Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert has often captured the Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park, winning the race six times since 2010, but this year’s Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve prep on Feb.
Owner John Green could hardly believe what he was seeing when the quarter-mile and half-mile splits of the Feb. 3 Holy Bull Stakes flashed on the tote board.
Jockey Paco Lopez had nursed Hades, co-owned by Green, through languid early fractions of :25.03 and :50.53 with 4 ½ furlongs left to run.
Trainer Butch Reid has no interest in leaving his cozy base of operations at Parx Racing and moving to New York.
He has family members in the nearby Philadelphia area. He’s also a Philadelphia Eagles fan.
“I’d have to start cheering for the Jets and I don’t want to do that,” he said.
Yes, Parx and Philadelphia may be an indelible part of Reid’s pedigree, but his occasional jaunts to New York remain as profitable and enjoyable as ever.
Nysos took the next step on his journey to the top of the 3-year-old ranks with an impressive score in the Feb. 3 Robert B. Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita Park.
Gulfstream Park kicks off its three-race prep series for the 2024 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve this Saturday, Feb. 3, with the $250,000 Holy Bull Stakes.
