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April 10 (UPI) -- Tapit Trice and Practical Move cemented their status as two of the top Kentucky Derby contenders with hard-won weekend victories in Kentucky and California, but New York's final prep for the Run for the Roses produced a major upset that will scramble the field. The Kentucky Oaks field also took some hits with long shots earning enough points to get into that 14-filly field while perhaps pushing out the 2022 juvenile filly champion, Wonder Wheel.
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Along the way, there were big races on turf and dirt in all three locations and plenty of international action from England to Australia.
Let's hop right to it like the Easter Bunny.
The Road to the Roses
Kentucky
Saturday's $1 million Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland wasn't decided until the final jumps, and even then, winner Tapit Trice had to survive an objection by the rider of runner-up Verifying before the victory was posted as official.
The margin was a neck, with another 5 3/4 lengths to Blazing Sevens in third.
The race always looked to be a two-horse affair with Tapit Trice exiting a victory in the Grade III Tampa Bay Derby and Verifying never able to show his talent in a traffic-plagued Grade II Rebel at Oaklawn Park, where he finished an unlucky fourth.
That's how it played out as they were the last two with a chance in the stretch run and the first two home. Tyler Gaffalione lodged an objection, arguing Tapit Trice and rider Luis Saez were guilty of bumping in the final yards. Perhaps. But, if so, the stewards ruled no harm was done.
Tapit Trice was firmly in the Kentucky Derby picture before the Blue Grass, but earned another 100 points with the win, moving into the No 4 spot on the leaderboard for the 20-horse field. Verifying got 40 points, improving to a total of 54, and also is a lock for Louisville.
The top three all were reported in good chape Sunday morning. Trainer Todd Pletcher's local assistant said Tapit Trice will ship to Churchill Downs on Sunday and be joined by Pletcher's other Derby runners, the favorite, Forte, and Kingsbarns.
Verifying and Blazing Sevens will move along to the Run for the Roses, according to their connections.
New York
Three horses came to the wire virtually together at the end of Saturday's $750,000 Grade II Wood Memorial at Aqueduct, bumping and brushing through the final yards before 60-1 long shot Lord Miles got a nose in front of the favorite, Hit Show, on the wire.
Dreamlike, who entered the fray a maiden, was just a head farther back in third. It took the stewards a while to sort through multiple objections and an inquiry before the result was made official.
Lord Miles, a Curlin colt trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., was always close in the race and had the outside spot in the rough finish.
The victory was just his second in his fifth start, but earned 100 Kentucky Derby points and moved him into the No. 6 spot on the leaderboard. Hit Show's 40 points leave him at No. 11 with a total of 60.
Joseph reported Lord Miles exited the race in good shape and was on his way by van back to Gulfstream Park on Sunday morning.
"This will be our third Derby in the last four years and I've learned just to get there is good and then hope for the best," Joseph said. "But you appreciate being there and anything can happen in the Derby, like we saw last year with [80-1 long shot winner] Rich Strike."
California
Practical Move, the heavy favorite, won Saturday's $750,000 Grade I Runhappy Santa Anita Derby, as expected. But the Practical Joke colt was all out for the win, barely holding off Japanese shipper Mandarin Hero by a nose. Mandarin Hero was in front two strides after the finish.
Practical Move, trained by Tim Yakteen, got the better trip, leading on the rail while Mandarin Hero had to negotiate traffic behind him to get a clean run in the final sixteenth. That may have made the difference although Practical Move was tenacious in scoring his third straight win.
Practical Move already had enough points to make the Kentucky Derby field, moving into second place on the leaderboard with the 100 he earned Saturday.
Mandarin Hero got 40 points, and would need at least a few defections from higher up on the leaderboard to make the starting gate for the Run for the Roses.
Yakteen said Practical Move "came out of his race in great shape" and probably will remain in training in California before shipping to Louisville early in Derby week.
Plans are uncertain for Mandarin Hero, who made his first start outside Japan in the Santa Anita Derby. A liaison with his ownership group said they still hope to get into the Derby field but also might target the Preakness.
Meanwhile, his scheduled flight back to Japan on Tuesday has been canceled. Skinner, who finished third Saturday, stands at No. 21 on the Derby list, and will train as if he will run, his connections said Sunday.
Where they stand
There is only one race left on the "Road to the Kentucky Derby," the Lexington Stakes at Keeneland, and that carries points on the anemic 20-8-6-4-2 scale. So the current standings for the Derby field likely are close to final, barring injuries or other defections.
