Kentucky

First Look: Kentucky Derby will be filled by 3 big Saturdays

Published

1 year ago

March 16, 2025

Press Room

Photo:

Fair Grounds / Hodges Photography & Jessica Morgan / Eclipse Sportswire

If college basketball could have its selection Sunday, then
horse racing offers its answer with selection Saturdays. Eight major stakes in
the next three weeks will do more to fill the starting gate for Kentucky Derby
2025 than all the prep races beforehand this winter.

The Grade 2, $1 million Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds in
New Orleans and the $777,000 Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) at Turfway Park near
Cincinnati are scheduled to happen less than 20 minutes apart Saturday. The
winners are guaranteed of invitations and second-place finishers virtually
assured of joining them in the run for the roses May 3 at Churchill Downs.

John Hancock and Poster are the program favorites for this
weekend’s features, which will be followed March 29 by the Florida Derby (G1)
and Arkansas Derby (G1). The UAE Derby (G2) has a separate path to Louisville
on April 5, the same day the Blue Grass (G1), Wood Memorial (G2) and Santa
Anita Derby (G1) color in most of the rest of the Kentucky picture.

Eclipse Award winner Sierra Leone stands out on the
Louisiana Derby undercard with his return in the New Orleans Classic (G2). Between
the Bayou, northern Kentucky, the Arkansas mountains and Southern California, there
are nine key stakes on the Saturday calendar.

Saturday

Louisiana Derby (G2), Fair Grounds, 1 3/16 miles,
3-year-olds, Kentucky Derby 100-50-25-15-10 points race

It was just last week when John Hancock was drawn into a
field of 10 for the Virginia Derby. Then trainer Brad Cox decided to wait for
this race that rewards twice as many Kentucky Derby qualifying points. Now the 2-for-2
Constitution colt is entered in another 10-horse field. After drawing the rail
post, John Hancock was made the 7-2 favorite on the morning line. With 20
points from his narrow Sam F. Davis victory Feb. 8 at Tampa Bay Downs, he might
need only a third-place finish in New Orleans to get into the big starting gate
this spring at Churchill Downs.

Post	Horse / Sire	Rating	Trainer / Jockey	Last start	Morn. line
1	John Hancock Constitution	7.06	Brad Cox Flavien Prat	1st, 2025 Sam F. Davis	7-2
Last race	1st, 2025 Sam F. Davis
2	Chunk of Gold Preservationist	6.12	Ethan West Jareth Loveberry Advertisement	2nd, 2025 Risen Star G2	8-1
Last race	2nd, 2025 Risen Star G2
3	Tiztastic Tiz the Law	6.64	Steve Asmussen Joel Rosario	5th, 2025 Rebel G2	8-1
Last race	5th, 2025 Rebel G2
4	Yinzer Twirling Candy		Steve Asmussen Ben Curtis	1st, FG, MSW, 2/15/25 R9	12-1
Last race	1st, FG, MSW, 2/15/25 R9
5	Caldera Liam’s Map	6.76	D. Wayne Lukas Advertisement Tyler Gaffalione	2nd, 2025 Sunland Derby	5-1
Last race	2nd, 2025 Sunland Derby
6	Built Hard Spun	6.57	Wayne Catalano José Ortiz	3rd, 2025 Risen Star G2	9-2
Last race	3rd, 2025 Risen Star G2
7	Vassimo Nyquist	6.06	Todd Pletcher Irad Ortiz Jr. Advertisement	4th, 2025 Risen Star G2	12-1
Last race	4th, 2025 Risen Star
8	Furio McKinzie	5.79	Joe Sharp Luis Sáez	2nd, FG, alw OC, 2/17/25 R5	12-1
Last race	2nd, FG, alw OC, 2/17/25 R5
9	Instant Replay Maximum Security	5.34	Brad Cox Florent Géroux	1st, FG, alw OC, 2/17/25 R5	6-1
Last race	1st, FG, alw OC, 2/17/25 R5
10	Hypnus Into Mischief	4.79	Kenny McPeek Advertisement Brian Hernandez Jr.	7th, 2025 Rebel G2	12-1
Last race	7th, 2025 Rebel G2

New Orleans Classic (G2), Fair Grounds, 1 1/8 miles, 4-year-olds
and up

Which version of Sierra Leone will show up for his
4-year-old debut in this $500,000 race? The most successful version has earned
$6,008,000 with deep-closing performances like his Breeders’ Cup Classic win
that clinched a division championship. He also won the 2024 Risen Star (G2) in
his only previous start at Fair Grounds. After he finished first in last year’s
Blue Grass (G1), the son of Gun Runner lost four races in a row, including
three as the post-time favorite. Regardless of those times he has dashed the
highest wagering hopes for him, Sierra Leone is 9-for-9 when it comes to being
part of the trifecta.

