promise trainer, jockey, owner and more to know about 2025 Kentucky Derby horse
American Promise trainer, jockey, owner and more to know about 2025 Kentucky Derby horse Show Caption Hide Caption Watch Kentucky Derby 2025 contender American Promise train at Churchill Downs Kentucky Derby 2025 contender American Promise trains at Churchill Downs April 23. Trainer is D. Wayne Lukas. Jockey Nik Jaurez slated to ride. American Promise will enter the Kentucky Derby off a victory in the Virginia Derby on March 15 American Promise trainer D. Wayne Lukas has won the Kentucky Derby four times, most recently in 1999 American Promise is one of 20 horses expected to enter the 2025 Kentucky Derby on May 3 at Churchill Downs. Spots for the Run for the Roses are earned by gaining points through a series of Kentucky Derby prep races that began last September. The post-position draw for the Kentucky Derby is set for Saturday, April 26. Post time for the Kentucky Derby is set for 6:57 p.m. on Saturday, May 3. American Promise will enter the Kentucky Derby off a victory in the Virginia Derby on March 15 at Colonial Downs. He currently ranks 14th on the Kentucky Derby points leaderboard with 55. Color: Chestnut. Bred in: Kentucky. Sire: Justify. Dam: Tapella, by Tapit. Price tag: $750,000 at 2023 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Owner: BC Stables (John Bellinger, Brian Coelho). They're 0 for 1 in the Derby, finishing 17th with Just Steel last year. Trainer: D. Wayne Lukas. He's 4 for 50 in the Derby, winning with Winning Colors (1988), Thunder Gulch (1995), Grindstone (1996) and Charismatic (1999). Jockey: Nik Juarez. First Derby. Record: 2-1-1 in nine starts. Career earnings: $444,874. Road to the Kentucky Derby points: 55 (No. 14). Last race: Won Virginia Derby on March 15 at Colonial Downs by 7 ¾ lengths over Render Judgment. Running style: Near the pace early. Notes: American Promise needed six races to break his maiden, finally doing so Dec. 29 at Oaklawn Park. That chase included three races at Churchill Downs, where American Promise finished eighth, second and fourth. He finished off the board in a pair of graded stakes earlier this year — seventh in the Grade 3 Southwest at Oaklawn Park and fifth in the Grade 2 Risen Star at Fair Grounds. … The 89-year-old Lukas had missed the Kentucky Derby every year from 2019-23 but broke the skid last year with Just Steel. … Sons of Justify did not fare well in last year's Kentucky Derby, with Just Steel finishing 17th and Just a Touch finishing 20th in the 20-horse field. What they're saying: 'He's maturing and doing so well that I think I can train him without subjecting him to another race,' Lukas said of the time off since winning the Virginia Derby. 'You never know how that race is going to go. You think it's going to move him forward, but it isn't a cinch. There are things that can happen.' Last May, NBC Sports announced a partnership with Churchill Downs to present the Kentucky Derby on NBC and Peacock through 2032. The extension includes multiplatform rights to the Kentucky Derby, Kentucky Oaks and Derby and Oaks Day programming, which will be presented on NBC, Peacock, USA Network and additional NBCU platforms. You can stream the 2025 Kentucky Derby on Fubo and Peacock. Post time for the 151st Kentucky Derby is set for 6:57 p.m. on Saturday, May 3. More horse racing: Set for second Kentucky Derby, St. Xavier grad Whit Beckman hopes for better racing luck Jason Frakes: 502-582-4046; jfrakes@ Follow on X @KentuckyDerbyCJ. This story was updated to add a gallery.
