Latest news with #CoalBattle
Yahoo
01-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Fan Favorite Coal Battle Chasing 'Respect' In Indiana Derby
Fan Favorite Coal Battle Chasing 'Respect' In Indiana Derby originally appeared on Paulick Report. Nine 3-year-olds will enter the starting gate Saturday, July 5, for the 31st running of the Grade 3, $300,000 Indiana Derby at Horseshoe Indianapolis in Shelbyville, Ind. First post for the 13-race card is noon, with the Indiana Derby set as Race 12 with an estimated post time of 6:33 p.m. One horse that received a lot of attention during the Kentucky Derby is Coal Battle from the barn of 72-year-old trainer Lonnie Briley. The Coal Front colt was a winner in the G3 Rebel Stakes before finishing third in the G1 Arkansas Derby and heading on to the Kentucky Derby (where he finished 11th). He comes into the Indiana Derby off a third-place finish in the G3 Matt Winn at Churchill Downs. Bethany Taylor, assistant trainer to Lonnie Briley, trainer of Coal Battle said, 'Lonnie and the other owner (Rob Norman) made the decision to run him in the Indiana Derby. We needed a race between the Matt Winn and the Ellis Park Derby. He's doing great. He's very happy, bucking and playing. He's his normal self.' Advertisement Coal Battle was third by a total of 1 1/4 lengths in Churchill Downs' G3 Matt Winn behind Grade 1 winners East Avenue and Burnham Square in his last start. He's ready to go for a start in the Indiana Derby. 'It was super tough,' noted Taylor, who also serves as the colt's exercise rider. 'There wasn't quite enough pace in there for us, so he didn't show that closing kick he normally does. He's not always gotten a ton of respect in the races we've put him in. Maybe now he'll get a little more respect.' Trainer Brad Cox will attempt to win his third straight Indiana Derby title with Instant Replay, who has drawn post nine. The Maximum Security colt comes into the race off a win in the Texas Derby at Lone Star. Overall, the sophomore, owned by Mary and Gary West, has won four of eight starts in his career and is two for two at the Indiana Derby distance of one and one-sixteenth miles. 'It's a good spot for him,' noted Cox. 'Obviously, we don't have to ship quite as far. It's a solid race, but I think he fits with them. Hopefully he takes the next step. I think he ran a really good race in Texas and beat a decent group. I think the water is a little deeper here, that this is a little better group of horses.' On going for third straight win and fourth overall in the Indiana Derby, Cox noted: 'It's a race that has been good to us. We're hoping this horse can be right there and move forward to some bigger and better things down the road.' Joining Instant Replay as a contender for the Indiana Derby title is Publisher from the Steve Asmussen barn. The American Pharoah colt, who was a $600,000 purchase as a yearling, was on the Derby trail earlier this year, competing in the top three-year-old races en route to a start in the Kentucky Derby his last outing. He comes back to the track off a two-month layoff and will be ridden by Hall of Fame Jockey Mike Smith from post one. The field for the Grade 3, $300,000 Indiana Derby Publisher (Mike Smith); Master Controller (Chris Emigh); Coal Battle (Corey Lanerie); Shan (Evin Roman); Chunk of Gold (Jareth Loveberry); Tip Top Thomas (John Velazquez); Big Truzz (Declan Cannon); Brotha Keny (Joe Ramos); and Instant Replay (Luan Machado). Advertisement Both Evin Roman and Joseph Ramos, a two-time leading jockey at Horseshoe Indianapolis, are members of the local jockey colony at Horseshoe Indianapolis. Also on the Saturday card is the 30th running of the Grade 3 $200,000 Indiana Oaks, presented by Daily Racing Form. The race features six three-year-old fillies. Deloraine, Graded Stakes placed entry for Godolphin and trainer Eoin Harty, will begin from post three with Mike Smith aboard. The Candy Ride filly finished third in both the Grade 3 Florida Oaks and Grade 3 Gazelle at Aqueduct, her last two races before the Indiana Oaks. The Indiana Oaks will be run at approximately 5:55 p.m. as Race 11 just before the Indiana Derby. A total of eight premier races will be featured on Indiana Derby Day. The afternoon program is complemented by numerous activities including a $3,000 Derby Megabet, $2,500 Derby Legends Handicapping Contest, courtesy of the Indiana Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association, $1,000 Derby Hat Contest, courtesy of the Indiana Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association, cigar rolling station, strolling entertainment, food trucks and more. Free parking and general admission are available for the Indiana Derby, which is open to guests of all ages on the racing side of the property. The 23rd season of live Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing runs through Thursday, Nov. 13. For more information on racing at Horseshoe Indianapolis, visit or find details on social media @HSIndyRacing. This story was originally reported by Paulick Report on Jun 30, 2025, where it first appeared.