The field as it stood on Sunday, with a maximum of 20 starters:
1. Forte (190 points). The 2022 2-year-old champ, Florida Derby winner
2. Practical Move (160). The Santa Anita Derby winner
3. Angel of Empire (154). The Arkansas Derby winner
4. Tapit Trice (150). The Blue Grass winner
5. Two Phil's (123). The Jeff Ruby Steaks winner
6. Lord Miles (105). The Wood Memorial winner
7. Derma Sotogake (100). The UAE Derby (Dubai) winner
8. Kingsbarns (100). The Louisiana Derby winner
9. Raise Cain (64). The Gotham winner
10. Rocket Can (60). Second in the Fountain of Youth
11. Hit Show (60). Second in the Wood Memorial
12. Confidence Game (57). Winner of the Rebel
13. Verifying (54). Second in the Blue Grass
14. Sun Thunder (54). Second in the Risen Star
15. Wild On Ice (50). Winner of the Sunland Derby
16. Mage (50). Second in the Florida Derby
17. Blazing Sevens (46). Third in the Blue Grass
18. Reincarnate (45). Third in the Arkansas Derby
19. Jace's Road (45). Third in the Louisiana Derby
20. Continuar. Winner of the "Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby"
The Path to the Oaks
Kentucky
Friday's $600,000 Grade I Central Bank Ashland Stakes provided a shocker on a chilly Opening Day at Keeneland as Defining Purpose took the lead in the stretch and held on to win by 1/2 length over the favorite, Punchbowl.
Julia Shining was third, and the 2022 juvenile fillies champion Wonder Wheel reported second-last of seven, beating only an eased filly.
Defining Purpose, a Cross Traffic filly trained by Kenny McPeek, rebounded from a sixth-place showing in the Grade III Honeybee at Oaklawn Park to claim her first placing in a graded stakes.
Despite winning at odds of 20-1, McPeek said he was "not overly surprised. She had a couple of reasons why she fell off a little bit of form in her last two. She hooked a couple of muddy race tracks. The last trip [in the Honeybee] she had was really wide and wider."
Definining Purpose earned 100 points toward a Kentucky Oaks start and is sure of a berth in that starting gate.
New York
It certainly was a day for upsets at Aqueduct. Presaging the Wood outcome, Promiseher America rallied from a pace-stalking position to win Saturday's $250,000 Grade III Gazelle by 1/2 length over Gambling Girl with the favorite, Occult, fading to get home fifth.
Promiseher America, an American Pharoah filly trained by Raymond Handal, entered the race off a maiden victory, that coming in her third career start, all at Aqueduct. The stretchout to 1 1/8 miles obviously suited.
Promiseher America and Gambling Girl earned Kentucky Oaks spots with their finish.
California
Saturday's $400,000 Grade II Santa Anita Oaks was an official "Road to the Kentucky Oaks" race but will have only minimal bearing on that race. Faiza, who romped to a 6 1/2-lengths win, is ineligible because her trainer, Bob Baffert, remains banned by Churchill Downs.
The runner-up, And Tell Me Nolies, earned 40 points, enough to boost her into the Louisville field. Two of the others are not nominated and the third is well down the leaderboard.
Faiza, a Girvin filly, will have to seek other targets or wait until the Baffert ban expires at Churchill Downs-owned tracks in June. If Baffert's horses were allowed to compete, she probably would be the favorite in the Kentucky Oaks. She is undefeated after five starts, four of them graded stakes.
Around the divisions, briefly
Turf
Mo Stash led from gate to wire in Friday's $400,000 Grade III Kentucky Utilities Transylvania Stakes for 3-year-olds at Keeneland and defied trainer Vicki Oliver's fears he might not last, winning by 1 length over Nagirroc.
Mo Stash, a Mo Town colt, finished fourth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf over the same course last fall and Oliver said the win opens possibilities out to a mile and an eighth for the colt.
Offlee Naughty rallied from sixth and last to win Saturday's $200,000 Grade II Charles Whittingham Stakes at Santa Anita by 1 length over Dicey Mo Chara with the favorite, Gold Phoenix, checking in fourth.
Offlee Naughty, a 5-year-old son of Flashback, ran 1 1/4 miles on firm going in 2:02.45 with John Velazquez aboard.
Filly & Mare Turf / Turf Mile
Papilio and Cairo Consort rallied together down the stretch in Saturday's $400,000 Grade II Appalachian Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Keeneland with Papilio prevailing by a neck.
It was another 1 length to Heavenly Sunday in third. Papilio, an Irish-bred miss by Starspangledbanner, covered 1 mile on firm going in 1:36.32 with Javier Castellano up for trainer Mark Casse.
She was making her second U.S. start after a second in the Grade II Herecomesthebride at Gulfstream Park on March 4.
Turf Sprint
Defending Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint champion Caraval was put to the test in the stretch run of Saturday's $350,000 Grade II Shakertown Stakes at Keeneland and proved up to the task.
