Latest news with #SteveAsmussen
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
'Precocious' Obliteration In Good Order After Eye-Catching Sanford Blowout
'Precocious' Obliteration In Good Order After Eye-Catching Sanford Blowout originally appeared on Paulick Report. Leland Ackerley Racing's Obliteration impressed again when improving to 2-for-2 in Saturday's Sanford (G3), a six-furlong sprint for juveniles, during the July 4th Racing Festival at Saratoga Race Course. Advertisement Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, the Violence bay graduated by a widening 7 1/2 lengths sprinting 5 1/2 furlongs on June 12 at Churchill Downs, and he upped that margin to 10 1/2 lengths at the Spa in a final time of 1:10.65 – his Beyer Speed Figure jumping from 77 to 91. 'He looks like he came out of it good,' said Scott Blasi, assistant to the first time Sanford winning Asmussen. 'He's just a very talented colt, precocious, and hopefully he will continue to improve.' Obliteration broke very sharply from post 2 under Flavien Prat and led every step of the way through fractions of :22.74, :45.56, :57.56 on the fast dirt while turning back the pressure from local Tremont (L) runner-up Blinging It Back to win in dominant fashion. 'He's always been very forward. He proved that in his first start, and showed that was no fluke by coming back and running better than that,' said Blasi. 'He broke so sharply and made it a two-horse race before pulling away.' Advertisement Local graded options for juveniles include the 6 1/2-furlong $200,000 Saratoga Special (G2) on August 2, as well as the seven-furlong $300,000 Spendthrift Farm Hopeful (G1) on September 1. This story was originally reported by Paulick Report on Jul 6, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
06-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Obliteration Smashes Opposition In Sanford
Obliteration Smashes Opposition In Sanford originally appeared on Paulick Report. Leland Ackerley Racing's Obliteration was ultra-impressive when improving to 2-for-2 in Saturday's Grade 3, $175,000 Sanford, a six-furlong sprint for juveniles, during the July 4th Racing Festival at Saratoga Race Course. Advertisement Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, the Violence bay graduated by a widening 7 1/2 lengths sprinting 5 1/2 furlongs on June 12 at Churchill Downs, and he upped that margin to 10 1/2 lengths at the Spa in a final time of 1:10.65. 'He's just a very special horse,' said Scott Blasi, assistant to the first time Sanford-winning Asmussen. 'He has a ton of class for a 2-year-old, very laid back and really good turn-of-foot. I definitely think he improved from his first race to this race.' Obliteration broke very sharply from post 2 under Flavien Prat and showed the way through an opening quarter mile in 22.74 seconds, while tracked by local Tremont (L) runner-up Blinging It Back, with a gap developing to Imagine John and Strategic Risk. The Jose Ortiz-piloted Blinging It Back stuck outside Obliteration's hip in the turn as the pair increasingly separated themselves from the rest of the field. Through the half-mile in 45.56, it was still just a half-length between the top two betting choices, but Obliteration was preparing to live up to his name once straightened for home. Advertisement 'He was very efficient out of the gate and after that, felt very in control,' said Prat. 'Around the turn, he waited a bit on horses, but as soon as I squeezed him and he went back to his right lead, he went on.' Obliteration surged in the stretch en route to his eye-catching victory over Blinging It Back. Imagine John finished another 3 1/4 lengths back in third and Strategic Risk completed the superfecta. Fistfulofmoney and first time starter Honey Dutch completed the order of finish. 'As soon as he swapped leads and went to his right lead, it felt like he extended himself well and made a good run,' said Prat, aboard for the first time in the afternoon, taking over for Erik Asmussen, the reigning Eclipse Award Outstanding Apprentice and Steve's son. Local graded options for juveniles include the 6 1/2-furlong Grade 2, $200,000 Saratoga Special on August 2, as well as the seven-furlong Grade 1, $300,000 Spendthrift Farm Hopeful on September 1. Advertisement Ortiz said the Hall of Famer Mark Casse-trained Blinging It Back got a good trip, but was just second best. Casse also sent out Strategic Risk for fourth. 'It was very nice. The two [Obliteration] broke good and I felt like it was a two-horse race, so I went after him,' said Ortiz. 'I felt like I did what I had to do. He was better than me and I was second best. I had a good trip, and he ran good.' Bred in Kentucky by Ocala Stud, Obliteration, a $200,000 purchase at the 2025 OBS March Sale of Two-Year-Olds in Training out of the stakes-placed Master Command mare I'mclassyandsassy, is a half-brother to stakes-winners Sassy Beast and Pure Class, Grade 3-placed Big and Classy and stakes-placed Family Biz. Obliteration banked $96,250 in victory while returning $3.80 for a $2 win bet as the post-time favorite. This story was originally reported by Paulick Report on Jul 5, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
