Latest news with #LonnieBriley
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.
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.
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.
NBC Sports
02-05-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Kentucky Derby 2025 preview: Coal Battle
Coal Battle, trained by 72-year-old Lonnie Briley and ridden by Juan Vargas, is a "phenomenal horse" and Drew Dinsick likes the "great story" as an underdog pick to possibly win the 151st Kentucky Derby.
