Fulleffort

Connections of Stark Contrast (c, 3, Caravaggio--Catch the Eye, by Quality Road), second in the GIII Jeff Ruby Steaks Mar. 21 behind scratched GI Kentucky Derby contender Fulleffort (Liam's Map), could have entertained a Derby bid with the 50 points he earned at Turfway, but opted instead for the 35th running of the GI American Turf Stakes Saturday on the Derby undercard at Churchill Downs. And boy, did it pay off for the Michael McCarthy-trained Amerman homebred, who took home his first Grade I score. Sent as the 6-5 favorite,...

Fulleffort (Liam's Map), winner of the GIII Jeff Ruby Steaks, will scratch from Saturday's GI Kentucky Derby field because of a left-hind ankle chip, according to Daily Racing Form on Thursday morning. The defection will allow maiden Ocelli (Connect), third in the GII Wood Memorial last time out, to move into the lineup. "Back about a month ago, we were 30 (on the Derby leaderboard)," trainer Whit Beckman said of Ocelli, who galloped Thursday morning. "The way things have gone the past couple of years, you think you might have...

The field for the GI Kentucky Derby, ranked in "likeliest winner" order followed by program number. On Wednesday #13 Silent Tactic (Tacitus) scratched with a foot bruise, allowing #21 Great White (Volatile) to draw in off the also-eligible list. 1) #6 COMMANDMENT (c, Into Mischief--Sippican Harbor, by Orb) O-Wathnan Racing; B-Lee Pokoik (KY); T-Brad H. Cox. Sales history: $485,000 RNA Wlg '23 FTKNOV; $475,000 RNA Ylg '24 FTSAUG; $500,000 Ylg '24 KEESEP. Lifetime record: GISW, 5-4-0-0, $1,017,339. Last start: WON Mar. 28 GI Florida Derby. Commandment rides a four-race win...

Starship Beauty (Hard Spun--Callmethesqueeze, by Awesome Again), a half-sister to GIII Jeff Ruby Steaks winner and GI Kentucky Derby hopeful Fulleffort (Liam's Map), brought $310,000 from HX3 Incorporated during a one-horse 'flash sale' on the Fasig-Tipton Digital platform. Bidding closed Apr. 29 at 2 p.m. ET The 6-year-old mare was consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent, and was offered carrying her first foal by top 10 stallion Constitution. Starship Beauty is also a half-sister to 2025 GI Alabama Stakes heroine Power Squeeze (Union Rags) and to two-time stakes winner...

We know that the majority of stallions, in this day and age, get their biggest and best books precisely when we know least about their competence. But the other side of the same coin is that very few breeders stick around should a stallion fail to seize that first, fleeting opportunity. Just as well, then, that a historically underachieving group of rookies has got its act together with its maturing first crop, to the extent that four have managed to get a son into the GI Kentucky Derby gate. Collectively,...

Trainer Brad Cox's trio of Kentucky Derby hopefuls--Commandment (Into Mischief), Fulleffort (Liam's Map) and 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard,' Further Ado (Gun Runner)--highlighted a bustling morning at Churchill Downs a week out from Derby 152. Working during the 7:15-7:30 (all times Eastern) training period reserved for Kentucky Derby and Oaks prospects, the Cox trio was joined by Chester Broman's Right to Party (Constitution) (five furlongs in 1:01.20) for trainer Kenny McPeek. For Team Cox the group included Wathnan Racing's Commandment (five furlongs in 1:01.40 in company with the 4-year-old...

The flash sale for Starship Beauty (Hard Spun), a half-sister to Kentucky Derby hopeful Fulleffort (Liam's Map) and GISW Power Squeeze (Union Rags), is accepting bids, the organization announced via press release. Offered pregnant to Constitution for her first foal, Starship Beauty is consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency. Her aforementioned half-sister won three graded stakes in her career including the GI Alabama Stakes as a 3-year-old. The millionaire daughter of Union Rags sold for $2.5-million at the Fasig-Tipton November sale last year to Godolphin as a broodmare prospect. Half-brother...

It truly is spring in Kentucky when the penultimate preps for the marquee event in May start rolling out, and so was the story Saturday morning as Albus (Yaupon) and Right to Party (Constitution) led the work tab for GI Kentucky Derby hopefuls at Churchill Downs. The top two from last month's GII Wood Memorial Stakes both went out Saturday morning with winner Albus spotted first for trainer Riey Mott. He breezed four panels in :49 flat (35/65) for his first move over the track since arriving at the venue...

With two weeks remaining until the first Saturday in May, trainer Brad Cox's Barn 22 was active Friday morning at Churchill Downs where his trio of contenders recorded their penultimate works for the GI Kentucky Derby. Meanwhile down in Florida on Thursday, Renegade (Into Mischief) got his preparations for the big day underway with his first move since winning the GI Arkansas Derby for trainer Todd Pletcher last month. In Louisville at 5:15 a.m. (all times Eastern), Wathnan Racing's GI Curlin Florida Derby winner Commandment (Into Mischief) breezed five furlongs...

Gary and Mary West's GII Gulfstream Park Oaks winner Prom Queen (Quality Road) continued her preparation for the GI Longines Kentucky Oaks with a five-furlong move in 1:01.40 Thursday morning at Churchill Downs, according to a press release from the track on Thursday morning. Prom Queen, a 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard', breezed at 9:15 a.m. ET with Edvin Vargas in the irons. She completed an opening quarter-mile in :25.80 and galloped out six furlongs in 1:13.80, according to Churchill Downs clocker John Nichols. "It was a solid move...

Several horses clustered near the bottom of the "Road to the GI Kentucky Derby" are eligible for the race based on points, but their connections have not committed to the Derby. So this list differs slightly from the official qualifying rankings with respect to a few horses who are currently outside the top 20 points leaders and looking to get in. 1) COMMANDMENT (c, Into Mischief--Sippican Harbor, by Orb). O-Wathnan Racing; B-Lee Pokoik (KY); T-Brad H. Cox. Sales history: $485,000 RNA Wlg '23 FTKNOV; $475,000 RNA Ylg '24 FTSAUG; $500,000...

Trainer Brad Cox had a pair of horses work Friday ahead of a projected next start in the GI Kentucky Derby. Both Wathnan Racing's GI Florida Derby winner Commandment (Into Mischief) (:48.40 {14/44}) and St. Elias Stable and Starlight Racing's GIII Jeff Ruby Steaks winner Fulleffort (Liam's Map) (:48.40 {14/44}) recorded published four-furlong workouts Friday morning. Commandment was the first of the two Cox trainees to breeze and worked in company with George Messina's Louisiana-bred stakes winner He's Late Again (Aurelius Maximus). The duo completed an opening quarter-mile in :24.40...