22-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Kentucky Derby Starter Tiztastic Returns To Turf In American Derby
Kentucky Derby Starter Tiztastic Returns To Turf In American Derby originally appeared on Paulick Report. Louisiana Derby (G2) winner Tiztastic is set to return to turf and face nine fellow 3-year-olds entered in Saturday's 110th running of the $250,000 American Derby (L) at Churchill Downs. Advertisement The American Derby, run at 1 1/16 miles, is one of six stakes contests on the tremendous 12-race card. First post is 12:45 p.m. (ET) with the American Derby going as the finale at 6:32 p.m. Also included on the program is the $1-million Stephen Foster (G1); $500,000 Fasig-Tipton Fleur de Lis (G2); $500,000 Wise Dan (G2); $250,000 Kelly's Landing (G3); and $250,000 Tepin (L). Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen for Winchell Thoroughbreds, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael B. Tabor and Derrick Smith, Tiztastic most recently finished 10th in Kentucky Derby (G1) May 3. His classics preparation was capped by a 2¼-length score in the March 22 Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds. As a 2-year-old, the son of Tiz the Law won two turf races in 11 days at Kentucky Downs – a $253,600 restricted allowance contest and $1-million Kentucky Downs Juvenile Mile (L). Tiztastic will be ridden by Joel Rosario out of post No. 3. The American Derby field also includes OXO Equine's Bourbon Stakes (G2) winner Minaret Station; Two Eight Racing, Berry Family Racing and Kaleta Racing's Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) runner-up Flying Mohawk; Blinkers On Racing Stable, Janlois Racing, Valinor Racing Stable, Tom Corbett, Andy Kwan and Jay Lester Wagner's two-time stakes winner Freedom's Not Free; and West Point Thoroughbreds, David Ingordo and CJ Stables' James W. Murphy Stakes winner Reagan's Wit. Advertisement The field for the American Derby from the rail out with (jockey, trainer): Reagan's Wit (Jose Ortiz, Cherie DeVaux) Flying Mohawk (Frankie Dettori, Whit Beckman) Tiztastic (Joel Rosario, Steve Asmussen) Siesta Key (Flavien Prat, Brad Cox) Minaret Station (Cristian Torres, Will Walden) Native Runner (Brian Hernandez Jr., Kenny McPeek) Soleil Volant (Irad Ortiz Jr., Graham Motion) Freedom's Not Free (Antonio Fresu, Mark Glatt) Giocoso (Ben Curtis, Keith Desormeaux) Anegada (Luis Saez, Mike Maker) This story was originally reported by Paulick Report on Jun 22, 2025, where it first appeared.
Forbes
18-06-2025
- Sport
- Forbes
2025 Ohio Derby Odds: Can Clever Again Get Back On Track?
As the summer racing season heats up, all eyes turn to Thistledown for the 2025 edition of the Ohio Derby. Traditionally held in late June, this Grade 3 event has long served as a second-chance spotlight for three-year-olds who may have missed or underperformed in the Triple Crown trail. This year's field is full of talent and redemption arcs, and I've zeroed in on one horse I believe could steal the show. But first, take a look at the race contenders. Trainer: Paul McEntee Jockey: Marshall Mendez Sire: Upstart Odds: 30/1 Trainer: Ethan West Jockey: Jareth Loveberry Sire: Preservationist Odds: 7/2 Trainer: Kim Puhl Jockey: Luis Gonzalez Sire: Laoban Odds: 10/1 Trainer: Rick Dutrow, Jr. Jockey: John Velazquez Sire: Cloud Computing Odds: 3/1 Trainer: Jason DaCosta Jockey: Rocco Bowen Sire: Gun Runner Odds: 20/1 Trainer: Steve Asmussen Jockey: Jose Ortiz Sire: American Pharoah Odds: 9/5 Trainer: Nestor Rivera Jockey: Israel Rodriguez Sire: Cajun Breeze Odds: 30/1 Trainer: Peter Miller Jockey: Mike Smith Sire: Vino Rosso Odds: 12/1 Trainer: Brittany Vanden Berg Jockey: Chris Emigh Sire: Tapiture Odds: 20/1 Trainer: Jeremiah Englehart Jockey: Joseph Ramos Sire: Complexity Odds: 6/1 The Ohio Derby offers a $500,000 purse and draws a field of improving sophomores, many coming off solid performances in spring prep races or looking to rebound from tough beats. With 1 1/8 miles on dirt, the race typically favors tactical speed, though closers have found success with well-timed rides. This year's field includes a mix of proven stakes runners and up-and-comers. Horses like Who Dey and Copper Tax have gained attention with steady form, while others are taking a big class leap. The diversity in racing styles sets up an intriguing pace scenario—one that I believe will favor a horse with versatility and grit. I'm doing it. I'm making Clever Again my top pick, despite being wary after the colt's recent defeat in the Preakness Stakes (G1). Trained by Steve Asmussen and ridden by Jose Ortiz, Clever Again brings a combination of early speed and the ability to sit just off the pace—an ideal style for the Thistledown surface. He has been facing tougher competition all season and may finally