Trainer Doug O’Neill put his three Kentucky Derby hopefuls through their final major pre-Kentucky Derby works at Keeneland on Friday and expressed satisfaction with all three six-furlong works. “It was a spectacular morning; they all worked well,” said O’Neill, whose colts all worked solo and under exercise rider Tony Romero.  “Great Hunter went in 1:13 and got his last eighth in 12 (seconds) and finished full of energy. 

The veterinary clinic that treated Barbaro will receive an award this month for its efforts to save the life of the 2006 Derby winner.
The New Bolton Center will receive the Silver Horseshoe Award, an honor bestowed by the Kentucky Derby Festival to a group or individual for significant contributions or service to the thoroughbred racing industry.

The saddle worn by Kentucky Derby champion Barbaro will be sold at a charity auction in May to raise money for permanently disabled jockeys.

Edgar Prado, who used the red-and-white leather saddle to guide Barbaro to a dominating victory in last year’s Derby, also used it while winning the 2002 and 2004 Belmont Stakes.

The saddle will be auctioned off at the Mint Jubilee Gala on May 4, the night before this year’s Derby.

Scat Daddy once again proved to his skeptics that he is a serious contender for the Kentucky Derby with an emphatic 1 ¼-length victory over Notional in the $1,000,000 Florida Derby (Grade 1) at Gulfstream Park. The 3-year-old son of Johannesburg covered the 1 1/8-mile distance under Edgar Prado in 1:49.00 and paid $6.40, $3.40, and $2.80.  Notional, ridden by Robby Albarado, closed to finish second and paid $4.20 and $3.  Chelokee, given a rough ride by new jockey Ramon Dominguez, finished a tough luck third and paid $3.80.

Breeders Cup Ltd. has released the official event logos for the 2007 Breeders’ Cup World Championships and the Breeders’ Cup Challenge, which will be used in conjunction with 25 major stakes races whose winners automatically qualify for the Championships.

The 24th Breeders’ Cup World Championships will be held on October 26-27 at Monmouth Park. This will be the first year the event has been held at the Oceanport, New Jersey, track.

The 2007 Breeders’ Cup will be televised live on ESPN and consist of 11 championship races with purses and awards totaling $23-million.
Source www.thoroughbredtimes.com

Nobiz Like Shobiz is starting to get serious again, breezing five furlongs in a bullet :59 4/5 at Gulfstream for the Wood Memorial (gr. I). Adore the Gold, who should show big improvement in the Florida Derby (gr. I) off his game performance in the Fountain of Youth (gr. II), turned in a bullet five-furlong breeze in 1:00 at Gulfstream.