Paulick Report

1 day ago | paulickreport.com | Robert Yates

First Mission has a guaranteed spot in the $250,000 Pimlico Special Stakes (G3) May 16 Pimlico, but his team (breeder/owner Godolphin and trainer Brad Cox) has bigger plans for the 5-year-old son of Street Sense. A first career Grade 1 victory. “Absolutely,” Michael Banahan, bloodstock director for Godolphin, USA, said moments after First Mission’s two-length victory in the $1.25 million Oaklawn Handicap (G2) Saturday at Oaklawn. “We tried last year. He was the favorite in the Stephen Foster.

4 days ago | paulickreport.com | Robert Yates

First Mission’s latest audition for a first Grade 1 victory was a smashing success. A homebred for famed Godolphin, First Mission took command in the final furlong to post a two-length victory over Banishing in the $1.25-million Oaklawn Handicap (G2) for older horses Saturday evening at Oaklawn. First Mission, the 7-5 favorite under Flavien Prat, covered 1 1/8 miles over a fast track in a meet-best 1:49.09.

6 days ago | paulickreport.com | Robert Yates

American Promise went fast in his penultimate workout for the Kentucky Derby May 3 at Churchill Downs. Really fast. Breezing in company with stablemate Bon Temps, American Promise covered seven furlongs from the gate in 1:25.20 on Friday morning at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark. The colt was ridden by Nik Juarez, who is scheduled to ride the chestnut son of 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify in the Kentucky Derby.

6 days ago | paulickreport.com | Chelsea Hackbarth

The Daily Racing Form reports that Madaket Road has been removed from consideration from the 151st Kentucky Derby. The Bob Baffert-trained son of Quality Road ran second to Coal Battle in the G2 Rebel before finishing fourth in the G1 Florida Derby. Madaket Road will instead be entered in the G2 Pat Day Mile on the undercard of the Kentucky Derby. “That’s sort of been our goal all along, that’s a better distance for him,” Baffert told DRF.

6 days ago | paulickreport.com | Ray Paulick

Non Compliant, undefeated winner of the Grade 2 Oak Leaf Stakes last Oct. 5 at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif., was euthanized April 17 after suffering a training injury, according to a posting on the California Horse Racing Board website. Trained by Bob Baffert for Georgia Antley Hunt, Jeff Giglio and John Rogitz, the 3-year-old filly by Tiz the Law had only recently returned to training at Los Alamitos in Cypress, Calif., after being scratched from the G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies last Nov.