land in a spot where his class edge shines. What makes Clever Again particularly appealing is the tactical advantage. If the pace heats up early, he has the ability to rate and strike. If things get loose on the front end, he's fast enough to go gate-to-wire. That kind of dual-threat profile is rare in a field where most horses are committed to either front-running or deep-closing styles. While I do like Clever Again, he's not a lock by any means. Who Dey, who ran impressively earlier this spring, continues to improve and could be a serious threat if the pace falls apart. Meanwhile, Copper Tax, though a bit inconsistent, has the back class and the figures to make some noise if he can find racing room. I also think Kentucky Derby (G1) runner Chunk of Gold could be a horse who could take advantage of a potential pace meltdown. Longshots like Just Steel and Deposition may lack big wins, but Aaron advises not to overlook them in exotics. These types often hit the board in races like this, especially if the front-runners tire late. For bettors, the Ohio Derby is one of the more playable summer stakes races before Saratoga and Del Mar begin, with potential value throughout the field. Bet Clever Again to win, and consider boxing him in exactas with a few price horses like Who Dey or Deposition. For those playing trifectas or superfectas, using deep closers underneath could catch a nice payday. Whether you're a seasoned handicapper or a casual fan looking for action, the 2025 Ohio Derby promises a competitive field and betting opportunities galore. You can get more picks and analysis from me over at Good luck!
CBS News
16-05-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
Another Kentucky Derby winner not in the Preakness reignites debate about Triple Crown changes
Sovereignty is not running out of that starting gate in the Preakness Stakes on Saturday, two weeks after winning the Kentucky Derby. Yet he is still the talk of Pimlico Race Course this week. That is because owners and trainer Bill Mott opted to skip the Preakness and with it a chance at the Triple Crown because of the short turnaround. It is the second time in four years the Derby winner is not taking part for that reason and the fifth time in seven years overall the Preakness goes on with no Triple Crown on the line. The trend has reignited the debate about what, if anything needs to change with the Triple Crown, with ideas ranging from putting more space between the Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes to adding incentives to run in all three to changing the order of the races altogether. Like starters in baseball throwing fewer pitchers, elite horses now typically get much longer time between races, and the situation has put tradition and modernization of the sport head to head. The two-week turnaround now feels to many around the sport like an antiquated schedule when longer gaps are now the norm with an eye toward horse wear and tear and better performance. Thoroughbreds used to be trained and run at a much quicker interval. "It's a question that has more than one side to it," said Steve Asmussen, who has has won more races than any other trainer in North America. "I love how hard it is to do, which makes it so special. And then would it be making it easier? Does it dilute it? That's a great question. And I think that it'll continue to be debated." The debate It was debated constantly during the 37-year drought between Triple Crown champions from Affirmed in 1978 until Bob Baffert-trained American Pharoah swept the three races in 2015. Baffert's Justify did it in 2018, too, and the chorus of voices calling for change was quieted. But then, for various reasons, there has been a Triple Crown chance in the Preakness only twice in the past seven years. The biggest draw of the middle leg – the anticipation for the possibility – went from being automatic to anything but. "It is troubling, and it has been troubling for several years," said Jerry Bailey, a Hall of Fame jockey who won each of the three races twice and is now an NBC Sports analyst. "It's completely flip-flopped from my generation when it was the rule that they would run back and the exception that they wouldn't." Many top trainers, including Baffert, D. Wayne Lukas, Mark Casse and Michael McCarthy have run a Derby horse in the Preakness or will this year. Others, like Mott, Chad Brown, Todd Pletcher and Brad Cox, are more reluctant to take the risk. "We need them in the game," said Casse, who won the Preakness in 2019 with War of Will and has Sandman this year. "This is important. We want the best horses for our sport." When Asmussen won a Triple Crown race for the first time with Curlin in the 2007 Preakness, it came after his horse finished third behind Street Sense and Hard Spun in the Kentucky Derby. Curlin, Street Sense and Hard Spun went 1-2-3 in the Preakness. "We are definitely running on a very different environment than we were then," Asmussen said. "Every horse is an individual, every