Post	Horse / Sire	Rating	Trainer / Jockey	Last start	Morn. line
1	Kinetic Street Sense	6.23	Brad Cox Luis Sáez	1st, General MacArthur Overnight	10-1
Last race	1st, General MacArthur Overnight
2	Hall of Fame Gun Runner	6.60	Steve Asmussen José Ortiz	1st, 2025 Mineshaft G3	4-1
Last race	1st, 2025 Mineshaft G3
3	San Siro Classic Empire		Brendan Walsh Advertisement Édgar Morales	1st, FG, alw OC, 2/1/25 R6	15-1
Last race	1st, FG, alw OC, 2/1/25 R6
4	Maycocks Bay Speightstown	6.34	Michael Stidham Ben Curtis	3rd, 2025 Mineshaft G3	12-1
Last race	3rd, 2025 Mineshaft G3
5	Touchuponastar Star Guitar	5.45	Jeff Delhomme Timothy Thornton Advertisement	1st, La.-Bred Premier Night Championship	6-1
Last race	1st, La.-Bred Premier Night Championship
6	Uno Mas Bourbon Macho Uno	6.55	Ian Wilkes Brian Hernandez Jr.	3rd, GP, alw OC, 2/15/25 R9	30-1
Last race	3rd, GP, alw OC, 2/15/25 R9
7	Sierra Leone Gun Runner	7.88	Chad Brown Flavien Prat	1st, 2024 Breeders’ Cup Classic G1	7-5
Last race	1st, 2024 Breeders’ Cup Classic G1
8	Tarantino Pioneer Of The Nile	6.05	Peter Eurton Advertisement Edwin Maldonado	3rd, 2025 San Pasqual G2	15-1
Last race	3rd, 2025 San Pasqual G2
9	Komorebino Omoide California Chrome	6.37	Robertino Diodoro Jansen Melancon	2nd, 2025 Mineshaft G3	8-1
Last race	2nd, 2025 Mineshaft G3
10	Bishops Bay Uncle Mo	5.89	Brad Cox Irad Ortiz Jr. Advertisement	1st, OP, alw, OC, 1/25/25 R4	10-1
Last race	1st, OP, alw, OC, 1/25/25 R4

Fair Grounds Oaks (G2), Fair Grounds, 1 1/16 miles,
3-year-old fillies, Kentucky Oaks 100-50-25-15-10 points race

Cox also has an undefeated starter Saturday in Fair Grounds’
automatic qualifier for the Kentucky Oaks (G2). Good Cheer, a Godolphin
homebred filly by Medaglia d’Oro, is 5-for-5. Dominating in all her starts, she
drew away to a 6 1/4-length triumph Feb. 15 in the Rachel Alexandra (G2) at
Fair Grounds. With 45 points from her three wins in Oaks preps, Good Cheer
already may have done enough to assure her place among the 14 fillies running
for the lilies May 2.

Post	Horse / Sire	Rating	Trainer / Jockey	Last start	Status
1	Girl Math McKinzie		Rodolphe Brisset Advertisement Flavien Prat	5th, 2025 Cincinnati Trophy	Entered
Last race	5th, 2025 Cincinnati Trophy
2	Gowells Delight Practical Joke	6.34	Kenny McPeek Brian Hernandez Jr.	2nd, 2025 Rachel Alexandra G2	Entered
Last race	2nd, 2025 Rachel Alexandra G2
3	Ahavah City of Light		Cherie DeVaux José Ortiz Advertisement	1st, FG, MSW, 2/15/25 R6	Entered
Last race	1st, FG, MSW, 2/15/25 R6
4	Jenkin Mineshaft	6.27	Lindsay Schultz Florent Géroux	8th, 2025 Honeybee G3	Entered
Last race	8th, 2025 Honeybee G3
5	Her Laugh Practical Joke	6.34	Whit Beckman Irad Ortiz Jr.	2nd, 2025 Suncoast	Entered
Last race	2nd, 2025 Suncoast
6	Bless the Broken Laoban	6.06	Will Walden Advertisement Axel Concepción	3rd, 2025 Rachel Alexandra G2	Entered
Last race	3rd, 2025 Rachel Alexandra G2
7	Good Cheer Medaglia d’Oro	7.45	Brad Cox Luis Sáez	1st, 2025 Rachel Alexandra G2	Entered
Last race	1st, 2025 Rachel Alexandra G2
8	Secret Faith Aurelius Maximus		Jayde Gelner Jareth Loveberry Advertisement	1st, La.-Bred Premier Night Starlet	Entered
Last race	1st, La.-Bred Premier Night Starlet
9	Quickick McKinzie	7.24	Tom Amoss Tyler Gaffalione	5th, 2025 Honeybee G3	Entered
Last race	5th, 2025 Honeybee G3

