Wandering Eyes

Chris So Wai-yin’s Tianchi Monster looks a handicapping certainty when he steps out at Sha Tin on Sunday.For punters who use weights and measures as a fundamental part of their betting strategy, the Class One Harlech Handicap (2,000m) is one that will certainly pique your interest.Five horses from the BMW Hong Kong Derby will clash again in this contest – going from a set weights event to a handicap, so it’s easy to line them up.Let’s use Waikuku as a benchmark – he finished second in the Derby… View the full article

After Gift Box took the lead off the turn for home in the 1 1/4-mile test, McKinzie had him in his sights, and the two hooked up for a battle royale down the length of the California stretch. View the full article

‘TDN Rising Star’ GIFT BOX (h, 6, Twirling Candy–Special Me, by Unbridled’s Song) provided his connections with back-to-back wins in the GI Santa Anita H., besting favored fellow ‘Rising Star’ McKinzie (Street Sense) in a very tight photo finish. Hronis Racing and John Sadler won last year’s renewal with champion Accelerate (Lookin at Lucky). Sent off as the 2-1 second-choice behind 2-5 chalk McKinzie, Gift Box stalked from second with McKinzie to his outside in third as Prime Attraction (Unbridled Song) walked the dog through soft opening splits of :24.24 and :49.23. Overtaking the pacesetter on the far turn, the gray was joined by McKinzie as Prime Attraction called it a day. The top two betting choice battled stride-for-stride down the lane and hit the wire almost in unison with Gift Box declared the winner of a very tight photo. The final time was 2:03.02. Privately purchased from W.S. Farish off a dominant optional claimer score at Aqueduct in March of 2018, Gift Box was transferred from Chad Brown to Hronis Racing’s sole trainer Sadler. Making his first start for these connections in the GII San Antonio S. Dec. 26, he bested the ill-fated GI Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile winner Battle of Midway (Smart Strike) by a half-length. Lifetime Record: 15-5-5-2. O-Hronis Racing; B-Machmer Hall & Carrie & Craig Brogden (KY); T-John Sadler. View the full article

Debt Collector nearly down for the Count, but still takes Chairman’s Trophy View the full article

First-up specialist Aramco strikes again View the full article

Sacred Croix makes it four in a row View the full article

Finn shows he sure can Run on debut View the full article

Lim’s Craft shows true potential third-up View the full article

Walker cements top spot with training double View the full article

Horses' body weights April 7 View the full article

Boss wins seventh Doncaster Mile View the full article

Track conditions and course scratchings April 7 View the full article

Speedway Stable's Roadster powered home with a massive late run April 6 to win the $1 million Santa Anita Derby (G1) at Santa Anita Park. View the full article

‘TDN Rising Star’ ROADSTER (c, 3, Quality Road–Ghost Dancing, by Silver Ghost) leads home a Bob Baffert exacta, nosing out champion and race favorite Game Winner (Candy Ride {Arg}) in the GI Santa Anita Derby. ‘TDN Rising Star’ Instagrand (Into Mischief) bounded out to an early lead with fellow ‘Rising Star’ Game Winner three wide on the first turn. Roadster saved ground near the back of the pack and Game Winner settled beside him as Instagrand carved out opening splits of :23.34 and :47.84. Game Winner made an early mover as three quarters went up in 1:12.20, ranging up three wide outside the leaders and it was well back to Roadster in second last under a patient Mike Smith. Game Winner took control exiting the bend, but Instagrand fought back on the fence. The Eclipse winner shook free of that foe and began to kick clear, however, Roadster was just hitting his best stride and hit the line a nose in front of Game Winner. The final time was 1:51.28. It was the ninth Santa Anita Derby win for Baffert. Living up to the hype with an impressive debut winner sprinting at Del Mar July 29, Roadster finished third to Game Winner as the favorite in the GI Del Mar Futurity Sept. 3. Requiring minor throat surgery after displacing in that contest, he returned a good-looking winner in a one-mile optional claimer in Arcadia last time Mar. 1. Lifetime Record: 4-3-0-1. O-Speedway Stable; B-Stone Farm (KY); T-Bob Baffert. View the full article

Former claimer turned grade 1 winner Vasilika joined the million-dollar club when she won as she pleased in the April 6 Royal Heroine Stakes (G2T) at Santa Anita Park. The 5-year-old daughter of Skipshot remains three-for-three in 2019. View the full article

Imprimis won for the seventh time in nine starts and notched his first graded stakes win in the Shakertown at Keeneland after having won three previous black-type events View the full article

