Gun Runner and Lani Win Kentucky Derby Preps

---

THE WEEKEND WRAP UP

March 26th – 27th

California Chrome Bright As Ever In Dubai World Cup

2014 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner, and Horse of The Year, California Chrome has come a long way since he first set his hoofs on Hollywood Park’s track back in 2013. After running a respectable second in last year’s Dubai World Cup, Chrome spent months abroad in England and was later sidelined for the rest of his 4-year-old campaign due to injury. Now a 5-year-old, the Cal-bred loaded back into the starting gate of the world’s richest race on Saturday, March 26th — emerging victorious by 3 ¾ lengths in the $10,000,000 contest at Meydan… CLICK TO READ FULL ARTICLE

Gun Runner Commanding in Louisiana Derby

Gun Runner, the son of Candy Ride who caught attention last out winning the Gr. 2 Risen Star Stakes, took the Gr. 2 $1,000,000 Louisiana Derby on March 26 at Fair Grounds. Sent off as the third choice in the field of 10, the chestnut was ridden by Florent Geroux and won in dominant fashion.

At the start, Candy My Boy grabbed and maintained the lead through a quarter mile in :23.54, half mile in :48.24 and six furlongs in 1:12.94. Dazzling Gem and Gun Runner stayed close to the leader throughout, with Gun Runner taking over the lead after a mile in 1:38.12. He wasn’t challenged, hitting the wire 4 ½ lengths ahead of Tom’s Ready. The final time for the 1 1/16th mile race was 1:51.06.
Gun Runner, who is trained by Steve Asmussen and owned by Winchell Thoroughbreds and Three Chimneys Farm, picked up 100 points toward the Kentucky Derby with his victory. He know has 151 total points, putting him in first place on the leaderboard. From 5 career starts, the colt has 4 wins and career earnings of $906,920.

Payouts
Gun Runner $9.80 $5.60 $3.60
Tom’s Ready —– $24.00 $12.40
Dazzling Gem ————- $5.80
Mo Tom

$1 Superfecta $5,482.40

Japan’s Lani Kentucky-Bound After UAE Derby Win

Tapit will be well-represented in this year’s Kentucky Derby, with the latest of his progeny stamping their ticket in Dubai. Kentucky-bred Lani, owned by Ms. Yoko Maeda, took the UAE Derby (UAE-II) by half a length over Polar River on March 26.

After stumbling coming out of the gate, Lani was last into the first turn. Jockey Yutaka Take sent the colt six wide through the backstretch and then angled over. The move set them in second place as they made the turn for home, and they found another gear with 200 meters left. Polar River was right on Lani’s heels but was unable to overtake him and finished second. Japanese Yu Change was third.

With their only other horse running in the 1995 edition, Lani will become only the second Japan-based runner to target the Kentucky Derby. The colt picked up 100 points with the win at Meydan, placing him second behind Gun Runner on the leaderboard. From six starts, he has three wins and one second, boasting earnings of $1,366,618.

Land Over Sea Shines in Louisiana Oaks

Overshadowed by the brilliant Songbird for most of her career, Land Over Sea finally had her moment of glory when she nailed her first stakes victory in the Gr. 2 $400,000 Fair Grounds Oaks on March 26th.

Midnight Oconee set the pace from the start, followed by Adore, while Land Over Sea settled back in sixth in the field of eight. They went :23.84 for a quarter mile and a half in :47.75. Nearing the far turn, Adore took over the lead and looked like the winner as she opened up a length lead. John Velazquez, who was on Land Over Sea, asked his filly to make her move and she overtook Adore easily to win by 4 ½ lengths. Dream Dance got up for second, with Adore a neck back in third. The final time for the 1 1/16th mile race was 1:44.74.

The victory earned the 3-year-old daughter of Bellamy Road 100 qualifying points for the Kentucky Oaks, boosting her to first place on the leaderboard with 128 total points. Songbird is now in second with 90 points. From 8 starts, Land Over Sea has 2 wins, 4 seconds, and a third for earnings totaling $472,000.Payouts

Land Over Sea $5.60 $3.40 $2.60
Dream Dance ——- $14.00 $7.00
Adore ———————- $4.00
Northwest Tale

$1 Superfecta $1,810.00

S’maverlous Marvels in New Orleans Handicap

In a spectacular upset, S’maverlous won his first ever stakes attempt in Saturday’s $400,000 New Orleans Handicap (GII) at Fair Grounds Race Course. The 6-year-old gelded son of Tiz Wonderful and jockey Jose Lezcano went 1 1/8 miles in 1:50.06, winning easily by two lengths.

Breaking at 20-1, S’maverlous stalked the early leader Coup de Grace the majority of the race until heading into the homestretch. He surged forward, took over the lead and drew away from second place finisher Jessica’s Star – who was disqualified and moved to fifth for impeding the 4, Majestic Harbor.

“He broke very good. He took me there and then went on and won the race,” Lezcano said of S’maverlous. “He was very good today. I stuck with [Coup de Grace] and my horse was very comfortable, and I had plenty all the way around.”

Trainer Mike Maker had the race’s top two finishers – S’maverlous and International Star, winner of last year’s LeComte, Risen Star and Louisiana Derby. The winner, a Kentucky-bred, was claimed by Maker back in September for $32,000 and is owned by Gata Racing Stables. S’maverlous has earned $514,716 in 20 career starts – 8 of which have resulted in wins.

2014 Preakness runner-up Ride on Curlin, piloted by James Graham, finished tenth and last after traveling 5-wide on both turns and tiring.

The winner returned $42.40, $15.60 for place, $6.40 for show.

Take the Stand Rules Muniz Memorial H.

Going wire-to-wire and setting a track record, Take the Stand dominated Saturday’s $300,000 Mervin Muniz Memorial Handicap at Fair Grounds Race Course. The 5-year-old Argentine-bred and jockey Edgar Prado completed the 1 1/8 miles race on the turf in 1:47.80, defeating a field of 10, which included last year’s winner and previous record holder, Chocolate Ride.

Breaking sharply from the rail, Take the Stand took the lead while Roman Approval and Chocolate Ride followed closest in pursuit. Finding more coming into the stretch, Take the Stand set fractions of 23.54, 47.59, 1:10.98 and 1:35.38, fighting off second place finisher World Approval to the wire.

“He was running every step of the way today and drew off in the stretch,” said Prado. “The first quarter we were going pretty easy. We picked it up in the second quarter and he was doing it so easy. When they tried to come close to me, my horse just leveled off again.”

Take the Stand is trained by Bill Mott and owned by Earle Mack, Wachtel Stable and Brous Stable. In his 12 career starts, he has 6 wins and has accumulated $317,631 in earnings. The Gr.2 Muniz Memorial Handicap is his first stakes victory.

The winner returned $18.00, $9.60 for place, $7.00 for show.

THE WEEKEND WRAP-UP COVERS 3-YEAR-OLD KENTUCKY DERBY AND OAKS PREPS, BREEDERS’ CUP “WIN AND YOU’RE IN” RACES, AND STAKES RACES FEATURING NOTEWORTHY HORSES. TRACKS COVERED INCLUDE SANTA ANITA, DEL MAR, LOS ALAMITOS (TB), GULFSTREAM PARK, TAMPA BAY DOWNS, AQUEDUCT, BELMONT PARK, SARATOGA, KEENELAND, CHURCHILL DOWNS, OAKLAWN, MONMOUTH PARK AND FAIR GROUNDS.

---

Follow us on Twitter @EverythingEqLLC

---