Pool 4 of Churchill Downs’ Kentucky Derby Future Wager (KDFW) gives us a snapshot of how bettors currently view the picture for the 146th running of the Kentucky Derby. This year’s Run for the Roses, originally scheduled for May 2, has been moved to Sept. 5 due to the coronavirus crisis. Pool 4 of the […]
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The great Quarantine of 2020 continues, Houses are beautified, people are in need of haircuts and hair color, livers are challenged !!!! But to get us through this darkness, live racing continues at Gulfstream for a Thursday. Offered up is a 10 race card ~ weather tops the high 80’s with not a rain cloud […]
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Millie Ball: You currently train last year’s California-bred Champion Three Year Old Turf Filly, Mucho Unusual, who appears to have come back in good form in 2020. How has she been training? Tim Yakteen: She’s very sharp right now. We’ve been really happy with her since the Buena Vista (Stakes) in February. Mucho […]
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I am currently being stared down by my one eyed feral cat “Buc” (named for a local watering hole; I may or may not frequent), as we continue into week 2 of “safer at home” orders. Let me tell you he is not amused! The dog is on hunger strike, as a main staple to […]
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This is what grandparents warned us about: a rainy day. Remember, they’d say, ‘Save your pennies for a rainy day.’ Never quite got it. I do now. That ‘rainy day’ has arrived. It’s today and tomorrow and the day after, at least for the foreseeable future. They should have cautioned that the downpour could last […]
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Hollywood Story with her Two-Day old Tapit Filly is pictured above! Photo Courtesy of George Krikorian’s Starwood Farm Millie Ball: John, you know Honor A. P.’s family very well. Can you touch on his mother, Hollywood Story, whom you trained and do they share any of the same qualities? John Shirreffs: Hollywood Story, Honor […]
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12 race card on Saturday at Gulfstream Park! I will leave you to try and find the winners of the earlier races as I see it as a herculean task. Race 8) ONE MILE STATE BRED ALLOWANCE OPTIONAL CLAIMER FOR FILLIES AND MARES 1 MILE ON TURF (rails at 60 feet) #4 Yolanda’s Pride ~ […]
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Musings from my Grade One Couch ! I have one too, much like Bob Baffert, Kenny McPeek and many other people I have watched multiple Grade 1’s from my grade one couch . So lets get to business , Gulfstream Park has fabulous 9 race card starting at 1pm eastern on Thursday. I have concentrated […]
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Millie Ball: How much do you think Honor A. P. got out of his race physically and, or mentally? John Shirreffs: Honor A. P.’s last race was really a key race for us. He hadn’t run in over 5 months and not really knowing what level of fitness we were at with him because as […]
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Millie: John, explain why you would choose to work a horse, for example Honor A. P. in company versus working him or her alone? John Shirreffs: Its like you when you train, if you’re out jogging or running or even in the gym exercising it’s always nice to have a training partner, they just […]
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Below is my economical late Pick 5 ticket for a big day of racing at Gulfstream Park on Florida Derby Saturday. As always the ticket is $20 or less. Good luck! Race 10 Mean Mary (#6, 3-1) stretched out to 1 1/2 miles last time out and absolutely crushed a similar field at Gulfstream Park. […]
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Historically, the Florida Derby has been a fruitful tree from which to pluck Triple Crown success stories. However, present times suggest an uncertain future that, undoubtably, will result in a unique 2020 Wikipedia section. The world is in the throes of a pandemic, the likes of which citizens of the world haven’t experienced since the […]
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Millie Ball: John, Honor A.P. worked on Sunday what is he showing you from that breeze moving forward to the Santa Anita Derby April 4th? John Shirreffs: I thought he had a really good work. Sunday’s work was about matching strides. He worked with a big horse that’s almost 17 hands, he’s a router […]
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As a California resident, I have been one of the 39 million or so in the Golden State mandated to stay at home due to the coronavirus pandemic in an order issued last Thursday by Gov. Gavin Newsom. As this health crisis wreaks more and more havoc on our lives, it’s becoming harder and harder […]
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With the Kentucky Derby now rescheduled and to be contested Saturday, Sept. 5, traditional 3-year-old prep races must be viewed differently. No longer are they stepping-stones toward an approaching destination. Now, they must be handicapped as valuable, stand-alone events. Scheduled major 3-year-old races still award coveted points toward stalls in the Derby starting gate but, […]
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