Secretariat, Seattle Slew, Affirmed...Animal Kingdom? That phrase sounds eerily similar to Sesame Street's "one of these things is not like the others." However, if Animal Kingdom should win the Preakness, the Triple Crown will be a forgone conclusion since not many three-year-olds are more apt to handle the grueling 1 1/2-miles of the Belmont Stakes than the son of Leroidesanimaux.
Though admittedly "shocked" that he won America's most-famous race, trainer Graham Motion, a British expatriate, on Sunday morning had recovered enough to start focusing on the May 21 Preakness Stakes, which he said would be the next start for Animal Kingdom, the upset winner of Saturday's 137th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs.
After Animal Kingdom's resounding two-and-three-quarter length victory in the 137th running of the Kentucky Derby (Grade I), the Triple Crown hype train rolls to Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, MD for the Preakness Stakes (Grade I) in two weeks.
Team Valor International's ANIMAL KINGDOM (Leroidesanimaux [Brz]) answered any questions about his aptitude for dirt, or readiness for the Kentucky Derby (G1), Saturday morning with a sharp six-furlong work in 1:13 at Churchill Downs.
From The Blood-Horse comes this week's "Derby Dozen," by Steve Haskin, which includes for the first time Team Valor International's Animal Kingdom.
Summer Soiree, who will make her next start on May 6 in the $1-million, Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks, had her first workout for Graham Motion and her first bit of serious work since romping in the Grade 3 Bourbonette Oaks 3 weeks ago at Turfway Park.
A weekend full of surprises at tracks in Louisiana, Kentucky and New Mexico has put the names of these 3-year-olds on the AP's latest Run to the Roses Top 10 list of Derby contenders.
Barry Irwin's Team Valor International has tapped diverse sources for its racing stable for many years, perhaps most notably in the discovery of Zimbabwe sensation Ipi Tombe (Zim), by way of South Africa.
Animal Kingdom went from last to first and scored a decisive 2 ¾-length triumph in the $500,000 Spiral Stakes today at Turfway Park in Northern Kentucky.
The construction and purchase of an 181,000 sf hospital leased to Clarian Saxony Medical Center and guaranteed by Clarian; the purchase of 12 retail stores leased to Genuine Parts Company (Napa Auto) and the purchase of 2.5 acres of oceanfront property zoned condo/hotel in Pompano Beach, Florida.