Muniz Memorial Classic presented by Horse Racing
Nation (G2), Fair Grounds, 1 1/8 miles, turf, 4-year-olds and up

The three millionaires in Fair Grounds’ top turf race
Saturday stand out for more than their bankrolls. Spirit of St Louis, a
6-year-old gelding from Chad Brown’s barn, rallied in his 2025 debut to deliver
a thrilling triumph in the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1).
Five-year-old Gigante won two listed Fair Grounds stakes, lower case, since he
finished second in last year’s Muniz Memorial, but he was a disappointing
eighth last month in the Fair Grounds Stakes (G3), upper case. Brilliant Berti,
one of the three 4-year-olds in the 12-horse field, made the Oct. 26 Bryan
Station (G3) his fifth win in seven career starts before going on a 4 1/2-month
break.

Post	Horse / Sire	Rating	Trainer / Jockey	Last start	Morn. line
1	Gigante Not This Time	6.49	Steve Asmussen Joel Rosario	8th, 2025 Fair Grounds G3	8-1
Last race	8th, 2025 Fair Grounds G3
2	Johny’s Fireball Tonalist	5.47	Norm Casse Florent Géroux Advertisement	6th, John B. Connally Turf Cup	20-1
Last race	6th, John B. Connally Turf Cup
3	What Say Thee Sea The Stars		Mike Maker Luis Sáez	3rd, 2025 Fair Grounds G3	10-1
Last race	3rd, 2025 Fair Grounds G3
4	Cameo Performance Oscar Performance	5.84	Brendan Walsh Irad Ortiz Jr.	8th, 2024 Nashville Derby Invitational G3	20-1
Last race	8th, 2024 Nashville Derby Invitational G3
5	Redistricting Kingman	6.34	Chad Brown Advertisement Flavien Prat	2nd, 2024 Seabiscuit Handicap G2	9-2
Last race	2nd, 2024 Seabiscuit Handicap G2
6	Spirit of St Louis Medaglia d’Oro	7.76	Chad Brown Tyler Gaffalione	1st, 2025 Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational G1	3-1
Last race	1st, 2025 Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational G1
7	Rebel Red Frankel	5.94	Cherie DeVaux José Ortiz Advertisement	3rd, 2024 Red Smith G2	4-1
Last race	3rd, 2024 Red Smith G2
8	Brilliant Berti Noble Mission	6.67	Cherie DeVaux Brian Hernandez Jr.	1st, 2024 Bryan Station G3	5-1
Last race	1st, 2024 Bryan Station G3
9	Smokey Mandate Strong Mandate	3.79	Mike Maker Jareth Loveberry	1st, FG, alw OC, 2/22/25 R8	20-1
Last race	1st, FG, alw OC, 2/22/2025 R8
10	Dancin In Da’nile Pioneerof the Nile	4.45	Gail Cox Advertisement Axel Concepción	4th, 2024 Valedictory G3	20-1
Last race	4th, 2024 Valedictory G3
11	Idratherbeblessed Unified	3.79	Chris Hartman Ben Curtis	4th, 2025 Fair Grounds G3	20-1
Last race	4th, 2025 Fair Grounds G3
12	Higgins Boat Omaha Beach	6.06	Tom Amoss Édgar Morales Advertisement	2nd, 2025 Fair Grounds G3	15-1
Last race	2nd, 2025 Fair Grounds G3

Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3), Turfway Park, 1 1/8 miles,
synthetic, 3-year-olds, Kentucky Derby 100-50-25-15-10 points race

Poster has won twice on turf and once on dirt. After a
third-place finish last month in the Sam F. Davis, trainer Eoin Harty will try
Godolphin’s homebred Munnings colt on Tapeta for the first time. The winner of
the Remsen (G2) on the Aqueduct dirt in December, Poster will be paired with
John Velázquez this weekend, his fourth different jockey in five starts. Among
the other entrants in the overflow field, California Burrito successfully
graduated to stakes company with a narrow, gate-to-wire victory in the John
Battaglia Memorial covering 1 1/16 miles of Turfway’s synthetic track Feb. 22.