year is different, and it's just very unique circumstances." The fallout The circumstances have deteriorated for for the Preakness, on track and on television. Since pandemic crowd limits were lifted in 2022, attendance has plummeted by 62% from an average of nearly 120,000 from 2009-19 to just over 45,000 annually the past three renditions. NBC ratings have dropped 27.5% over that time from 6.9 million viewers to 5 million. Lukas, an 89-year-old Hall of Famer who has won the Preakness seven times, acknowledged not having the Derby winner in the field probably hurts for the "lay person that's not familiar with racing just saying, 'What's going on there?'" He said for the trainers, it still matters and that those paying attention year-round understand. But for a sport with an aging fan base that thrived in yesteryear when it was the only legalized form of sports gambling in many places, competition in that space has picked up and there are many options for younger sports fans beyond racing. A series of safety initiatives have been implemented to make the sport more acceptable to a wider audience. There has been significant progress on that front. Fatalities have decreased at tracks overseen by the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority, including to a historic low of 0.90 per 1,000 starts last year. "We've got some momentum going right now," Casse said. "Our game has come a long way in the last year or so. We were headed in the wrong direction. I feel like now we're headed in the right direction. Let's take advantage of this and make some changes." The ideas One thing that is not going to change is the Kentucky Derby on the first Saturday in May. Beyond that, plenty is up for consideration. Lukas has for decades pitched moving the Preakness back to Memorial Day weekend and the Belmont to the weekend closest to the Fourth of July. Prominent owner Mike Repole last week suggested making the Belmont the second leg and shifting the Preakness back to third to provide more time in between. Casse on Tuesday broached the option of a month between the races. Even four weeks apart would be more in line with modern thinking. "Pretty much all of us are going to say you want to give them four, five, six weeks between races," trainer Brendan Walsh said. "A larger spacing between races would be more favorable to trainers. I think you would get better lineups in the individual races." Casse also wondered if bringing back a bonus for winning the Triple Crown would help or creating a points system and an incentive for running in all three races, especially if they're further apart. Since there is no centralized governing body dictating the calendar, changes would have to be agreed upon by the Maryland Jockey Club, which is taking over the Preakness from 1/ST Racing when Pimlico is scheduled to reopen in 2027, and the New York Racing Association that runs the Belmont. The opposition Baffert on Thursday said he hopes nothing changes, citing the excitement of American Pharoah completing the Triple Crown a decade ago. "The Triple Crown is still important, even though it's tough," Baffert said. "We need to keep this thing because this is what racing looks forward to." McCarthy, who has the Preakness favorite in Journalism after finishing second to Sovereignty in the Derby, is in Baffert's camp, saying: "Maybe I'm a bit of a traditionalist in that way, but I think the three races in five weeks is good. I think it should stay as it is." Casse would have agreed a year ago but notes horses move around worldwide and are scrutinized for safety more than in previous generations. "One of the things that drives me more crazy than anything is when people say, 'Well, this is the way that we've always done it,'" Casse said. "I believe that the world gets smarter every day, and if you stand still, you get run over." The future Lukas points to alterations in recent years, including the Belmont shortening from its classic 1½-mile distance to 1¼ miles while temporarily at Saratoga Race Course, as support for change. With the Preakness moving to Laurel Park in 2026 and the Belmont returning to New York City after a short stay in Saratoga, he argues now is the time to redraw the schedule. But he also thinks whether to run a horse back in two weeks is part of the decision making that has been a hallmark of racing and trainers reading how their horses are doing. "That horse makes the decision for you," Lukas said. "If you're paying attention, he'll tell you whether you want to come back in two weeks." The alternative is stakeholders taking the decision out of trainers' hands and coming up with something that keeps the Preakness and the Triple Crown relevant to casual fans and not just hardcore ones. "If you can come up with a plan and it makes sense and it can make everybody stronger, shouldn't it happen?" Casse said. "That's something that should be worked on. As soon as this race is over this weekend, it should be worked on. That should be the next goal."
