Archive for 2012

By ROBERT KIECKHEFER UPI Racing Writer Godolphin’s Campanologist preparing for his start in the Dubai City of Gold Sponsored By Skywards (G2)DARLEY PHOTO Two major Kentucky Derby preps share the spotlight this weekend with Dubai’s “Super Saturday” – the last tune-ups for World Cup night. Sprinkled into the mix are graded stakes around the United […]

By ROBERT KIECKHEFER UPI Racing Writer The way things are going, the Kentucky Derby could come down to a replay of last year’s dramatic Breeders’ Cup Juvenile – Hansen vs. Union Rags. Union Rags, second in the Juvenile, confirmed his class with a dominant victory in last weekend’s Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream, winning by […]

By ROBERT KIECKHEFER UPI Racing Writer The top Kentucky Derby preps ran to form during the weekend but some Breeders’ Cup champions were taken down a notch in their seasonal debuts. Internationally, Ambitious Dragon was dominant again in Hong Kong, a potential new star blazed in Dubai and Black Caviar took the weekend off in […]

February 20, 2012 – “Am I not destroying my enemies when I make friends of them?” Abraham Lincoln

February 17, 2012 – “A smile is the shortest distance between two people.” Victor Borge

By ROBERT KIECKHEFER UPI Racing Writer Presidents Day Special Edition Oaklawn Park split Monday’s Southwest Stakes for Kentucky Derby hopefuls into two divisions and trainer Bob Baffert won both of them. Baffert, seemingly awash in Derby candidates, saddled Castaway in the first division and that Kentucky-bred Street Sense colt drew off in the stretch to […]

By ROBERT KIECKHEFER UPI Racing Writer The weekend’s most-watched race turned out a viable Australian candidate for Dubai World Cup night; Florida’s top race of the weekend, not so much. Black Caviar easily won her 18th straight race Saturday, easily capturing the C. F. Orr Stakes at Caulfield. But in the $500,000, Grade I Donn […]

By ROBERT KIECKHEFER UPI Racing Writer Shackleford (inside), who had a strong three-year-old campaign, makes his four-year-old debut at Gulfstream Park SaturdayJOHN KOSCIAK PHOTO This weekend: Four big graded stakes at Gulfstream Park and Black Caviar stretching out to 7 furlongs in Australia in quest of her 18th straight win. With Dubai World Cup night […]

By ROBERT KIECKHEFER UPI Racing Writer Alpha is the new “alpha dog” among Kentucky Derby candidates – at least in New York – after the weekend round of prep races. A mishap in the stretch muddled California’s main weekend Derby prep while Florida’s featured a mild upset and Kentucky’s produced yet another a potential contender. […]

By ROBERT KIECKHEFER UPI Racing Writer Kentucky Derby hopefuls are put to the test Saturday in New York, California, Florida and Kentucky as the “Road to the Roses” rounds the first turn. Aqueduct hosts the $200,000, Grade III Withers Stakes, leading to Empire State’s ultimate Derby prep, the Wood Memorial. At Santa Anita, it’s the […]