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
D. Wayne Lukas is 89, wants to win a 5th Kentucky Derby
D. Wayne Lukas is easy to spot before dawn at Churchill Downs. He is one of the few Kentucky Derby trainers atop a stable pony, escorting his horses to and from the track for their workouts. At 89, he is the sport's elder statesman, a Hall of Famer with four Derby victories on a very lengthy resume. On Saturday, he will be chasing another with 30-1 shot American Promise. Pedestrian allegedly hit by drunken Fayette County teacher dies Big Lots stores reopening in Kentucky this week: Here's where Students sent to emergency room after Rockcastle County Schools bus crash Like the former basketball coach he is, Lukas isn't afraid to flip the playbook. American Promise went off the beaten path to earn his way to Kentucky with a win in the Virginia Derby. He's a son of 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify. 'He looks exactly like him,' Lukas said. 'He's developing very good at the right time.' Lukas' last Derby win was in 1999 with Charismatic. He has entered 16 horses since and finished second in 2002 with Proud Citizen. He won the 2022 Kentucky Oaks for fillies. Last year, he won the Preakness and the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby. Since his first Derby try in 1981, Lukas has saddled the second-most entries at 50, exceeded only by his protégé, Todd Pletcher, who has 65. Pletcher also has a long-shot entry on Saturday with Grande at 20-1. Lexington eatery makes OpenTable's 'Top 100 Brunch Restaurants' in the US Study: Kentucky is the toughest state to own an EV in Study: It costs over $200K to raise a child over 18 years in Kentucky A promising 3-year-old in the barn come the first Saturday in May can put a spring in any trainer's step. Also invigorating Lukas are the deep-pocketed owners he has after his stock of good horses had gone way down. 'Our business the last six months has just taken off,' he said. He reminded his clientele that he will be 92 when the young horses they bought are ready to be trained at the racetrack. He suggested they might want to limit their purchases or send some to younger conditioners. They ignored him and bought 18 instead. Lukas isn't a complainer but he told John Bellinger, co-owner of American Promise, that his legs were tired. 'That's fine, don't worry about that,'' Bellinger responded. 'Just don't lose your mind.' Far from it, according to Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens. He and Lukas teamed to win the Derby in 1988 with filly Winning Colors. D. Wayne Lukas is 89, wants to win a 5th Kentucky Derby What does it take to get a horse to Churchill Downs? Here's the horse racing lineup for the 2025 Kentucky Derby 'Wayne is known for how meticulous he is with everything that he does. That hasn't changed and it won't change,' Stevens said. 'He still rides out every morning. He can still tell a good horse. He's got a great eye. He picks all these horses out at the sales, their angles, their looks. He's still got it at 89.' That was evident at the auction where Lukas spotted American Promise. His old friend and rival Bob Baffert also had his eye on the colt since he had trained the sire, Justify. Noticing a contusion above one of the colt's knees, Baffert figured he could get him for a steal at $400,000. Not so fast. American Promise sold for $750,000. 'I went to see who bought this horse,' Baffert said. 'There he was — The Coach.' While others were thinking the colt had a bad knee, Lukas' gut told him otherwise. 'That was just a bump,' he said. 'It went down in a week.' Latest central Kentucky weather forecast One of Lukas' few concessions to age is a desire to limit his stable to 40 horses, the same number of stalls he has at Churchill Downs in the spring and at Oaklawn Park in Arkansas in the winter. 'We've run the red light on that,' he said. 'We're up to about 52 or 53 now.' Lukas told his fifth wife, Laurie, that given his age the couple might want to buy a few horses of their own for fun and send them to someone else to train. That plan also went awry. 'I bought four or five and we now have 11 racehorses,' he said. 'We got some really nice colts.' In other words, don't expect Lukas to ride off into retirement anytime soon. 'I always thought he would have been a great commissioner of racing, a great spokesperson, because he's so smart, speaks well,' Baffert said. 'He knows the ins and outs and he still plays at that high level.' Lukas and Baffert — who owns a record-tying six — have the most victories of any trainer in this year's race. Nine of the trainers are in the Derby for the first or second time. 'There's no how-to book,' Lukas said. 'Those younger guys are going to make mistakes just like we all did. They'll all learn, especially in this race.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
NBC Sports
29-04-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
D. Wayne Lukas is 89 and wants to win a 5th Kentucky Derby. He's up before dawn in pursuit of it
D. Wayne Lukas is easy to spot before dawn at Churchill Downs. He is one of the few Kentucky Derby trainers atop a stable pony, escorting his horses to and from the track for their workouts. At 89, he is the sport's elder statesman, a Hall of Famer with four Derby victories on a very lengthy résumé. On Saturday, he will be chasing another with 30-1 shot American Promise. Like the former basketball coach he is, Lukas isn't afraid to flip the playbook. American Promise went off the beaten path to earn his way to Kentucky with a win in the Virginia Derby. He's a son of 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify. 'He looks exactly like him,' Lukas said. 'He's developing very good at the right time.' Lukas' last Derby win was in 1999 with Charismatic. He has entered 16 horses since and finished second in 2002 with Proud Citizen. He won the 2022 Kentucky Oaks for fillies. Last year, he won the Preakness and the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby. Since his first Derby try in 1981, Lukas has saddled the second-most entries at 50, exceeded only by his protégé, Todd Pletcher, who has 65. Pletcher also has a long-shot entry on Saturday with Grande at 20-1. A promising 3-year-old in the barn come the first Saturday in May can put a spring in any trainer's step. Also invigorating Lukas are the deep-pocketed owners he has after his stock of good horses had gone way down. 'Our business the last six months has just taken off,' he said. He reminded his clientele that he will be 92 when the young horses they bought are ready to be trained at the racetrack. He suggested they might want to limit their purchases or send some to younger conditioners. They ignored him and bought 18 instead. Lukas isn't a complainer but he told John Bellinger, co-owner of American Promise, that his legs were tired. 'That's fine, don't worry about that,'' Bellinger responded. 'Just don't lose your mind.' Far from it, according to Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens. He and Lukas teamed to win the Derby in 1988 with filly Winning Colors. 'Wayne is known for how meticulous he is with everything that he does. That hasn't changed and it won't change,' Stevens said. 'He still rides out every morning. He can still tell a good horse. He's got a great eye. He picks all these horses out at the sales, their angles, their looks. He's still got it at 89.' That was evident at the auction where Lukas spotted American Promise. His old friend and rival Bob Baffert also had his eye on the colt since he had trained the sire, Justify. Noticing a contusion above one of the colt's knees, Baffert figured he could get him for a steal at $400,000. Not so fast. American Promise sold for $750,000. 'I went to see who bought this horse,' Baffert said. 'There he was — The Coach.' While others were thinking the colt had a bad knee, Lukas' gut told him otherwise. 'That was just a bump,' he said. 'It went down in a week.' One of Lukas' few concessions to age is a desire to limit his stable to 40 horses, the same number of stalls he has at Churchill Downs in the spring and at Oaklawn Park in Arkansas in the winter. 'We've run the red light on that,' he said. 'We're up to about 52 or 53 now.' Lukas told his fifth wife, Laurie, that given his age the couple might want to buy a few horses of their own for fun and send them to someone else to train. That plan also went awry. 'I bought four or five and we now have 11 racehorses,' he said. 'We got some really nice colts.' In other words, don't expect Lukas to ride off into retirement anytime soon. 'I always thought he would have been a great commissioner of racing, a great spokesperson, because he's so smart, speaks well,' Baffert said. 'He knows the ins and outs and he still plays at that high level.' Lukas and Baffert — who owns a record-tying six — have the most victories of any trainer in this year's race. Nine of the trainers are in the Derby for the first or second time. 'There's no how-to book,' Lukas said. 'Those younger guys are going to make mistakes just like we all did. They'll all learn, especially in this race.'
