Derby News

Sunday’s $100,000 Santa Ynez (G3) at Santa Anita can be summed up as a clash between flashy debut maiden winner Kopion and the proven filly Tambo.

A compact field of five three-year-olds will travel a one-turn mile in Saturday’s $150,000 Jerome S. at Aqueduct.

The $150,000 Jerome S. on Saturday is the first of four Road to the Kentucky Derby prep races that will be held this year at Aqueduct through early April.

The second of Aqueduct’s five 2023-24 Road to the Kentucky Derby qualifiers is taking place this Saturday. It’s the $150,000 Jerome S. held over a one-turn mile.

Albaugh Family Stables’ Catching Freedom now has 125 points on the 2024 Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard following his victory in the March 23 Louisiana Derby (G2).

The first of four Road to the Kentucky Derby series qualifiers at Oaklawn Park, the 1 1/16-mile Smarty Jones S. on Jan. 1 offered points on a 10-5-3-2-1 scale toward a berth in the 150th running of the Kentucky Derby (G1) on May 4.

Catching Freedom made amends for a rough-trip loss in a Churchill Downs allowance in his previous start to land the $300,000 Smarty Jones S. at Oaklawn Park on Monday, the first of Road to the Kentucky Derby series event of the new year.

The New Year’s Day racing schedule is highlighted by the $300,000 Smarty Jones S. at Oaklawn Park, a 1 1/16-mile Road to the Kentucky Derby qualifier worth 10-5-3-2-1 points to the top five finishers.

A cast of nine sophomores will travel 1 1/16 miles on the Oaklawn dirt in Monday’s $300,000 Smarty Jones S.

Trainers Brad Cox and Steve Asmussen have combined to win three of the past four editions of the $300,000 Smarty Jones S. at Oaklawn and will be collectively represented by five of the nine starters in Monday's renewal of the 1 1/16-mile event for newly...