Post	Horse / Sire	Rating	Trainer / Jockey	Last start	Status
1	Calling Card Complexity	6.06	Mike Maker Advertisement Adam Beschizza	7th, 2025 Gotham G3	Entered
Last race	7th, 2025 Gotham G3
2	Charlie’s To Blame Blame	6.12	Peter Eurton Juan Hernández	1st, 2025 Kitten’s Joy	Entered
Last race	1st, 2025 Kitten’s Joy
3	California Burrito Army Mule	6.14	Tommy Drury Irving Moncada	1st, 2025 John Battaglia Memorial	Entered
Last race	1st, 2025 John Battaglia Memorial
4	Final Gambit Not This Time		Brad Cox Advertisement Luan Machado	1st, TP, MSW, 2/15/25 R5	Entered
Last race	1st, TP, MSW, 2/15/25 R5
5	Flying Mohawk Karakontie	5.79	Whit Beckman Joe Ramos	1st, FG, alw OC, 1/30/25 R8	Entered
Last race	1st, FG, alw OC, 1/30/25 R8
6	Baby Max Maximus Mischief	6.07	Kelsey Danner Abel Cedillo Advertisement	2nd, 2025 John Battaglia Memorial	Entered
Last race	2nd, 2025 John Battaglia Memorial
7	Giocoso Not This Time	6.15	Keith Desormeaux Jaime Torres	12th, 2025 Risen Star G2	Entered
Last race	12th, 2025 Risen Star G2
8	Innovator Authentic	6.24	D. Wayne Lukas Nik Juárez	12th, 2025 Rebel G2	Entered
Last race	12th, 2025 Rebel G2
9	Poster Munnings	7.12	Eoin Harty Advertisement John Velázquez	3rd, 2025 Sam F. Davis	Entered
Last race	3rd, 2025 Sam F. Davis
10	Maximum Promise Maximum Security	6.05	Kenny McPeek Frankie Dettori	3rd, 2025 John Battaglia Memorial	Entered
Last race	3rd, 2025 John Battaglia Memorial
11	Curvino Vino Rosso		Peter Miller Gerardo Corrales Advertisement	3rd, OP, alw OC, 2/24/25 R6	Entered
Last race	3rd, OP, alw OC, 2/24/25 R6
12	He’s Not Joking Practical Joke	6.27	Josie Carroll Rafael Hernández	5th, 2025 Holy Bull G3	Entered
Last race	5th, 2025 Holy Bull G3
13 ae	Candytown Speightstown		Todd Pletcher Advertisement John Velázquez	2nd, TAM, MSW, 2/8/25 R7	Entered
Last race	2nd, TAM, MSW, 2/8/25 R7

Bourbonette Oaks, Turfway Park, 1 1/16 miles, synthetic,
3-year-old fillies, Kentucky Oaks 50-25-15-10-5 points race

Racing on her home track, White Rocks tries to parlay her
Cincinnati Trophy score Feb. 21 into a victory that would clinch one of the 14
berths in the Kentucky Oaks. The daughter of Frosted will be rematched against
Adrift, who finished second in last month’s one-mile race, and
Somethinabouther, who came in third. Fourth-place Bracelet, an also-eligible
entrant this week, would join the rematch with one scratch. Just Ruthless, who
finished eighth in the Cincinnati Trophy, is also part of the reunion.