Fox News
03-05-2025
- Climate
- Fox News
Peanut butter-like mud: Kentucky Derby is anyone's race with rain in forecast
The Kentucky Derby is tough to win, with a huge field of stampeding horses and 150,000 screaming fans in the stands. Toss in a rainy forecast that could turn the Churchill Downs dirt strip into something resembling peanut butter, and it gets trickier. A field of 19 3-year-olds is set to run 1 1/4 miles for a $3.1 million prize and the garland of red roses on Saturday. Mucking things up is a forecast of 65 degrees with a 90% chance of rain. [MORE: 2025 Kentucky Derby: Post time, updated odds, TV schedule, horses, date, purse] The soggy weather isn't just a bummer for those wanting the fairest of track conditions. The Derby is also a big party and fashion show, and rain means pulling out ponchos — no umbrellas allowed — to protect the huge hats and floral dresses. Thirteen of the Derby contenders — including early 3-1 favorite Journalism — have never raced on a wet track. Clods of flying mud hitting their faces could be a turnoff. "I may go through three pairs of goggles," said Brian Hernandez Jr., who will be aboard Burnham Square. Six longshots have experience in the muck, with four winning. Coal Battle is 2 for 2, while Japan-based Luxor Cafe is 3 for 4. The others are Neoequos and American Promise, trained by 89-year-old D. Wayne Lukas. The last Derby run on a sloppy track was in 2019, when Country House won via a disqualification that had nothing to do with the weather. The last muddy track was in 1989, when Sunday Silence won. Trainer Bob Baffert goes for a record-setting seventh victory in his return from a three-year suspension. He'll saddle Citizen Bull, last year's 2-year-old champion. The colt breaks from the dreaded No. 1 post, leaving him little choice but to get to the front before the rest of the field comes over, potentially cutting him off. "We're going to tell him to get out of there like he just robbed a bank," Baffert said. [MORE: How to bet on Horse Racing: The beginner's guide to wagering on the ponies] No horse has won from the No. 1 post since Ferdinand in 1986. Baffert's other horse, Rodriguez, was scratched Thursday with a bruised foot, moving Baeza into the field. Trainer Todd Pletcher's only entry, Grande, was scratched Friday for the same reason. Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen tries to snap an 0 for 26 Derby losing streak with a pair of 20-1 shots: Publisher and Tiztastic. Both are next to each other in the starting gate. Sovereignty, the early 5-1 second choice, won at Churchill Downs last fall. He'll try to snap an 0 for 13 Derby skid for Godolphin, the racing stable of Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. "I know he loves this track," jockey Junior Alvarado said, "so I'm sitting on a good run with him now." Sandman, the early 6-1 third choice, is the most expensive horse in the field at $1.2 million. Conversely, 30-1 shot Chunk of Gold was bought for $2,500. "There's been a lot of expensive horses not pan out and there's been a lot of cheap ones that have panned out," Chunk of Gold trainer Ethan West said. "It's not like he's a big, robust, grand-looking animal. He's very good-looking, but he doesn't look like Journalism, that's for sure." Journalism looked the part of the Derby favorite while training during a mostly rain-free week on the track and breaks from the No. 8 post. [MORE: 2025 Kentucky Derby: Chris 'The Bear' Fallica's expert picks, best bets] "The history of the Derby is usually a pretty vibrant opening quarter-mile," trainer Michael McCarthy said. "He'll be part of that, probably just back off the speed." The Southern California-based colt's mother's name is Mopotism and wanting a name ending in "ism," co-owner Aron Wellman took inspiration from his old gig as sports editor of the Beverly Hills High School newspaper. "Now more than ever, in the climate that we're living in, journalists and responsible journalism is so important," he said. "It's so poignant that a horse named Journalism is going to have all eyes on him." Reporting by The Associated Press. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily!
