Things are heating up in the racing world with the year's first American Grade I stakes on the weekend program in Florida, along with important Kentucky Derby preps in Arkansas and California.
Eight 3-year-olds, including trainer Brad Cox’s stakes-winning pair of Jace’s Road and Corona Bolt, are expected for the $750,000 Southwest (G3), Oaklawn’s second of four Kentucky Derby (G1) points races, set for Jan. 28 at the Hot Springs, Ark. track.
Stalk, pounce, and draw away. Verifying made it look easy Saturday at Oaklawn, rolling to a 5 ¼-length entry-level allowance victory in his 3-year-old debut for trainer Brad Cox.
Impressive Verifying One of Many Cox Derby Hopefuls bloodhorse.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from bloodhorse.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Don Alberto Stable’s Forza Di Oro gets the honors of morning line favorite at 7-2 in the $100,000 Tenacious Stakes Monday at Fair Grounds, but last year’s Tenacious exacta returns in the form of Estate of James J. Coleman Jr.’s Chess Chief and Lothenbach’s Happy American, who is cross-entered in the $100,000 Buddy Diliberto three races earlier on the card.