Post	Horse / Sire	Rating	Trainer / Jockey	Last start	Status
1	Resolve Midnight Lute	5.87	Leonard Powell Umberto Rispoli	2nd, SA, alw OC, 2/21/25 R7	Entered
Last race	2nd, SA, alw OC, 2/21/25 R7
2	Somethinabouther Mendelssohn	6.34	Brendan Walsh Declan Cannon	3rd, 2025 Cincinnati Trophy	Entered
Last race	3rd, 2025 Cincinnati Trophy
3	Admit Blame	5.84	Tommy Drury Irving Moncada Advertisement	2nd, 2025 Cincinnati Trophy	Entered
Last race	2nd, 2025 Cincinnati Trophy
4	Zealous Moon The Factor		Riley Mott Jaime Torres	1st, GP, alw, 2/2/25 R8	Entered
Last race	1st, GP, alw, 2/2/25 R8
5	Bless the Broken Laoban	6.06	Will Walden John Velázquez	3rd, 2025 Rachel Alexandra G2	Entered
Last race	3rd, 2025 Rachel Alexandra G2
6	Getting After It Violence		Michael Puhich Advertisement Juan Hernández	2nd, TP, alw OC, 3/6/25 R7	Entered
Last race	2nd, TP, alw OC, 3/6/25 R7
7	As Catch Can Mo Town	6.15	Jonathan Thomas Frankie Dettori	2nd, 2025 Sweet Life	Entered
Last race	2nd, 2025 Sweet Life
8	Golden Sunshine Medaglia d’Oro		Eoin Harty Vincent Cheminaud Advertisement	1st, TP, MSW, 2/13/25 R8	Entered
Last race	1st, TP, MSW, 2/13/25 R8
9	Fixin To Bee Mshawish	5.79	Rusty Arnold Corey Lanerie	4th, 2025 Sweetest Chant	Entered
Last race	4th, 2025 Sweetest Chant
10	Just Ruthless Justify		Destin Heath Gabriel Sáez	8th, 2025 Cincinnati Trophy	Entered
Last race	8th, 2025 Cincinnati Trophy
11	White Rocks Frosted	6.12	Arnaud Delacour Victor Carrasco Advertisement	1st, 2025 Cincinnati Trophy	Entered
Last race	1st, 2025 Cincinnati Trophy
12	Will Then War of Will	6.34	Jonathan Thomas Gerardo Corrales	1st, 2024 Jimmy Durante G3	Entered
Last race	1st, 2024 Jimmy Durante G3
13 ae	Bracelet Authentic		Brad Cox Advertisement Luan Machado	4th, 2025 Cincinnati Trophy	Entered
Last race	4th, 2025 Cincinnati Trophy
14 ae	Classic Appeal Classic Empire		John Hancock Albin Jiménez Advertisement	13th, 2025 Honeybee G3	Entered
Last race	13th, 2025 Honeybee G3

Kentucky Cup Classic (G3), Turfway Park, 1 1/8 miles,
synthetic, 4-year-olds and up

Three weeks after a seventh-place finish in the Gulfstream
Park Mile (G2), Godolphin homebred Encino goes back to the Tapeta track where
his career began so impressively. Overcoming a dawdling start to finish second
by a neck in his debut last winter, the 4-year-old Nyquist colt broke his
maiden next out and then finished first in the 2024 Battaglia. After an April
13 victory in the Lexington (G3) on the Keeneland dirt, a soft-tissue strain
cost him a start in the Kentucky Derby and put him on Cox’s bench for nine
months. A comeback win came Jan. 16 in a 1 1/16-mile allowance at Gulfstream
Park. That was where Encino set the pace early this month before fading off the
board.

Post	Horse / Sire	Rating	Trainer / Jockey	Last start	Status
1	Highestdistinction Point of Entry	4.79	Lindsay Schultz Advertisement Adam Beschizza	4th, TP, alw OC, 2/28/2025 R8	Entered
Last race	4th, TP, alw OC, 2/28/2025 R8
2	Paros Cairo Prince	5.34	Mike Maker Juan Hernández	5th, 2025 Canadian Turf G3	Entered
Last race	5th, 2025 Canadian Turf G3
3	Verstappen War Front	6.11	Brendan Walsh Declan Cannon Advertisement	2nd, John B. Connally Turf Cup	Entered
Last race	2nd, John B. Connally Turf Cup
4	Mercante Gun Runner		Brian Knippenberg Joe Ramos	1st, TP, alw OC, 2/12/25 R5	Entered
Last race	1st, TP, alw OC, 2/12/25 R5
5	Gamer Twirling Candy		Hugo Andrade Óscar Villarreal	1st, TP, OC, 2/28/25 R3	Entered
Last race	1st, TP, OC, 2/28/25 R3
6	Encino Nyquist	6.81	Brad Cox Advertisement Luan Machado	7th, 2025 Gulfstream Park Mile G2	Entered
Last race	7th, 2025 Gulfstream Park Mile G2
7	Tapit Shoes Tapit	6.03	Ed Moger Jr. Evin Román	4th, Dust Commander	Entered
Last race	4th, Dust Commander
8	Hush of a Storm Creative Cause	4.84	Brad Cox Vincent Cheminaud Advertisement	2nd, Dust Commander	Entered
Last race	2nd, Dust Commander
9	Tall Boy Lookin At Lucky	5.70	Doug O’Neill Rafael Hernández	1st, CD, alw OC, 5/2/2024 R8	Entered
Last race	1st, CD, alw OC, 5/2/2024 R8
10	Utah Beach English Channel	6.07	Nacho Correas Frankie Dettori	9th, 2025 William L. McKnight G3	Entered
Last race	9th, 2025 William L. McKnight G3
11	Lord Bullingdon Lord Nelson	6.26	Michael McCarthy Umberto Rispoli Advertisement	3rd, 2025 San Marcos G3	Entered
Last race	3rd, 2025 San Marcos G3
12	Chiron Protonico		Richard Estvanko Sophie Doyle	1st, Dust Commander	Entered
Last race	1st, Dust Commander
13 ae	Tucson Constitution		Todd Pletcher Advertisement John Velázquez	1st, GP, alw OC, 2/22/2025 R11	Entered
Last race	1st, GP, alw OC, 2/22/2025 R11

