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Grade 1 winner Visionaire has been retired after not fully recovering from a knee injury.

Stud plans have not been made for the four-year-old Grand Slam colt out of Scarlet Tango, by French Deputy.

Visionaire, a deep closer, rumbled through fog at Aqueduct last March to win the Gotham Stakes (G3) (click here for video of the Gotham) by a nose over Texas Wildcatter. He scored an allowance victory at 6½ furlongs on July 24 at Saratoga Race Course and followed with a sweeping triumph in the NetJets King’s Bishop Stakes (G1) (click here for video of the King’s Bishop), circling the field and drawing clear by 2¼ lengths on August 23.

In two subsequent starts, Visionaire finished off the board in the Jerome Handicap (G2) (click here for video of the Jerome)and Hill ‘n’ Dale Cigar Mile Handicap (G1) (click here for video of the Cigar Mile).

“Visionaire most likely suffered a knee chip in the King’s Bishop,” said Michael Matz, who trained the colt for Vision Racing and Team Valor International. “His next two races were unlike him. Surgery was performed by Dr. Larry Bramlage last fall, but he has not trained to our satisfaction, so the owners have decided to retire him rather than blemish his racing record.” 

Visionaire, who won five of 12 starts and earned $465,882, will be available for inspection by prospective buyers at Paragon Farm of Vision Racing partners Brandon and Diannah Perry in Lexington.

Reiley McDonald bred Visionaire in Kentucky.

Courtesy : thoroughbred.com

Garrett Gomez will ride Santa Anita Derby (G1) winner Pioneerof the Nile in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) on May 2 at Churchill Downs.

Gomez’s jockey agent, Ron Anderson, confirmed on Sunday that the 2007 and ’08 Eclipse Award winner as outstanding jockey will ride Pioneerof the Nile rather than highly regarded Florida Derby Presented by Blackberry (G1) runner-up Dunkirk in the first jewel of the Triple Crown.

Anderson and Gomez discussed their options on Sunday, and Anderson said the decision was an agonizing one because both colts are very talented.

Pioneerof the Nile has reeled off four straight graded stakes wins for trainer Bob Baffert and owner-breeder Zayat Stables. The Empire Maker colt arrived at Churchill Downs on Thursday.

Dunkirk has won two of three career starts for owners Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor, and Derrick Smith. Trained by Todd Pletcher, the Unbridled’s Song colt’s only defeat was a runner-up finish to leading Kentucky Derby contender Quality Road in the Florida Derby.

Gomez will try to secure his first career win in the Kentucky Derby. His best previous result in the classic race was a seventh-place finish aboard Southern Rhythm in 1994.

Edgar Prado will pick up the mount on Dunkirk, Prado’s jockey agent Bob Frieze said on Sunday. Prado won the 2006 Kentucky Derby aboard Barbaro and went on to win the Eclipse Award as outstanding jockey.

Prado guided Dunkirk to a 5 3/4-length win in his career debut on January 24 at Gulfstream, but Frieze said Prado was unavailable for the Florida Derby because of a prior commitment to ride for trainer Richard Dutrow Jr. in the Emirates Airline Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1).

“We liked him all along, we just had some scheduling conflicts with the Dubai trip and our commitment with Dutrow,” Frieze said. “He’s always been our top choice; we always thought he was a talented horse. We’re very excited because we’ve always really liked the colt.”

Courtesy: www.thoroughbredtimes.com

Informed Decision overtook multiple Grade 1 winner Ventura in deep stretch and earned her first win at the highest level in the $300,000 Vinery Madison Stakes (G1) on Thursday at Keeneland Race Course.

Making her first start in 5 1/2 months, Informed Decision settled in hand at the start and tracked pacesetter Dubai Majesty in third through a quarter-mile in :22.77 and half-mile in :45.42 under John Velazquez. The Monarchos filly dropped back to fourth in early stretch, more than two lengths off the pace.

Quickly moving up between foes, Informed Decision unleashed a determined bid near the inside rail to overtake Ventura approaching the finish. The four-year-old filly won the seven-furlong race by a head in 1:21.64 on Keeneland’s synthetic Polytrack surface.