Leading from the early strides, the 6-year-old Mizzen Mast mare was challenged by 41-1 long shot Bad Beat Brian midway down the lane, appeared to be in trouble at the sixteenth pole but dug deep to find just enough to eke out the victory by a head.
Caraval, with Tyler Gaffalione up, ran 5 1/2 furlongs on good turf in 1:02.58. The horse, who was nearly 43-1 on the tote board for the Breeders' Cup win, has three straight wins and four from her last five.
Filly & Mare Sprint
Goodnight Olive made a triumphant return from her 2022 Breeders' Cup victory with a 1-length score in Saturday's $600,000 Grade I Madison Stakes at Keeneland.
With Irad Ortiz Jr. up for trainer Chad Brown, the 5-year-old Ghostzapper mare sat just behind the pace, launched a bold bid turning into the stretch and ran on strongly, winning by 1 length.
Maryquitecontrary came from farther back to finish second with Society holding on for third after leading.
Goodnight Olive finished 7 furlongs on a fast track in 1:23.12. She has won seven straight races since finishing second in her career debut. The 1-length margin in the Madison was her closest call.
Mommasgottarun rallied to the lead turning for home in Friday's $150,000 Grade III Distaff Handicap at Aqueduct and rolled home first by 1 1/2 lengths over Funny How. The favorite, Rossa Veloce, stumbled at the start and finished fourth.
Mommasgottarun, a 4-year-old Maclean's Music filly, got 7 furlongs on a fast track in 1:25.29 with Eric Cancel up.
Sprint
As noted earlier, it was a day for long shots at Aqueduct. Following that meme, Doppleganger rallied five-wide into the stretch in the $300,000 Grade I Carter Handicap and dominated the stretch run, winning by 1 1/4 lengths over the favorite, Repo Rocks, at odds just shy of 18-1.
Doppleganger, a 4-year-old Into Mischief colt trained by Brittany Russell, raced in California last year for Bob Baffert's barn before moving to Laurel Park, where he won both previous starts this year.
Here Mi Song got a clear shot on the outside turning for home in Saturday's $300,000 Grade III Commonwealth Stakes at Keeneland, seized the lead and held off Hoist the Gold through the stretch run to win by a neck. Get Her Number was third with Nakatomi fourth.
Here Mi Song, a Cross Traffic gelding, ran 7 furlongs in 1:23.42 with Alex Achard up. It was his first stakes win and Here Mi Song is the first runner for his owner, Nathan Hayden, who has a three-horse stable near Henderson, Ky.
Joey Freshwater took back early in Saturday's $200,000 Grade III Bay Shore Stakes for 3-year-olds at Aqueduct, then took over again in the lane, winning by 1 1/4 length from Gilmore.
Joey Freshwater, a Jimmy Creed colt, ran 7 furlongs in 1:24.91 with Kendrick Carmouche up for trainer Linda Rice, notching his third win from six starts in his first try in a graded race.
Around the world, around the clock
Japan
Liberty Island appeared to have no chance as she turned for home in Sunday's Grade 1 Oka Sho or Japanese 1,000 Guineas. But no one told her or her jockey, Yuga Kawada.
Shrugging off the big deficit, the forced move out toward the middle of the course and the uphill climb through the Hanshin Racecourse stretch, Liberty Island came flying to grab the win by 3/4 length over Kona Coast.
"I feel relieved to have done my job of guiding her to the wire in time," said winning rider Yuga Kawada. "We picked an inside draw [No. 3], and she wasn't keen to hurry out of the gate so the position was where it was going to be.
"But she was relaxed today, was in good rhythm in the race and clicked into gear nicely so this is where she ended up. So I am glad."
The Oka Sho is followed by Grade 1 Yushun Himba or Japanese Oaks and the Grade 1 Shuka Sho (G1) to make up the fillies Triple Crown, a title coveted by Kawada
"Now that we have accomplished our aim in the first of the Triple Crown, I hope that we can meet expectations in the following [races]," Kawada said.
Liberty Island started her career with a victory July 30 at Niigata Racecourse in a newcomers event. She then finished second in the Grade 2 Artemis Stakes (G2) Oct. 29 at Tokyo Racecourse and jumped up to a victory in the Grade 1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies, earning year-end honors.
Australia
It was a good day for New Zealand-breds in four Group 1 races Saturday at Randwick.
Pennyweka won the Group 1 The Star Australian Oaks handily, dismissing So Dazzling by 1 3/4 lengths and another 3 lengths back to Premise in third. All three are New Zealand-breds. Pennyweka, by Japanese sire Satono Aladdin, backed up her victory last month in the New Zealand Oaks.