NBC Sports
03-05-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Briley's path to the Kentucky Derby with Kornacki
Steve Kornacki examines how Lonnie Briley went from scratching out a living as a lesser known trainer to getting Coal Battle to the Kentucky Derby.
Fox Sports
03-05-2025
- Climate
- Fox Sports
Peanut butter-like mud: Kentucky Derby is anyone's race with rain in forecast
The Kentucky Derby is tough to win, with a huge field of stampeding horses and 150,000 screaming fans in the stands. Toss in a rainy forecast that could turn the Churchill Downs dirt strip into something resembling peanut butter, and it gets trickier. A field of 19 3-year-olds is set to run 1 1/4 miles for a $3.1 million prize and the garland of red roses on Saturday. Mucking things up is a forecast of 65 degrees with a 90% chance of rain. [MORE: 2025 Kentucky Derby: Post time, updated odds, TV schedule, horses, date, purse] The soggy weather isn't just a bummer for those wanting the fairest of track conditions. The Derby is also a big party and fashion show, and rain means pulling out ponchos — no umbrellas allowed — to protect the huge hats and floral dresses. Thirteen of the Derby contenders — including early 3-1 favorite Journalism — have never raced on a wet track. Clods of flying mud hitting their faces could be a turnoff. "I may go through three pairs of goggles," said Brian Hernandez Jr., who will be aboard Burnham Square. Six longshots have experience in the muck, with four winning. Coal Battle is 2 for 2, while Japan-based Luxor Cafe is 3 for 4. The others are Neoequos and American Promise, trained by 89-year-old D. Wayne Lukas. The last Derby run on a sloppy track was in 2019, when Country House won via a disqualification that had nothing to do with the weather. The last muddy track was in 1989, when Sunday Silence won. Trainer Bob Baffert goes for a record-setting seventh victory in his return from a three-year suspension. He'll saddle Citizen Bull, last year's 2-year-old champion. The colt breaks from the dreaded No. 1 post, leaving him little choice but to get to the front before the rest of the field comes over, potentially cutting him off. "We're going to tell him to get out of there like he just robbed a bank," Baffert said. [MORE: How to bet on Horse Racing: The beginner's guide to wagering on the ponies] No horse has won from the No. 1 post since Ferdinand in 1986. Baffert's other horse, Rodriguez, was scratched Thursday with a bruised foot, moving Baeza into the field. Trainer Todd Pletcher's only entry, Grande, was scratched Friday for the same reason. Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen tries to snap an 0 for 26 Derby losing streak with a pair of 20-1 shots: Publisher and Tiztastic. Both are next to each other in the starting gate. Sovereignty, the early 5-1 second choice, won at Churchill Downs last fall. He'll try to snap an 0 for 13 Derby skid for Godolphin, the racing stable of Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. "I know he loves this track," jockey Junior Alvarado said, "so I'm sitting on a good run with him now." Sandman, the early 6-1 third choice, is the most expensive horse in the field at $1.2 million. Conversely, 30-1 shot Chunk of Gold was bought for $2,500. "There's been a lot of expensive horses not pan out and there's been a lot of cheap ones that have panned out," Chunk of Gold trainer Ethan West said. "It's not like he's a big, robust, grand-looking animal. He's very good-looking, but he doesn't look like Journalism, that's for sure." Journalism looked the part of the Derby favorite while training during a mostly rain-free week on the track and breaks from the No. 8 post. [MORE: 2025 Kentucky Derby: Chris 'The Bear' Fallica's expert picks, best bets] "The history of the Derby is usually a pretty vibrant opening quarter-mile," trainer Michael McCarthy said. "He'll be part of that, probably just back off the speed." The Southern California-based colt's mother's name is Mopotism and wanting a name ending in "ism," co-owner Aron Wellman took inspiration from his old gig as sports editor of the Beverly Hills High School newspaper. "Now more than ever, in the climate that we're living in, journalists and responsible journalism is so important," he said. "It's so poignant that a horse named Journalism is going to have all eyes on him." Reporting by The Associated Press. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily ! FOLLOW Follow your favorites to personalize your FOX Sports experience Horse Racing in this topic