“[Informed Decision] hasn’t run this year, so I was trying to ride her very cautiously,” Velazquez said. “I didn’t want to move until I saw the other horse. The other horse had the momentum already.

“When [Ventura] passed me, I thought, ‘Oh, I guess I waited too long.’ Finally, [Informed Decision] got between horses, she kicked on.”

Ventura, the 2-to-5 favorite in the field of older six fillies and mares, rallied five wide from last and gained command in midstretch. But the winner of the 2008 Sentient Flight Group Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint could not hold off Informed Decision.

“She quits. Her head goes flat and she just stops,” said Garrett Gomez, Ventura’s rider. “Once she makes the lead, she’ll run about 50 yards and then she loses focus and it’s over.”

Ventura finished 1 1/4 lengths clear of 2008 Canadian champion older mare and third-place finisher Bear Now.

Trained by Jonathan Sheppard for George Strawbridge Jr.’s Augustin Stable, Informed Decision is unbeaten in three starts at Keeneland. The filly set a seven-furlong track record for Keeneland’s all-weather surface of 1:20.86 while winning the Lexus Raven Run Stakes (G2) in her previous start on October 18.

Informed Decision won a 6 1/2-furlong optional claiming race in April 2008 in her Keeneland debut.

Informed Decision posted her sixth win in eight starts and increased her earnings to $522,587. Bred in Kentucky, Informed decision is out of the winning His Majesty mare Palangana.

Courtesy: www.thoroughbredtimes.com

Trainer Larry Jones hopes multiple graded stakes winner Old Fashioned ends the race to find a favorite for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) by winning the $1-million Arkansas Derby (G2) on Saturday, closing day of the 54-day meet at Oaklawn Park.

“We’re hoping to put an end to that come Saturday,” Jones said. “We’re hoping there’s such an overwhelming favorite after the Arkansas Derby that everybody will be focused on one horse. We’re hoping that’s our horse.”

Jones has noticed how the field of potential Kentucky Derby starters lacks a clear-cut favorite approaching the opening leg of the Triple Crown on May 2 at Churchill Downs. Old Fashioned could assume that role if he turns in a dominating effort in the Arkansas Derby, a 1 1/8-mile race that is a key Kentucky Derby prep.

Old Fashioned suffered his first defeat in five career races when he was run down in the stretch by 56.80-to-1 longshot Win Willy in the Rebel Stakes (G2)  on March 14 at Oaklawn. Jones is looking forward to seeing Old Fashioned face Win Willy again in the Arkansas Derby, which drew ten entrants.

“We feel like we probably got outrun by a horse that ran a very nice race that day in Win Willy,” Jones said. “I think Win Willy ran just a phenomenal race. Our horse maybe ran the race we needed him to run to continue on for the first Saturday in May.”

Jones said it is possible that Old Fashioned may not have seen Win Willy, who circled the field four wide, seized command near midstretch, and won the Rebel by 2¼ lengths. Old Fashioned finished eight lengths clear of third-place finisher Poltergeist, who is also entered in the Arkansas Derby, after chasing the pace in second through fractions of :22.54 for a quarter-mile and :46.07 for a half-mile.

“Old Fashioned runs as hard as he can every time he runs,” said Mac Robertson, Win Willy’s trainer. “He got caught up a little too close to the quick pace [in the Rebel].

“He was eight lengths in front of the third horse. All the other horses threw in the towel. He fought on. So obviously, if it is a more reasonable pace when he relaxes more he’s going to be awful tough to deal with.”

Win Willy breezed four furlongs in a bullet :48 on Wednesday at Oaklawn. The breeze was the fastest of nine timed moves at the distance.

“Obviously, if he would win Saturday he’s a horse they’re going to have to deal with,” Robertson said. “If he runs bad they’ll call it a fluke and say he got lucky.”

Robertson said Win Willy needs to finish either first or second in the Arkansas Derby to be pointed toward the Kentucky Derby. The Monarchos colt made his stakes debut in the Rebel.

“Hopefully, he’ll run one-two,” Robertson said. “I’m looking for a strong race. Obviously, pace helps the horse. I don’t necessarily think it makes him win.”