Hamilton Spectator
29-04-2025
- Sport
- Hamilton Spectator
D. Wayne Lukas is 89 and wants to win a 5th Kentucky Derby. He's up before dawn in pursuit of it
D. Wayne Lukas is easy to spot before dawn at Churchill Downs. He is one of the few Kentucky Derby trainers atop a stable pony, escorting his horses to and from the track for their workouts. At 89, he is the sport's elder statesman, a Hall of Famer with four Derby victories on a very lengthy resume. On Saturday, he will be chasing another with 30-1 shot American Promise . Like the former basketball coach he is, Lukas isn't afraid to flip the playbook. American Promise went off the beaten path to earn his way to Kentucky with a win in the Virginia Derby. He's a son of 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify. 'He looks exactly like him,' Lukas said. 'He's developing very good at the right time.' Lukas' last Derby win was in 1999 with Charismatic. He has entered 16 horses since and finished second in 2002 with Proud Citizen. He won the 2022 Kentucky Oaks for fillies. Last year, he won the Preakness and the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby. Since his first Derby try in 1981, Lukas has saddled the second-most entries at 50, exceeded only by his protégé, Todd Pletcher, who has 65. Pletcher also has a long-shot entry on Saturday with Grande at 20-1. A promising 3-year-old in the barn come the first Saturday in May can put a spring in any trainer's step. Also invigorating Lukas are the deep-pocketed owners he has after his stock of good horses had gone way down. 'Our business the last six months has just taken off,' he said. He reminded his clientele that he will be 92 when the young horses they bought are ready to be trained at the racetrack. He suggested they might want to limit their purchases or send some to younger conditioners. They ignored him and bought 18 instead. Lukas isn't a complainer but he told John Bellinger, co-owner of American Promise, that his legs were tired. 'That's fine, don't worry about that,'' Bellinger responded. 'Just don't lose your mind.' Far from it, according to Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens. He and Lukas teamed to win the Derby in 1988 with filly Winning Colors. 'Wayne is known for how meticulous he is with everything that he does. That hasn't changed and it won't change,' Stevens said. 'He still rides out every morning. He can still tell a good horse. He's got a great eye. He picks all these horses out at the sales, their angles, their looks. He's still got it at 89.' That was evident at the auction where Lukas spotted American Promise. His old friend and rival Bob Baffert also had his eye on the colt since he had trained the sire, Justify. Noticing a contusion above one of the colt's knees, Baffert figured he could get him for a steal at $400,000. Not so fast. American Promise sold for $750,000. 'I went to see who bought this horse,' Baffert said. 'There he was — The Coach.' While others were thinking the colt had a bad knee, Lukas' gut told him otherwise. 'That was just a bump,' he said. 'It went down in a week.' One of Lukas' few concessions to age is a desire to limit his stable to 40 horses, the same number of stalls he has at Churchill Downs in the spring and at Oaklawn Park in Arkansas in the winter. 'We've run the red light on that,' he said. 'We're up to about 52 or 53 now.' Lukas told his fifth wife, Laurie, that given his age the couple might want to buy a few horses of their own for fun and send them to someone else to train. That plan also went awry. 'I bought four or five and we now have 11 racehorses,' he said. 'We got some really nice colts.' In other words, don't expect Lukas to ride off into retirement anytime soon. 'I always thought he would have been a great commissioner of racing, a great spokesperson, because he's so smart, speaks well,' Baffert said. 'He knows the ins and outs and he still plays at that high level.' Lukas and Baffert — who owns a record-tying six — have the most victories of any trainer in this year's race. Nine of the trainers are in the Derby for the first or second time. 'There's no how-to book,' Lukas said. 'Those younger guys are going to make mistakes just like we all did. They'll all learn, especially in this race.' ___ AP horse racing: and Derby coverage:
