Slip Mahoney

Approaching the four-week mark to the GI Kentucky Derby, trainer Todd Pletcher has three highly ranked contenders, and the most impressive thing about that collective is that the Hall-of-Fame conditioner has guided them through undefeated 2023 campaigns to date, meticulously mapping out their schedules to avoid overlap. Divisional champ Forte (Violence), now 6-for-7, won Saturday's GI Florida Derby with a mad-dash flourish. 'TDN Rising Star' Tapit Trice (Tapit), the winner of the GIII Tampa Bay Derby, will be heavily favored to improve his 3-for-4 record with another score in Saturday's...

A trio of graded stakes preps in Florida, California and New York yielded a reshuffled deck this past weekend as we edge within the two-month mark for the May 6 GI Kentucky Derby. 1) FORTE (c, Violence--Queen Caroline, by Blame) 'TDN Rising Star'. O-Repole Stable & St. Elias Stable; B-South Gate Farm (KY); T-Todd Pletcher. Sales history: $80,000 Wlg '20 KEENOV; $110,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: Ch. 2yo Colt, MGISW, 6-5-0-0, $1,833,230. Last start: Won GII Fountain of Youth S. at Gulfstream Park Mar. 4. KY Derby Points: 90....

Gold Square LLC's Slip Mahoney (Arrogate) tuned up for the Mar. 4 GIII Gotham S. with a four-furlong work in :48.87 (6/54) over the Belmont training track Saturday. The gray colt worked in company with unraced stablemate Global Image (Liam's Map). "It wasn't as quick to watch it, but they moved pretty well," said Dustin Dugas, trainer Brad Cox's Belmont-based assistant. "It was really good and he came out of it in great shape and we're all systems go. Trevor [McCarthy] was happy with him and he's going to ride...

Ten Strike Racing's Eyeing Clover (Lookin at Lucky), unbeaten in two lifetime starts, could make his stakes debut in the Mar. 4 GIII Gotham S. at Aqueduct. The Brad Cox trainee opened his career with a 1 1/2-length victory going six furlongs at Oaklawn Park Dec. 31 and aired by 9 3/4 lengths going that same distance in a Fair Grounds allowance Jan. 28 (video). A win in the one-mile Gotham could earn Eyeing Clover a trip back to Oaklawn for the Apr. 1 GI Arkansas Derby, according to Ten...

Gary and Mary West's Hit Show (Candy Ride {Arg}) exited his 5 1/2-length victory in Saturday's GIII Withers S. in fine shape, according to Brad Cox's Belmont-based assistant trainer Dustin Dugas. "He looked good this morning," Dugas said. "He cooled out well yesterday and came back in good shape. He was at the front of the stall, and bright eyed this morning. We're happy with him and he was happy with himself." Hit Show's potential next starts include the Apr. 8 GII Wood Memorial. "He's always been a horse that...