Derby preps weave into a tangled web after weekend horse racing

· UPI

Feb. 23 (UPI) -- The various "roads to the Kentucky Derby" have turned into something resembling a complicated freeway interchange, thanks to weekend racing, with plans and options possibly sending horses from one series to another and a filly's connections pondering the Derby.

Meanwhile, back in the States, appropriately named Great White cruised up along the Derby shores with an upset win at Turfway Park.

Ka Ying Rising had no trouble winning his 18th straight race in Hong Kong's Sunday feature. And Costa Nova earned a "Win and You're In" bid to the Breeders' Cup Classic with a victory in Japan.

Watching out for Great White, we dive right in.

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The Road to the Roses

Cue the shark jokes. Great White, a light gray Volatile gelding with a big white face, upset Saturday's $175,000 John Battaglia Memorial on the Turfway Park all-weather course, earning 20 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard.

Jockey Alex Achard kept Great White in a stalking position into the far turn, swung out of the bend with the lead and held off a late bid by Fulleffort to win by a neck.

The favorite, Street Beast, was restless in the starting gate, then took the lead but faded under steady pressure and got home last of 11.

Great White, ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:46.83. It was his second win in three starts, all at the northern Kentucky track.

On the global scene, Brotherly Love took the lead in the Euro/Mideast Road to the Kentucky Derby with a win in Friday's Dubai Road to the Kentucky Derby and Lucky Kid surged to the lead in the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby series with a victory in Sunday's Hyacinth Stakes at Tokyo Racecourse. The final race in each series will be March 28.

Brotherly Love is a half-brother to Heart of Honor, who finished second in the 2025 UAE Derby, then came to America to finish fifth in the Preakness Stakes and sixth in the Belmont.

His victory for the same connections, by 2 lengths while running from the back of the field, was a breakthrough effort while stretching out to 1 3/16 miles.

Dubai could have another Kentucky Derby contender in Labwah, winner of Friday's Group 3 UAE Oaks. The Charlatan filly scored by 7 1/2 lengths, notching her third straight win in the World Cup Carnival.

The race is part of the "Road to the Kentucky Oaks" series, and trainer Salem bin Ghadayer said owner Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Al Maktoum now must make a decision between that path and taking on colts in the UAE Derby, which is a virtual "win and you're in" for the Run for the Roses.

"I will go back to His Highness Sheikh Hamdan as she was his pick from the breeze-up sale. I will ask him what he wants to do. But she is ready for both options," Bin Ghadayer said.

Lucky Kid, the new Japanese leader, also could be headed to the UAE Derby rather than the finale of that series.

"We will make a decision as to whether we go to Dubai or not after talking with the owner," trainer Yukihiro Kato said. The colt is a Godolphin homebred and give Sheik Mohammed's forces two of the top three spots on the "Japan Road" leaderboard.

The Path to the Oaks

Resplendence led early and drew off late in Friday night's $175,000 Cincinnati Trophy Stakes at Turfway Park, winning by 2 3/4 lengths over Lovely Grey.

The Justify filly, a Bonne Chance Farm homebred, ran 1 mile on the all-weather track in 1:40.69 for her second straight win.

The favorite, Godolphin's promising Munnings filly Dame Laura, was pulled up early in the race and transported by equine ambulance.

As noted above, Labwah's victory in Friday's UAE Oaks gave her 50 points toward a start in the Kentucky Oaks, potentially enough to secure a spot there, but her connections are considering a run against colts in the UAE Derby.

Sprint

Jack's Promise grabbed the lead early in the stretch run of Saturday's $125,000 Gulfstream Park Sprint and the favorite, Damon's Mound, couldn't overcome that advantage, settling for second, 3 lengths back.

A 4-year-old colt by Promises Fulfilled, Jack's Promise ran 6 furlongs on a fast track in 1:10.45 with Rajiv Maragh up for trainer Dale Romans.

Filly & Mare Sprint

Touchdown Arkansas stalked the pace in Saturday's $150,000 Nodouble Breeders' Stakes at Oaklawn Park, moved into contention heading into the stretch and got there in the late going to win by 3/4 length over late-running long shot Cybertown.

Touchdown Arkansas, a 5-year-old, Arkansas-bred son of Bee Jersey, ran 6 furlongs in 1:10.31 under Francisco Arrieta. Tom Van Berg trains.

Look, it was no fair sending Haulin Ice against fellow Arkansas-breds in Friday's $150,000 Downthedustyroad Breeders' Stakes at Oaklawn Park.

No offense to the rest of the field, but the 5-year-old mare, a multiple graded stakes winner, has more than held her own with the best of open company and had no trouble with these, kicking away to win by 11 3/4 lengths in 1:08.75. Caliente Star was second.

Haulin Ice obviously is improving with age. She won this race last year by only 6 lengths.

Turf Mile

Greenwich Village took aim at pacesetting Medici midway down the stretch in Sunday's $100,000 Pasadena Stakes for 3-year-olds at Santa Anita and reeled him in right at the wire to win by a nose. Iriseach was third, a neck farther back with a late bid.

A Quality Road colt trained by Bob Baffert, Greenwich Village ran 1 mile of firm turf in 1:34.72 with Juan Hernandez aboard. He got his third win from four starts and finished fifth in the Grade II San Vicente in the other.

Turf Sprint

Gratefully wasted no time getting to the front in Saturday's $100,000 Wishing Well for fillies and mares at Santa Anita, held on gamely and won by a head over Saratoga Special.

A 4-year-old Laoban filly, Gracefully ran 6 furlongs on firm turf in 1:07.83 with Florent Geroux in the irons for trainer Robert Falcone Jr.

Around the world, around the clock

Japan

Costa Nova put paid to a three-race losing streak and earned a "Win and You're In" spot in the Breeders' Cup Classic with a repeat victory in Sunday's Grade 1 February Stakes on the Tokyo Racecourse dirt.

The 6-year-old son of Lord Kanaloa was on the outside edge of a cavalry charge midway down the stretch in the 1,600-meters February.

With momentum on his side and leading jockey Christophe Lemaire on his back, he surged to the front inside the 200-meter mark and won by 1/2 length over perennial bridesmaid Wilson Tesoro. W Heart Bond was another 1/2 length back in third.

Costa Nova had somewhat underperformed since the 2025 February Stakes win and skipped December's Grade I Champions Cup, won by W Heart Bond narrowly from Wilson Tesoro.

"We've upped his training compared to his last three races and it's made a difference," trainer Tetsuya Kimura said.

Hong Kong

Ka Ying Rising had no trouble at all winning Sunday's Group 1 Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup for his Hong Kong-record 18th straight win. He scored by 3 1/2 lengths with just enough urging from jockey Zac Purton to break the course record for 1,400 meters and was never troubled at any point in the race.

"He jumped so well and cruised through the bend beautifully," Hayes said. "At the 300 meters, I could really enjoy it." And Hayes said he hopes to continue enjoying the 5-year-old's performances through the rest of this season and then through the 2026-27 campaign, as well.

"He's just different. He's in a league of his own," Purton agreed. "They're very good horses that he's racing against and he just does it like he's having a barrier trial. Let's hope he can stay in this form for another 12 or 18 months."