Becoming the first Japan-trained horse to win an American grade 1 dirt sprint, T O Elvis could help inspire more participation by Japanese runners in races other than the Breeders' Cup and Kentucky Derby (G1).
NBC Sports' presentation of Saturday's history-making 152nd Kentucky Derby delivered the most-watched "Run for the Roses" on record with an average of 19.6 million viewers on NBC and Peacock - topping by 11% last year's Derby audience.
Jockey Jose Ortiz becomes just the ninth jockey to complete a Kentucky Oaks (G1)-Kentucky Derby (G1) double, winning the Derby aboard Golden Tempo and the Oaks with Always a Runner.
Although only Golden Tempo has the Preakness participation door left open the day after the Kentucky Derby (G1), the Maryland Jockey Club has 16 horses listed as possible. The Preakness can have a maximum field size of 14.
When jockey John Velazquez and trainer Todd Pletcher teamed to win the $175,000 Westchester Stakes (G3) with Centennial Farms' Antiquarian it marked the 500th stakes victory for the jockey-trainer combination.
The Churchill Downs crowd held their breath May 2 when Great White reared, fell, and was scratched before the Kentucky Derby (G1). Trainer John Ennis said May 3 that the horse had no issues after and could point to the Preakness Stakes (G1).
This week's Report from Japan looks at the 68 ready-to-run 2-year-olds that have been cataloged for the upcoming Chiba Thoroughbred Sale at Funabashi Racecourse.
The first foals of Shinzo, Ozzmosis, Native Trail, King's Gambit, and Hawaii Five Oh will be on offer at this week's Inglis Australian Weanling Sale at Riverside, held May 4-5.
Woodside Park has struck a deal to bring the former Juddmonte-owned Dubai World Cup (G1) winner Laurel River to Australia from Japan's Big Red Farm, presenting Australian breeders a chance to access the Into Mischief bloodline.