Independence Hall

The Top 12 right now resembles an evenly matched marathon. There is no breakaway leader, no odds-on favorite, and the main threats are all keeping an eye on one another waiting for the first bold move. Feb. 1 looms as the next significant shakeup date, when Road to the GI Kentucky Derby points races will be run in New York, Florida and California. 1) THOUSAND WORDS (c, Pioneerof the Nile--Pomeroys Pistol, by Pomeroy) O-Albaugh Family Stables & Spendthrift Farm. B-Hardacre Farm (FL). T-Bob Baffert. Sales History: $1,000,000 yrl '18 KEESEP....

The Week in Review, by T.D. Thornton So which 3-year-old ran the more impressive GI Kentucky Derby prep race last week? You're forgiven if you want to grade two of the three stakes as "incomplete" because they more or less equated to public workouts won by heavy favorites who had short fields at their mercy. But there were enough nuggets of intrigue to spark decent debate, even at this early stage of the season. Authentic Goes Green The 7 3/4-length beatdown administered by Authentic (Into Mischief) in Saturday's GIII Sham...

Independence Hall (Constitution) kicked off his 2020 path towards the Triple Crown as expected Wednesday, airing by open lengths in Aqueduct's Jerome S. as the overwhelming 1-9 favorite. Last away, he rushed up outside of rivals to press a longshot through a :23.79 opening quarter. He took over after a half in :47.47, with only New York-breds Bourbon Bay (Bayern) and Prince of Pharoahs (American Pharoah) appearing to have any chance to collar the chalk from there. Independence Hall turned very wide into the straight and presented Prince of Pharoahs...

Though a constellation of three unbeaten 2-year-olds did emerge glittering from the Breeders' Cup, the GI Juvenile itself appeared only to send meteors careering out of their projected orbit. Obviously there's plenty of time for these burnouts to renew their lustre next year. Dennis' Moment (Tiznow) didn't have a prayer after genuflecting as he exited the gate; while Eight Rings (Empire Maker) must be a city block better than he ran, for his trainer to have encouraged clients as important as Coolmore to invest in breeding rights in the days...