Frost becomes 1st female jockey to win King George VI Chase

KEMPTON, England — Bryony Frost became the first female jockey to win the King George VI Chase when she rode 20-1 shot Frodon in an impressive front-running display on Saturday, giving trainer Paul Nicholls a record-extending 12th victory in the prestigious English horse race.

Frodon – one of Nicholls’ four runners – dictated the pace of the 3-mile (4.8-kilometer) jumps race at Kempton after going out in front early and jumped excellently throughout under the 25-year-old Frost.

Clan Des Obeaux, another horse trained by Nicholls, was going for a third straight victory in the race. The 85-40 shot – one of the two favorites – moved to challenge Frodon with two fences left.

But Frodon finished strongly and reached the finishing post about three lengths clear of Waiting Patiently, a 12-1 shot. Clan Des Obeaux was third.

Last year, Frost was the first female jockey to ride a top-level Grade One winner at the Cheltenham Festival – also on Frodon.

“The dark days, the hard words you get thrown at you, to gallop round there with him – he has just smashed everybody’s expectations,” Frost said.

“I got some amazing jumps from him. He’s what you dream of as a little girl – absolutely epic.”

Nicholls has won half of the last 24 editions of the King George, with Kauto Star and Silviniaco Conti among his repeat winners.

“I wasn’t expecting that,” said Nicholls. “I just said to Bryony, `Go as quick as you can and keep galloping.”‘

There were no spectators present at Kempton because of the coronavirus pandemic for a race which usually attracts about 20,000 fans.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – A total of 369 3-year-olds were made eligible to compete in this year’s Triple Crown series during the early nomination period.

Each of the horses was nominated through a $600 payment to compete in the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont stakes. The Triple Crown opens May 6 with the Derby.

The number of nominated horses increased by 57 from last year’s total of 312. They include a record 37 horses based in Japan.

Among the notable horses is Forte, last year’s 2-year-old champion trained by Todd Pletcher.

Also among the predominantly male horses nominated was a filly named Hoosier Philly.

Brad Cox led all trainers with 38 horses nominated to the series. Pletcher was second with 36 horses, followed by Steve Asmussen and Ken McPeek with 13 each. Chad Brown and Hideyuki Mori had 12 each.

Others nominated include Arabian Knight, Cave Rock and Newgate, all trained by Bob Baffert. He is currently banned by Churchill Downs Inc. through this year’s Derby, although Baffert is challenging his two-year punishment in federal court.

For the Derby, horses under the care of any suspended trainer may be transferred to another trainer and become eligible to earn Derby qualifying points as long as the transfer is done by Feb. 28.

Last year, Baffert transferred two horses to another trainer and both ran in the Derby, although neither was highly placed.

Horses that were not nominated to the Triple Crown series by the early deadline of Jan. 28 can make a late payment of $6,000 through March 27 to become eligible.

ARCADIA, Calif. — Newgate won the $200,000 Robert B. Lewis Stakes by a neck, with Bob Baffert as the trainer of all four horses in the Kentucky Derby prep race at Santa Anita.

Ridden by Frankie Dettori, Newgate ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.11 and paid $4 and $2.60 as the even-money favorite. There was no show wagering because of the field size.

Hard to Figure returned $5.20 at 12-1 odds. Worcester was another 1 3/4 lengths back in third. Arabian Lion was fourth.

“So much improvement in all these horses,” Baffert said. “I was actually nervous before the race, worried that something weird might happen, but I can relax now.”

The Lewis was a Kentucky Derby prep race, but no points were awarded because Baffert has been banned for two years by Churchill Downs Inc. The Hall of Fame trainer was in Louisville to testify in federal court as he seeks a temporary injunction to end the suspension, which runs through the end of the upcoming spring meet. It was meted out following a failed drug test by Medina Spirit after the colt finished first in the 2021 Kentucky Derby.

Newgate earned his first graded stakes victory. The colt was second, beaten by a neck in the Sham Stakes last month in his previous start.

“Frankie Dettori has been teaching him how to just sit back, relax and come with a punch and that’s what he did today,” Baffert said.

The victory, worth $120,000, increased Newgate’s career earnings to $241,975, with two wins in six starts.