#Hidden Connection

The principal action for Kentucky Derby 148 occurred more than 2000 miles west of Churchill Downs Thursday morning as Santa Anita Derby (GI) winner Taiba worked six furlongs in 1:12.80. "It was very straight forward," trainer Tim Yakteen said. "He worked three-quarters from the five-eighth pole. It was a typical Taiba work and we accomplished what…

With the Road to the 2022 Kentucky Derby paused until Jan. 22, fillies take the spotlight Saturday. Under the Stars (8-5) leads a field of six lined up for the Grade 2, $200000 Santa Ynez Stakes. Post time from Santa Anita is 7:06 p.m. EST, with TVG showing the seven-furlong sprint for 3-year-old fillies. The Santa Ynez pays out Road to the 2022…

When a heavy favorite enters any athletic contest, the best strategy can sometimes be to never let the underdog get into the game. Echo Zulu employed that exact game plan to perfection in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies on Friday at Del Mar, and all but guaranteed herself an Eclipse Award at the end of the year. The 2-year-old Gun Runner filly…

The co-feature of "Future Stars Friday" on Breeders' Cup weekend is the $2 million NetJets Juvenile Fillies. The country's top 2-year-old fillies will travel 1 1/16 miles on the dirt main track at Del Mar for the right to be called a Breeders' Cup champion. The Grade 1 race is scheduled as the seventh race on the card with a listed post time of…

Big money and Breeders' Cup berths will be on the line on both turf and dirt this weekend all over North America. We'll start at beautiful Belmont Park where a pair of rich turf races for 3-year-olds will lead the way. The $1 million Jockey Club Derby offers a "Win and You're In" for the Breeders' Cup Turf, while the $700000 Jockey Club Oaks closes…

Churchill Downs' Barn Notes: Mr Wireless Was Well Connected On Friday (Mr Wireless / Coady Photography) From the Churchill Downs Media Team: It was a sentimental win Friday at Churchill Downs for Jon Lapczenski and JIL Stable's Mr. Wireless. Just days before his allowance victory, his co-owner/breeder John Kerber passed away at age 86. Kerber, who…

One year ago, trainer Todd Pletcher's filly Malathaat started her 3-year-old campaign with a late rally to win Ashland Stakes by a head. The victory launched her to an Eclipse Award-winning season that also included Grade 1 wins in the Kentucky Oaks and Alabama Stakes. Pletcher will hope for similar things Friday and beyond with Nest (2-1),…

With Secret Oath officially pointing toward the Kentucky Oaks again on May 6 at Churchill Downs, the comparisons between the daughter of Arrogate and last year's 2-year-old filly champion Echo Zulu will carry on for the next few weeks. According to oddschecker, Echo Zulu remains the slight favorite over Adare Manor in overseas wagering.…

Led by the unbeaten and highly regarded La Crete, a field of eleven 3-year-old fillies will look to prove worthy to remain on the Kentucky Oaks trail in Saturday's Grade 2 Rachel Alexandra Stakes at Fair Grounds. A very impressive debut winner at Churchill Downs, La Crete lived up to expectations last time in her stakes debut when she battled back…

Pappacap (green silks), shown finishing second to Corniche in the Breeders' Cup Classic, is among the favorites for Saturday's Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds, a 50-point qualifier for the Kentucky Derby. Photo by John Voorhees, Eclipse Sportswire, courtesy of Breeders' Cup Feb. 18 (UPI) -- This is the weekend when we find out if a few highly…

There is one guarantee in this year's wide-open Kentucky Oaks. The post-time favorite will be higher than 5-2, the odds of morning-line choice Nest. Kathleen O., Nest, Echo Zulu and Secret Oath all have put forth efforts that are good enough to compete for the top spot. Below I take a closer look at all 14 fillies that will line up for the 2022…

Churchill Downs' Barn Notes: Echo Zulu Returns in Saturday's G3 Dogwood Stakes (Echo Zulu / Photos by Holly M. Smith) From the Churhcill Downs Media Team: L and N Racing and Winchell Thoroughbreds' three-time Grade I-winning filly Echo Zulu will make her first start since finishing fourth in this year's $1.25 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (Grade…

L and N Racing and Winchell Thoroughbreds' three-time Grade 1-winning filly Echo Zulu will make her first start since finishing fourth in this year's $1.25 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (Grade 1) when she goes to post as the likely favorite in Saturday night's 42nd running of the $275000 Dogwood (G3) at Churchill Downs. The seven-furlong Dogwood…

LEXINGTON, KY (Feb. 24, 2022) - L and N Racing and Winchell Thoroughbreds' champion Echo Zulu, who capped off a perfect 2021 campaign with a victory in the NetJets Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) at Del Mar, and Dawn and Ike Thrash's Turnerloose, winner of the Rachel Alexandra (G2) last Saturday at Fair Grounds in her dirt debut, headline the…

LOUISVILLE, Ky.- Hidden Brook Farm's Hidden Connection reaffirmed that her flashy 7 ½-length debut win at Colonial Downs wasn't a fluke as she rolled to a 9 ½ length victory over Mama Rina in Saturday night's 53 running of the $300000 Pocahonatas (Grade III) for 2-year-old fillies at Churchill Downs. Trained by Bret Calhoun, Hidden Connection ran 1…

Even the most casual sports fan knows the Kentucky Derby. However, this weekend it may not even be the best race at Churchill Downs. That distinction likely belongs to the Kentucky Oaks. Post: 5:51 PM ET; Purse: $1250000 Longines Kentucky Oaks, 1 1/8 Miles on Dirt; Entries: 15 #1 SECRET OATH (6-1) was once a possibility to run against the boys in…

The question everyone wants to know in Saturday's $400000 Twinspires.com Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) in New Orleans, La.: what will 2021 juvenile filly champion Echo Zulu do for an encore in 2022? Since hitting the racetrack last summer at Saratoga, the Gun Runner filly has been everything and more for her owners, L & N Racing and Winchell…