This Week in Horse Racing

Triple Crown:

It was a weekend for upsets on the Triple Crown trail this weekend. This weekend will be the last for Kentucky Derby preps. Then there's two weeks of speculation before the twenty entrants step into the gate on May 1st.

Stately Victor, the longest shot in the field at 40-1, roared past the field to an incredible 4 1/2 length victory in the Blue Grass Stakes. Stately Victor came into the stakes race with five consecutive off-the-board finishes, the last four being allowance races. Until yesterday, he had only one win in his seven starts: a maiden special weight last September. The son of Ghostzapper made history as the biggest longshot winner in the Blue Grass's 86-year history. Stately Victor bumped with First Dude at the start and trailed in the pack throughout the race. Odysseus and Paddy O'Prado led the field through quick splits. As they came off the final turn, Paddy O'Prado took control and started to draw away. Stately Victor moved five-wide around the final turn and sprinted past the leader in the final furlong to draw away with ease. Paddy O'Prado held on for second, a length in front of First Dude. Interactif, the favorite, finished fourth. Stately Victor's only other try in stakes company was last year's Dixiana Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland where he finished sixth. With his win, Stately Victor has enough earnings to make his next stop the Kentucky Derby. Paddy O'Prado has also likely earned enough with his second place finish.

Kentucky Oaks:
Touching Beauty won a rough G3 Comely Stakes at Aqueduct. She earned her first stakes win by a half-length. The daughter of Tapit was sent off at odds of 5-1. Touching Beauty came up on the outside in the stretch to challege the pacesetters, Volare Cantare and Anchorage. She edged clear at the eighth pole and dug in when Speightful Affair closed to challenge. CC's Pal also closed quickly, finished a half-length back in third. The favorite, She'll Be Doggone, walled off on the turn, mounted her bid through a narrow opening at the rail in the stretch. The filly found only trouble as she was forced to hit the brakes sharply after being bumped by the tiring Anchorage who ducked into the rail. She'll be Doggone was apparently not injured and finished seventh. Touching Beauty may be pointed towards the Acorn Stakes at Belmont on June or the Prioriess Stakes in July.

Favorite, Franny Freud, dominated the G2 Beaumont Stakes for her first graded stakes win and her first victory for 2010. Franny Freud took the lead and never looked back, opening a one-length lead early in the race as Glowing Report and Grand Affair stayed on her heels. She moved away to a two and a half length lead in the stretch and drew away when Chantilly Nayla attempted a challenge.

Other Racing News:
Dream Nettie also scored an upset, though not quite as large at 9-1 winning the La Puente Stakes at Santa Anita in his stakes debut. Dream Nettie stalked pacesetter, Ace of Aces, around the final turn and took control in upper stretch. He inched away and held on to lead by three-quarters of a length over Lucky Rave. Irish-bred, Bogie, finished third by a half-length, only a head in front of Ace of Aces.

Silver Timber claimed his second consecutive graded stakes victory over Keeneland's turf by running down Grand Adventure in the G3 Shakertown. The seven-year-old gelding scored the Woodford Sakes last fall. Silver Timber broke quickly and came to the first turn between narrow leader, Moralist, and Grand Adventure. Moralist held onto the lead into the stretch, but gave way to Grand Adventure. Silver Timber swung off the rail and gained ground, catching Grand Adventure in the final strides to win by a neck. The time was just 1/5 of a second off the track record set in 2006. Grand Adventure finished second, with Moralist a length back in third. It was Silver Timber's first start since finished sixth back in November in the Breeders' Cup Turf Spring.

Other News:
Dixieland Band, one of the three original stallions at Lane's End Farm and sire of 117 stakes winners, was euthanized April 7th due to old age. He was 30 years old. He retired from racing and entered stud in 1985 when Lane's End was established. His progeny earned more than $75.7 million. Among the top horses were Drum Taps, a champion in England and Italy; Dixie Union, a grade I winner who stands at Lane's End; Cotton Carnival; Egyptband, winner of the French Oaks; and grade/group I winners Spinning Round, Dixie Brass, Alwajeeha, and Sharp Lisa. Dixieland Band has been among the top ten leading North American broodmare sires for the last eight years. His mares have produced 134 stakes winners and $131 million in earnings. He was the leading broodmare sire in 2004 and is ranked seventh this year. His daughters produced 2001 Kentucky Derby winner Monarchos and 2007 winner Street Sense.

2005 Kentucky Derby winner, Giacomo, had his first winner on April 3rd when Blushing Sis broke her maiden by eight lengths going 4 1/2 furlongs at Manor Downs. Giacomo stands for $5,000 at Adena Springs.