USA Today
03-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Coal Battle trainer, jockey, owner and more to know about 2025 Kentucky Derby horse
Coal Battle trainer, jockey, owner and more to know about 2025 Kentucky Derby horse Show Caption Hide Caption Meet Kentucky Derby contender Coal Battle's trainer Lonnie Briley At the age of 72, Louisiana trainer Lonnie Briley talks about Kentucky Derby contender Coal Battle ahead of the 151st Run for the Roses. Coal Battle will enter the Kentucky Derby off a third-place finish in the Arkansas Derby on March 29 Lonnie Briley, the 72-year-old trainer of Coal Battle, is in the Kentucky Derby for the first time Coal Battle is one of 20 horses expected to enter the 2025 Kentucky Derby on May 3 at Churchill Downs. Spots for the Run for the Roses are earned by gaining points through a series of Kentucky Derby prep races that began last September. The post-position draw for the Kentucky Derby is set for Saturday, April 26. Post time for the Kentucky Derby is set for 6:57 p.m. on Saturday, May 3. Coal Battle will enter the Kentucky Derby off a third-place finish in the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby on March 29 at Oaklawn Park. He currently ranks eighth on the Kentucky Derby points leaderboard with 95. Color: Dark bay. Bred in: Kentucky. Sire: Coal Front. Dam: Wolfblade, by Midshipman. Price tag: $70,000 at 2023 Texas Thoroughbred Association Yearling Sale. Owner: Norman Stables (Robbie Norman). First Derby. Trainer: Lonnie Briley. First Derby. Jockey: Juan Vargas. First Derby. Record: 5-0-1 in eight starts. Career earnings: $1,188,875. Road to the Kentucky Derby points: 95 (No. 8). Last race: Third in Grade 1 Arkansas Derby on March 29 at Oaklawn Park. Running style: Versatile colt has won on the lead and coming from behind. Notes: He's won five races at four different tracks — Evangeline, Delta Downs, Remington Park and Oaklawn Park (twice). He won the Grade 2 Rebel on Feb. 23 at 11-1 odds to put himself in contention for a Kentucky Derby spot. … The 72-year-old Briley has been training on the Louisiana circuit for more than 30 years. He had never even entered a horse in a graded stake — much less won one — until Coal Battle's score in the Rebel. … Coal Battle's two worst finishes have come in his two Kentucky races – fourth in the Kentucky Downs Juvenile Mile on Sept. 8 and seventh in an allowance race at Keeneland on Oct. 12. ... The third-place finisher in last year's Arkansas Derby, Mystik Dan, went on to win the Kentucky Derby. What they're saying: 'It was a long drive getting to Churchill (from Oaklawn Park), but we're getting settled in,' Briley said. 'He's a pretty laid-back horse. If he's not lying down, he's usually at the back of his stall just relaxing. He knows when it's game time.' Last May, NBC Sports announced a partnership with Churchill Downs to present the Kentucky Derby on NBC and Peacock through 2032. The extension includes multiplatform rights to the Kentucky Derby, Kentucky Oaks and Derby and Oaks Day programming, which will be presented on NBC, Peacock, USA Network and additional NBCU platforms. You can stream the 2025 Kentucky Derby on Fubo and Peacock. Post time for the 151st Kentucky Derby is set for 6:57 p.m. on Saturday, May 3. Jason Frakes: 502-582-4046; jfrakes@ Follow on X @KentuckyDerbyCJ. More horse racing: Set for second Kentucky Derby, St. Xavier grad Whit Beckman hopes for better racing luck This story was updated to add a gallery.
