ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY AND KENTUCKY OAKS
Beware The Ides of March
Soothsayer
March 15
Virginia Derby Colonial Downs $500k 1 1/8 miles 50 – 25 – 15 – 10 – 5
Bloodhorse – Alan Porter – American Promise Looks Well Suited for Classic Distance
Bloodhorse – Mike Barber – Virginia Derby Delivers Banner Day for Colonial Downs
You never get a second chance to make a first impression.
Will Rogers
Phil has a question:
How many of the record crowd were impressed with the 5 horse fields.
What would the handle have been with full fields.
When do all of the trainers who scratched horses over the 3 day Colonial Downs meet think they will get a second chance to make a first impression on the prospective Virginia thoroughbred fans.
Why should CDI give a flying fuck for the welfare of the trainers when they trainers failed to maximize a golden opportunity that CDI presented.
American Promise pressed the pace of 4-5 favorite Getaway Car, easily took the early leader’s measure midway around the Virginia Derby’s one turn and never received a challenge thereafter. Cornering somewhat wide under Nik Juarez, American Promise, a bulky, galloping-type colt, stayed on stoutly to the wire, a dominant winner of the first Virginia Derby run on dirt during the spring.
DRF – Marcus Hersh – Lukas finds new route to Derby with American Promise’s Virginia Derby win
Phil has a question:
With American Promise’s mile time of 133.02 being faster than the track record of 133.70 does he get credit for 2 track records.
“It worked out perfectly,” said Bas Nicholl, Lukas’ assistant trainer who made the trip with American Promise. “I think it was a perfect ride by the jockey. He got him into a perfect stalking position and then executed perfectly.”
TDN – Mike Barber – Lukas Derby Bound: American Promise Wins Virginia Derby
TDN – ‘Run For The Roses’ Points Go To American Promise In Virginia Derby
Paulick Report – David Zenner – American Promise Romps To Virginia Derby Win In Track Record Time
TDN – Fondly Signs Off On Points For Kentucky Oaks At Colonial Downs
Bloodhorse – Molly Rollins – Fondly Unrelenting in Virginia Oaks Score
If you could change one thing in racing, what would it be?
That is the million-dollar question. I think the whole industry needs to come together and promote racing the right way. We miss a lot of boats. We don’t get together and promote racing the way other sports do; we don’t do our best. I think we put our dirty laundry out more than we put the good news into our business. That’s the problem.
Rick Hedge and Lori Neyka’s Big Hug returns in the Santa Ana Stake GIII at Santa Anita Park on Saturday, March 15, 2025 going 1 1/4 miles on the turf for $100,000US. Val Brinkerhoff trains with Armando Ayuso in the irons.
Big Hug is cross entered in the Queen of The Green Handicap at Turf Paradise on Saturday, March 15, 2025 going 1 mile on the Saskatchewan cow pasture for $50,000US. Rick Hedge is shown as trainer of record with Jose Mariano Asencio scheduled to ride.
Rick Wiest, Lana Wiest, Clayton Wiest and Todd Fitch’s Flame McGoon is also entered in the Queen of The Green Handicap. She’s trained by Robertino Diodoro with Orlando Mojica in the saddle.
On the same Turf Paradise card Robertino Diodoro has Norm Tremblay’s Wood Ceiling, a Gun Runner colt, in the Turf Paradise Derby going 1 1/16 miles on the dirt for $50,000US. Guillermo Rodriguez is in the saddle.
- Simple Simon met a pieman,
- Going to the fair;
- Says Simple Simon to the pieman,
- Let me taste your ware.
- Said the pieman to Simple Simon,
- Show me first your penny;
- Says Simple Simon to the pieman,
- Indeed I have not any.
Did you ever hear about the man who set pastries on fire?
He was a self proclaimed pie-ro-maniac.
At what temperature do you bake two pies?
360 degrees.
How do you find the circumference of a Granny Smith?
You use apple pie.
Bloodhorse – J. Keeler Johnson – Who Will Win the Virginia Derby?
Paulick Report – Weekend Lineup Presented By Sky Racing: The Power Of The Points
Bloodhorse – Byron King – Virginia Derby an Addition on the Kentucky Derby Trail
DRF – Marcus Hersh – Rapture to start in Virginia Derby; John Hancock rerouted to Louisiana Derby
Horse Racing Nation – Ron Flatter – First Look: New Ky. Derby prep in Virginia is 1 of 4 key stakes
Paulick Report – Getaway Car Tabbed Morning-Line Favorite In Virginia Derby
Paulick Report – ‘Fired Big Today’: Praetor Has Connections Derby Dreaming After Gulfstream Romp
Bloodhorse – Sean Collins – John Hancock, Getaway Car Bring Pace to Virginia Derby
VIRGINIA, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men’s or children’s, are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.
Yes, VIRGINIA, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus. It would be as dreary as if there were no VIRGINIAS. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.
Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies! You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if they did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that’s no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.
You may tear apart the baby’s rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, VIRGINIA, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.
No Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.
Francis Pharcellus Church
Paulick Report – Robert Yates – Wayne Lukas Reveals Derby Prep Plans For Trio
One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.
Virginia Wolfe
Paulick Report – David Zenner – Bob Baffert To Send Gaming For Virginia Derby
Paulick Report – David Zenner – Total Of 89 Nominations Released For Inaugural Virginia Derby
Phil M. Stockmen