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Winning Colors: Lukas’ Kentucky Derby-Winning Filly

At the beginning of 1988, the attention of the racing world was focused – as usual – on the road to the Kentucky Derby. At the time, if you had asked racing fans to predict the winner of the 114th run for the roses, you might have heard support for Tejano, a four-time graded stakes winner in 1987; Forty Niner, the champion 2-year-old male; or perhaps Success Express, winner of the 1987 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.

Larry Demeritte, horse racing, trainer, obituary, West Saratoga, Kentucky, Bahamas, Harry Veruchi, Kentucky Derby, cancer, myeloma, amyloidosis, Iroquois Stakes, ABR

Trainer Larry Demeritte Lived Kentucky Derby Dream

Graded stakes-winning trainer Larry Demeritte, who inspired many in battling cancer while training 2024 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve starter West Saratoga, died May 19 in Louisville, Ky., according to the Louisville Courier-Journal. He was 75.

The first Bahamian to enter a horse in the Kentucky Derby, Demeritte sent out 2023 Iroquois Stakes winner West Saratoga to a 12th-place finish in the 150th run for the roses.

Journalism, Preakness Stakes, Kentucky Derby, Michael McCarthy, Umberto Rispoli, Aaron Wellman, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Triple Crown, speed figure, pedigree, horse racing, ABR, Baeza, Sovereignty

2025 Triple Crown Prospect Profiles: What We Learned About Journalism in Preakness Win

Welcome to 2025 Triple Crown Prospect Profiles where we’ll take a look each week at a recent winner on the Triple Crown trail.

Champion racehorse and top sire A.P. Indy at Lane's End Farm in 2006.

1992 Horse of the Year A.P. Indy: Destined for Greatness

A.P. Indy was seemingly born to greatness. He was sired by Seattle Slew, a Triple Crown winner. His successful dam (mother), Weekend Surprise, was no surprise because she was sired by Secretariat, another Triple Crown champion.

Ambitious owners will pay massive sums for such regal bloodlines, so it was no shock that Japanese owner Tomonori Tsurumaki went to $2.9 million before the auctioneer’s hammer fell at Keeneland’s July yearling sale in 1990.

Belmont Winner Rags to Riches in League of Her Own

Todd Pletcher has won more than 5,850 races in his extraordinary training career. One stands out above the rest.

That would be the 2007 Belmont Stakes, when big-hearted Rags to Riches became only the third filly to win the famed “Test of the Champion” and the first since Tanya in 1905.

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