Essex (G3), Oaklawn, 1 1/16 miles, 4-year-olds and up

Sired by Street Sense out of Bernardini mare Collective, 4-year-old colt Kinetic has yet to have his racing résumé measure up to his bloodlines. Lightly raced for Cox, the Godolphin homebred won by three-quarters of a length as the odds-on favorite Jan. 25 in the $145,000 General MacArthur Overnight going 1 1/8 miles at Oaklawn. Two starts back he finished second to Saudi Crown in the $100,000 Tenacious at Fair Grounds. Kinetic will carry the top weight of 120 pounds, between one and four more than anyone else in the field.

Post	Horse / Sire	Rating	Trainer / Jockey	Last start	Status
1	Red Route One Gun Runner	7.11	Steve Asmussen Keith Asmussen	7th, 2025 Razorback Handicap G3	Entered
Last race	7th, 2025 Razorback Handicap G3
2	Maycocks Bay Speightstown	6.34	Michael Stidham Francisco Arrieta	3rd, 2025 Mineshaft G3	Entered
Last race	3rd, 2025 Mineshaft G3
3	Tarantino Pioneer Of The Nile	6.05	Peter Eurton Advertisement Edwin Maldonado	3rd, 2025 San Pasqual G2	Entered
Last race	3rd, 2025 San Pasqual G2
4	Patriot Spirit Constitution	6.18	Michael Campbell Rafael Bejarano	2nd, 2025 Fifth Season	Entered
Last race	2nd, 2025 Fifth Season
5	Kinetic Street Sense	6.23	Brad Cox Cristian Torres Advertisement	1st, General MacArthur Overnight	Entered
Last race	1st, General MacArthur Overnight
6	Speed Bias Uncle Mo	4.84	Ron Moquett Ricardo Santana Jr.	4th, OP, alw OC, 2/28/2025 R9	Entered
Last race	4th, OP, alw OC, 2/28/2025 R9
7	Unload Gun Runner	5.79	Steve Asmussen Erik Asmussen	7th, OP, alw OC, 1/25/25 R4	Entered
Last race	7th, OP, alw OC, 1/25/25 R4

San Luis Rey (G3), Santa Anita, 1 1/2 miles, turf,
4-year-olds and up

In a race likely to be without any standout winning streaks, some recent also-rans may capture the attention of bettors. Seven-year-old Easter and 4-year-old Lord Bullingdon finished second and third in that order in the 1 1/4-mile San Marcos (G3), which was won Feb. 8 by There Goes Harvard. Six-year-old Midnight Mammoth, who won the 1 1/2-mile Cougar II (G3) by 10 1/4 lengths in July at Del Mar, lost his last three races by a combined 49 1/2 lengths, all at shorter distances. According to the Santa Anita racing office, a $67,000 turf allowance going 1 1/8 miles March 29 may lure some of the horses listed as possible rather than probable for the San Luis Rey.