Dubai Honor ran to his notices in the Group 1 Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes, taking the lead in the final furlong of the 2,000-meters test and drawing clear to win by 2 1/2 lengths over Mo'unga. Anamoe was just a nose behind that one in third.
Dubai Honor, an Irish-bred 5-year-old Pride of Dubai gelding, now is 2-for-2 down under for trainer William Haggas.
Explosive Jack landed the upset of the day, winning the Group 1 Schweppes Sydney Cup by 3/4 length over True Marvel at odds of 25-1.
Atishu, yet another New Zealand-bred, rolled to a 2 1/2-lengths score over Hope In Your Heart in the Group 1 Sydney Queen of the Turf Stakes. The favorite, Alcohol Free, got home 10th,
Atishu, a 5-year-old Savabeel mare, improved on a second-place finish in her autumnal debut March 25 at Rosehill Gardens.
Hong Kong
California Spangle and Lucky Sweynesse both won on Sunday's program at Sha Tin Racecourse and both are looking forward to more meaningful engagements at the end of the month.
California Spangle was pushed hard to escape with the win in the Group 2 Chairman's Trophy with an unusual and unexpected off-the pace trip over the 1,600 meters. Normally a front-runner, the gelding won by just 1/2 length over long shot Money Catcher.
"It wasn't his kind of race today," trainer Tony Cruz said. "I reckon next we're definitely not going to run this way again. We're not going to make the same mistake again."
Next would be a rematch with Hong Kong's top-rated horse, Golden Sixty, in the Group 1 Champions mile April 30. California Spangle upset the champ in the Group 1 Longines Hong Kong Mile in December.
Lucky Sweynesse, meanwhile, triumphed by 1 length over his two-years-older rival, Wellington, in the Group 2 Sprint Cup and his headed for another Group 1 in the Chairman's Sprint Prize on the April 30 card.
Purton, who also rode Lucky Sweynesse for trainer Manfred Man, said the gelding had his usual gate issues but still got the job done after a troubled start. Man said the Yasuda Kinen in Tokyo in June is still a possibility, provided Luckey Sweynesse behaves and shows he can handle the 1,200 meters of the Chairman's Sprint Prize.
England
The All-Weather Championships have grown to be more than an end unto themselves, contributing solid runners to meetings in Saudi Arabia, Dubai and elsewhere. But to the Derby?
That could be the first-time contribution as Middleham Park Racing's Dear My Friend, newly supplemented to the May 18 Dante Stakes and the Epsom Downs Classic, overcame a troubled start to win the Talksport Burradon Stakes for 3-year-olds at Newcastle on the AWC Finals Day Friday at Newcastle.
Dear My Friend, by Pivotal from the Teofilo mare Dusty Road, outdueled Flight Plan in the final furlong of the 1-mile race, winning by a neck with James Doyle up as trainer Charlie Johnston got his first listed-race victory on his own license. The colt has victories on both turf and all-weather.
"The obvious thing now is to go straight to the Dante, I'd have thought, and then take it from there," Johnston said. "He's only going to keep getting better as he's still a big shell of a horse. He is very exciting for the long term."
The other results from Finals Day:
Notre Belle Bete and Base Note distanced themselves from the rest of the field in the final furlong of the featured BetUK Easter Classic with Notre Belle Bete getting the better of that rival by 1 length under Oisin Murphy.
The winner, a 5-year-old Zoffany gelding, got his first win of the season after a second and a third.
Desert Cop scored a minor upset in the Talksport 3-year-old Championship at 6 furlongs, holding on as Murphy struggled to keep him on a straight course. The Oasis Dream colt won by 1 3/4 length from Shouldhavebeenaring.
Hollie Doyle got 10-1 long shot Rainbow Dreamer home first by 1 length from Fleurman in the BetUK Marathon Championship as the favorite, Berkshire Rocco, faded late to finish fifth and Earlofthecotswalds finished next-last of nine.
Berkshire Shadow gave Murphy another win in the Spreadex Mile Championships, taking the lead inside the furlong grounds and handling Chichester by 3/4 length thereafter. The 4-year-old Dark Angel gelding earned his way into the final with a first-up win at Wolverhampton on March 11.
Queen Aminatu rallied from last of seven to land the Talksports Fillies & Mare Championships by 1 3/4 lengths from Aramis Grey. Queen Aminatu, a 4-year-old filly my Muhaarar, qualified with wins last autumn and Lingfield and Deauville, but then took a four-month break before the final.
Diligent Harry prevailed by a head over Witch Hunter in the BetUK Sprint Championship. Diligent Harry, a 5-year-old gelding by Due Diligence, was eased in his last start, the Prix Anaba on the Chantilly all-weather course in France, but showed no ill effects in the final.