VEKOMA (c, 3, Candy Ride {Arg}–Mona de Momma, by Speightstown) made amends for a third-place finish in the GII Fountain of Youth S. Mar. 2 with a decisive score in the GII Toyota Blue Grass S. at Keeneland Saturday, giving him enough points for a spot in the GI Kentucky Derby starting gate. The 7-5 chalk kept the pressure on Somelikeithotbrown (Big Brown) from second through early splits of :23.26 and :47.03. Drawing even as three-quarters went up in 1:11.55, Vekoma kicked clear in the lane to register a 3 1/2-length victory in 1:50.93. Win Win Win (Hat Trick {Jpn}) came flying late for second and Signalman (General Quarters) was third. A first-out winner going six panels at Belmont Sept. 23, Vekoma captured the one-mile GIII Nashua S. at Aqueduct Nov. 4 and completed the trifecta last time in Gulfstream’s Fountain of Youth. Lifetime Record: 4-3-0-1. O-Gatsas Stable & R A Hill Stable; B-Alpha Delta Stables (KY); T-George Weaver. View the full article

Always Shopping went from a maiden winner in the Feb. 3 Busanda Stakes, to skipping the Busher Invitational on March 9, to posting a 1 3/4-length victory in the April 6 Gazelle Stakes (G2) at Aqueduct Racetrack. View the full article

Vekoma took command off the final turn and drew off to a 3 1/2-length victory in the $1 million Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G2) April 6 at Keeneland. View the full article

Kaleem Shah's Bellafina pulled away in the stretch to win the Santa Anita Oaks (G1) by an impressive 5 1/4 lengths April 6 at Santa Anita Park. View the full article

Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby (G2) winner Tacitus secured another Road to the Kentucky Derby win when he rallied to take the Wood Memorial Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G2) April 6 at Aqueduct Racetrack. View the full article

Highly regarded by his connections, Bobby's Wicked One broke through in a big way April 6 in the $250,000 Commonwealth Stakes (G3) at Keeneland. View the full article

TACITUS (c, 3, Tapit–Close Hatches, by First Defence) scored his third straight victory and stamped his ticket to the First Saturday in May with a narrow score over Tax (Arch) in the GII Wood Memorial S. Saturday at Aqueduct. Favored at 5-2, the gray veered out rounding to first turn, sending Overdeliver (Overanalyze) flying, but was quickly righted and guided back inside by Jose Ortiz. The son of champion Close Hatches settled off the pace in fourth as longshots Joevia (Shanghai Bobby) and Not That Brady (Big Brown) shot well clear of the field, battling through early splits of :23.62, :46.91 and 1:11.46. The field, led by Tax and Tacitus, began to close in on the top two approaching the far turn and Tax was first to make his move at the top of the stretch. Tacitus jumped up right beside him and the two were glued to each other down the lane with Tacitus edging clear in the final strides for a 3/4-length success in 1:51.23. Fourth on debut at Belmont Oct. 4, Tacitus graduated by a neck at the Big A Nov. 10 and sprung a mild upset last time with an 8-1 score in the GII Tampa Bay Derby Mar. 9. Lifetime Record: 4-3-0-0. O/B-Juddmonte Farms (KY); T-Bill Mott. View the full article

OUT FOR A SPIN (f, 3, Hard Spun–My Mammy, by Came Home) blew up the tote with a 52-1 upset in the GI Central Bank Ashland S. at Keeneland Saturday, stamping her ticket to the GI Kentucky Oaks. The chestnut pressed pacesetting champion and race favorite Jaywalk (Cross Traffic) from second through a first half-mile in :46.46. Taking control from the Eclipse winner entering the far turn, she was immediately joined to her outside by Restless Rider (Distorted Humor). Try as she might, that ‘TDN Rising Star’ could not get by Out For a Spin, who hung tough to the wire to score in 1:44.95. Fifth when unveiled in a six-panel event at Churchill Nov. 16, Out For a Spin earned her diploma next out when stretched to two turns in the slop at Fair Grounds Dec. 29. Third in an optional claimer in NOLA Feb. 8, she scored in the mud again next out in an off-the-turf affair at Fair Grounds Mar. 16. Lifetime Record: 5-3-0-1. O-Commonwealth Stable; B-William M. Backer Revocable Trust (VA); T-Dallas Stewart. View the full article

The 3-year-old daughter of Hard Spun entered stakes competition for the first time Saturday for trainer Dallas Stewart and turned back 5-2 second choice Restless Rider after putting away even-money favorite Jaywalk off the turn for home. View the full article