	Horse / Sire	Rating	Trainer	Last start	Status
	Midnight Mammoth Midnight Lute	6.91	Craig Dollase	4th, 2025 Santa Anita Handicap G1	Probable
Last race	4th, 2025 Santa Anita Handicap G1
	Cabo Spirit Pioneerof the Nile	6.71	George Papaprodromou Advertisement	3rd, 2025 Frank E. Kilroe Mile G1	Probable
Last race	3rd, 2025 Frank E. Kilroe Mile G1
	Easter Exosphere	6.49	Phil D’Amato	2nd, 2025 San Marcos G3	Probable
Last race	2nd, 2025 San Marcos G3
	Lord Bullingdon Lord Nelson	6.26	Michael McCarthy	3rd, 2025 San Marcos G3	Probable
Last race	3rd, 2025 San Marcos G3
	Megayacht Tonalist	4.12	Bob Hess Jr.	1st, SA, clm, 2/2/25 R1	Probable
Last race	1st, SA, clm, 2/2/25 R1
	Atitlan The Factor	6.70	John Shirreffs	5th, 2025 San Marcos G3	Possible
Last race	5th, 2025 San Marcos G3
	Balladeer Distorted Humor	6.15	George Papaprodromou Advertisement	9th, 2024 Kentucky Turf Cup G2	Possible
Last race	9th, 2024 Kentucky Turf Cup G2
	Divin Propos George Vancouver	6.09	Phil D’Amato	4th, 2025 San Marcos G3	Possible
Last race	4th, 2025 San Marcos G3
	Wizard Of Westwood Tu Brutus	5.91	Michael McCarthy	8th, 2025 Thunder Road G3	Possible
Last race	8th, 2025 Thunder Road G3
	El Rey Rey Karakontie	4.79	Héctor Palma	1st, SA, alw, 2/28/25 R3	Possible
Last race	1st, SA, alw, 2/28/25 R3
	Gold Phoenix Declan’s Warrior	4.45	Phil D’Amato	7th, CT, clm, 2/24/23 R1	Possible
Last race	7th, CT, clm, 2/24/23 R1
	Invigorated Street Sense		Michael McCarthy Advertisement	11th, SA, alw OC, 3/1/25 R11	Possible
Last race	11th, SA, alw OC, 3/1/25 R11

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Kentucky

Fayette County school board chair, KEA sue to block Kentucky law that would oust current members

Published

6 hours ago

June 3, 2026

Press Room

Fayette County school board chair, KEA sue to block Kentucky law that would oust current members

LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX NEWS) — Fayette County Board of Education Chair Tyler Murphy and the Kentucky Education Association have filed a lawsuit challenging a newly enacted Kentucky law that would overhaul the governance structure of Fayette County Public Schools and force all current board members out of office at the end of 2026.

The lawsuit names the Commonwealth of Kentucky, the Fayette County Board of Elections and Fayette County election officials as defendants.

At the center of the legal challenge is Senate Bill 4, which lawmakers passed over Gov. Andy Beshear’s veto earlier this year.

Under the law, the seven-member Fayette County Board of Education would be reduced to five district-based seats, the lawsuit reads. The terms of all current board members would end Dec. 31, 2026, and new elections would be held for the restructured board.

The lawsuit argues the law is unconstitutional and asks the court to block its implementation, including any election-related actions tied to the measure.

Court filings contend the legislation unlawfully targets a single school district and interferes with the terms of duly elected local officials. Plaintiffs also argue the law violates provisions of the Kentucky Constitution governing local elections and public officeholders.

Attorneys included exhibits detailing criticism of Murphy and Fayette County Public Schools leadership from state lawmakers, including a petition seeking Murphy’s removal and a letter from state Sen. Chris McDaniel calling for the resignations of Murphy and Superintendent Demetrus Liggins.

The lawsuit seeks a declaration that the law is invalid and requests expedited review from the court due to upcoming election deadlines.

No hearing date had been announced as of Wednesday.

The lawsuit comes as Fayette County Public Schools continues to face scrutiny over budgeting decisions, district spending and governance issues that have drawn attention from state lawmakers over the past year.

In a statement, Representative Matt Lockett criticized Murphy as he highlighted what he stated are district failures under Murphy.

“This lawsuit is nothing more than an attempt to distract from the disaster that Fayette County Public Schools is under Tyler Murphy’s leadership as board chair. Under his watch, the district has spiraled into a financial crisis so severe that it is now seeking to borrow up to $110 million simply to keep the lights on and make it through the school year. Students have been failed. Families have been failed. Teachers and staff have been failed. Taxpayers have been failed. And the Lexington community has been left paying the price for years of mismanagement and poor oversight.
Rather than taking responsibility for the district’s financial failures and focusing on what is best for students, he has chosen to file a lawsuit challenging a law that was duly passed by the General Assembly and enacted through the constitutional process. He may be emboldened by recent rulings by activist judges, but there are no legitimate grounds for overturning a duly enacted statute simply because you can’t do the right thing by this community. The General Assembly has both the authority and the responsibility to establish standards for public offices and governance structures across the Commonwealth.
At a time when Fayette County schools are facing unprecedented financial turmoil, the focus should be on accountability, transparency, and fixing the problems that have brought the district to this point. The only filing Fayette County taxpayers should be expecting from Mr. Murphy is his resignation.”

