Churchill Downs

Champion filly Pretty Mischievous (Into Mischief) will return to the scene of her greatest triumph when she kicks off her 4-year-old campaign in the May 3 GI La Troienne S. at Churchill Downs. Pretty Mischievous won last year's GI Kentucky Oaks, a win that went a long way toward her earning an Eclipse Award as the nation's outstanding 3-year-old filly. "She's been doing great and working very well," trainer Brendan Walsh said. "We're very happy with the way she has progressed from three to four. We won't know until we...

Vlahos (r, 3, Kantharos--Must Be Dreaming, by Run Away and Hide), a razor sharp debut winner for owner Dan Northrup and trainer Luis Mendez with a 98 Beyer Speed Figure at Santa Anita Mar. 9, has been purchased privately by Ty Leatherman and Todd Cady and transferred to Doug O'Neill. The sale price was not disclosed. The chestnut, a steal for $35,000 as a Keeneland September yearling, is aiming to make his next start in the $600,000 GII Pat Day Mile S. on the Kentucky Derby undercard. He has posted...

Trainer Bill Mott's barn sent out a pair of Classic aspirants Thursday morning, including Emily Bushnell and Ric Waldman's GII Wood Memorial winner Resilience (Into Mischief) along with George Krikorian's GI Ashland S. runner-up Just F Y I (Justify). The two returned to the work tab to continue their preparations for the GI Kentucky Derby and GI Kentucky Oaks, respectively. The duo began their work together at 7:30 a.m. ET after galloping about one mile. The defending champion juvenile filly Just F Y I worked to the outside of Resilience...

The Churchill Downs Foundation has partnered with 20 Thoroughbred aftercare organizations for the upcoming 150th Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve by pledging a $150,000 donation to support the organizations. On Monday, Apr. 29, an aftercare post position draw will be held on the Churchill Downs backstretch where each horse in the Kentucky Derby field will be paired with an aftercare organization. Each organization is guaranteed at least a $5,000 donation from the Churchill Downs Foundation with the organization paired with the winner of the Kentucky Derby receiving a $25,000...

The lawsuit filed by Amr Zedan's incorporated racing stable to try and get Bob Baffert-trained horses un-barred from the GI Kentucky Derby could get decided by the end of this week according to several published news reports in the wake of a Monday hearing in Kentucky's Jefferson Circuit Court. Ron Flatter of Horse Racing Nation reported that the judge in Zedan's lawsuit against Churchill Downs, Inc. (CDI) was "prepared to rule" on Zedan's motion for an injunction and/or on CDI's motion to dismiss the case entirely, but wanted to wait...

With only three weeks remaining until the 150th running of the GI Kentucky Derby, Catching Freedom (Constitution), Endlessly (Oscar Performance), Mystik Dan (Goldencents) and Common Defense (Karakontie {Jpn}) continued their training towards the Run for the Roses with published workouts Saturday morning at Churchill Downs. Soon after the track opened at 5:30 a.m., GII TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby winner Catching Freedom was the first Derby contender to work when he went a solo half-mile in :48 (14/123). "He's had very steady training the last five, six weeks," trainer Brad Cox said....

Champion 2-year-old Colt, 'TDN Rising Star' and GI Curlin Florida Derby hero Fierceness (City of Light) returned to action Friday with his first work following his 13 1/2-length romp in last month's Florida Derby. The Repole Stables-owned runner went four furlongs in :50.17 (13/22) under regular pilot John Velazquez with trainer Todd Pletcher looking on. "He's been great since the Florida Derby. His energy level is good. He's seemed to take the race really well," said Pletcher. "He had a nice easy breeze this morning and was moving great. Really,...

Wynonna Judd will perform the National Anthem at this year's Kentucky Derby, while Martha Stewart will handle the 'Riders Up' announcing duties, Churchill Downs said via a press release early Friday morning. Judd, a Kentucky native, will take the mic just after 5 p.m. ET and her performance will be broadcast as part of NBC's Derby coverage. "I am so proud to represent my home state, taking part in one of the most storied and iconic traditions," Wynonna Judd said. "The Kentucky Derby is something I look forward to every...

Amr Zedan's incorporated racing stable advanced its lawsuit to get Bob Baffert-trained horses un-banned from the GI Kentucky Derby by telling a Kentucky judge Thursday that the motion to dismiss filed by defendant Churchill Downs, Inc. (CDI) "confirms that the extension of its ban is based on pretext rather than genuine, fact-based concerns about health and safety." Zedan's Apr. 11 legal response in Jefferson Circuit Court underscored the time-pressing need for a swift judicial response to Zedan's request for an injunction before the Apr. 27 deadline for all entered Derby...

Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance will be on site at Churchill Downs for a variety of events during Kentucky Derby week. The organization will be recognized with a named race on the undercard of Champions Day on Wednesday of Derby week. A representative from TAA will be present to host the winners of the "Off to the Races" VIP Experience online benefit auction, which was donated by Churchill Downs Incorporated and Second Stride. The winners will enjoy all-inclusive box seats, tickets to the Winner's Party at the Kentucky Derby Museum and a...

Churchill Downs, Inc. (CDI) filed a motion Apr. 8 to dismiss a lawsuit by Zedan Racing Stables, Inc., that seeks to lift a CDI-imposed ban against horses trained by Bob Baffert in the GI Kentucky Derby. Jason Frakes of the Louisville Courier Journal was among the first to report on the motion, which was filed in Kentucky the same morning as a Jefferson County Circuit Court hearing was held on the matter. That Monday hearing put off until at least Apr. 15 a decision on owner Amr Zedan's request for...

All the nine-furlong prep races have been run, and the Triple Crown-caliber players have stepped forward and established themselves. We're three weeks away from a campaign's worth of enjoyable chaos sorting itself into some semblance of order, which means there's still plenty of time before you have to lock in your GI Kentucky Derby horse. Or maybe you'd prefer to wait for the GI Preakness S., like several top sophomores might end up doing. 1) MUTH (c, Good Magic--Hoppa, by Uncle Mo) 'TDN Rising Star'. O-Zedan Racing Stables Inc; B-Don...