Donnie K. Von Hemel trains Poltergeist, who finished 10 1/4 lengths behind Win Willy in the Rebel. Poltergeist finished seventh, eight lengths behind Old Fashioned, in the Southwest Stakes (G3) on February 16 at Oaklawn prior to running in the Rebel.

The Arkansas Derby field also includes stakes winner Flat Out, the fourth-place finisher in the Southwest, graded stakes-placed winners Papa Clem and Flying Private, and stakes-placed winner Ziegfeld.

Papa Clem finished second in both of his starts this year for trainer Gary Stute. The Smart Strike colt was a runner-up to Pioneer of the Nile in the Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G2) on February 7 at Santa Anita Park.

Papa Clem enters off a runner-up finish to Friesan Fire, Old Fashioned’s stablemate who is also trained by Jones, in the Louisiana Derby (G2) (click here for video of the Louisiana Derby) on March 14 at Fair Grounds.

Flying Private also finished second in his two previous starts for Racing Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas. The Fusaichi Pegasus colt posted a runner-up finish in the Mountain Valley Stakes  on February 28 at Oaklawn Park prior to finishing second in the Lane’s End Stakes (G2)  on March 21 at Turfway Park.

Pioneerof the Nile gave Racing Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert his record fifth victory in the Santa Anita Derby (G1) and cemented his status as a leading contender for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) with a clear win on Saturday at Santa Anita Park.

Pioneerof the Nile will be shipped to Kentucky with four straight graded stakes wins to his credit after a one-length win in the $750,000 Santa Anita Derby, which Baffert won with Cavonnier (1996), Indian Charlie (‘98), General Challenge (‘99), and dual classic winner Point Given (2001).

“I knew he was going to win the Santa Anita Derby, and once he came out of the gate clean, I felt real good about him,” Baffert said. “I’ll just keep him happy and healthy. He’s ready to go.”

The highly anticipated showdown between Pioneerof the Nile and multiple graded stakes winner The Pamplemousse never came to fruition after the 9-to-5 morning-line favorite was scratched on Saturday morning after veterinarians discovered some heat in a tendon.

Sent off as the overwhelming 4-to-5 favorite in a field reduced to seven with three horses scratched, Pioneerof the Nile moved up to force the pace on the backstretch and seized command on the turn. He completed 1 1/8 miles in 1:49.17 under jockey Garrett Gomez in his final prep race for the Kentucky Derby on May 2 at Churchill Downs.

A homebred of Zayat Stables, Pioneerof the Nile was flattered less than 30 minutes earlier when I Want Revenge overcame a troubled trip to win the Wood Memorial Stakes (G1) at Aqueduct. Pioneerof the Nile defeated I Want Revenge by 1 1/2 lengths while conceding seven pounds to that foe in the Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G2) on February 7 at Santa Anita. Pioneerof the Nile also defeated him by a nose in the CashCall Futurity (G1).

Chocolate Candy closed gamely from last at the three-eighths pole to finish second, one length clear of third-place finisher Mr. Hot Stuff.

Feisty Suances set the tempo through an opening quarter in :24.04 in the Santa Anita Derby. Not content to rate behind a leisurely pace, Pioneerof the Nile pulled Gomez from fourth to the lead on the backstretch before easing off the bit.

“Good horses can adapt to any situation,” Baffert said. “That’s why he’s a good horse. That’s why he’s won four in a row now. He’s learning how to run, but the thing is, he’s very competitive, and I felt really good today about him.”

Pioneerof the Nile pressed Feisty Suances through the second turn, shook free when roused by Gomez, and held off fast-closing Chocolate Candy to extend his graded stakes winning streak.

“It wasn’t the way we were really trying to get it done today,” Gomez said. “With all the scratches, it just jeopardized the pace for us.

“I was trying to get him to relax a little bit. He was pulling a little, and it was either yank him out pull. It worked out for us. We’re happy we won, and we’ll go on to the next step.”

With $1,193,250 in graded stakes earnings, Pioneerof the Nile has amassed more than enough earnings in graded stakes to secure his spot in the field for the first jewel of the Triple Crown.

Courtesy: www.thoroughbredtimes.com