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Kentucky

UK Healthcare prepares to become Kentucky’s only Level 2 special pathogen treatment center

Published

16 hours ago

June 3, 2026

Press Room

UK Healthcare prepares to become Kentucky’s only Level 2 special pathogen treatment center

LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — An Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda has been causing fear around the world, and a Lexington doctor is preparing in the event a case is found in Kentucky.

According to the CDC, there have been 49 deaths and over 300 confirmed cases across the two countries, with more suspected cases still being investigated.

UK Healthcare is working to become a Level 2 Special Pathogen Treatment Center through the National Special Pathogen System, which would allow the facility to treat Ebola patients in-house.

Dr. Nicholas Van Sickels, an infectious disease physician at UK Healthcare, said the current outbreak is serious, but Kentucky residents are not at significant risk.

“Ebola scares people just because of the mortality, the death rate, associated with it and some of the long term consequences when you do survive. Fortunately, the strain that we’re seeing in Eastern (Democratic Republic of Congo) is thought to be not as deadly, but either way it’s a very serious disease. It carries a lot of stigma and fear,” Van Sickels said.

Here in Kentucky, however, is a very safe environment, Dr. Van Sickels said.

Currently, Dr. Van Sickels says UK Healthcare operates as an assessment hospital, meaning it can evaluate patients with symptoms who have traveled to regions with active outbreaks, coordinate testing with the state, and transfer patients to higher-level care centers if needed.

Once the Level 2 designation is complete, UK Healthcare will be the only facility in Kentucky with that capability.

“We’re the only facility in Kentucky that is able to have a level 2 designation once we finish this grant award and get approved,” Dr. Van Sickels said.

In January 2026, UK Healthcare received a grant from the National Emerging Special Pathogens Training and Education Center (NETEC), the governing body of the National Special Pathogen System.

“It’s approximately half a million dollars to transform our institution,” Van Sickels said.

The funding has been used to run simulation drills in coordination with Lexington Fire, EMS, and the state health department. The grant also enabled UK Healthcare to upgrade its protective outerwear, with all seam points covered to provide additional protection. Ebola is transmitted through bodily fluids.

During a recent site visit and simulation, evaluators identified vulnerabilities in the facility’s previous protective suits.

“When we had our site visit and had our stimulation, for example, they said that the seams that we had on our old suits, you could pull and stretch, and that they were rather porous,” Van Sickels said.

Van Sickels had been working on the preparedness project since the beginning of the year.

Citing lessons learned from the 2014 West Africa Ebola epidemic, which spread to the U.S. and resulted in 4 cases and 1 death.

“Ebola 2014 taught a lot of hospitals in the US about high consequence infections, established what is now NETEC, the educating body for our country, uh, about high consequence pathogens,” Van Sickels said.

“We’re constantly wanting to push preparedness, uh, because that is the key to success in evading further outbreaks,” Van Sickels said.

UK Healthcare expects to complete its Level 2 Special Pathogen Treatment Center designation by the end of summer.

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Kentucky

Bryian Duncan Jr. flips from Kentucky to West Virginia

Published

1 day ago

June 2, 2026

Press Room

Bryian Duncan Jr. flips from Kentucky to West Virginia

The Kentucky Wildcats have had some fits with West Virginia over the past few days, as the baseball team was sent home by the Mountaineers on Monday night. Now, they have flipped a Wildcat commit.

Bryian Duncan Jr., a Cario, Georgia native, committed to the Wildcats in March and has now flipped to West Virginia. The 3-star running back had a recent visit to Morgantown, then announced his commitment to the Mountaineers.

Duncan, a 5-foot-9 player who can play out wide and at running back, is the No. 60-ranked ATH in the nation and the No. 89 player in Georgia, according to 247 Sports. He’ll play in the Big 12 with the Mountaineers, giving himself a good opportunity to become a true gadget guy with legit speed.

This isn’t a big disappointment for the Wildcats, as they’ll collect nearly 10 commitments as the summer rolls on and already have a pretty loaded RB room for the class of 2027. Kelsey Gerald and Mason Ball are two tailbacks who have already pledged their commitment to the program.

Head coach Will Stein and Co. have been stellar on the recruiting trail as they have the 13th-best class overall and the fourth-ranked class in the SEC, according to 247 Sports. Expect the Cats to pick up a few more commits here soon and rise in the rankings.

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