(Edited Gulfstream Park report)

HALLANDALE, Fla. – After a stretchlong battle in Saturday’s $150,000 Swale Stakes (Grade 2) at Gulfstream Park, Harold Queen’s homebred 3-year-old Big Drama prevailed by a half-length over Paul Pompa Jr.’s This Ones for Phil in track-record time, but was disqualified and placed second after a stewards’ inquiry.

Penelope Miller
Tampa Bay Downs

OLDSMAR, Fla. – Stumbling Block captured the final leg of the Tampa Turf Test today, besting nine other horses in the 1 3/8 miles contest over the lawn.  Stumbling Block is trained by Tampa Bay Downs’s leading trainer Jamie Ness, is owned by Web’s Gem Stable and was ridden to victory by top Tampa jockey Daniel Centeno. Stumbling Block, a 6-year-old Illinois-bred son of Out of Place, settled behind early leaders to edge out…

Graham Ross
Fair Grounds

NEW ORLEANS, La. – Tom Curtis’ Milwaukee Miracle rallied outside the early leaders to win the $75,000 Crescent City Derby, the finale of four stakes that kicked off Louisiana Lagniappe Weekend presented by Miller Saturday at Fair Grounds. Milwaukee Miracle, dismissed at odds of better than 5-1 despite being the morning-line choice in the field of 13 Louisiana-bred 3-year-olds, drew off to a 4 1/4-length win in the 1 1/16-mile event under jockey Gabriel Saez.…

Francis LaBelle Jr.
Aqueduct Racetrack

Chevalier Stable’s heavily favored Weathered turned back two challenges Saturday afternoon and powered on to a 1½-length victory in the 35th running of the Grade 3, $107,800 Next Move – the final graded stakes race of the Aqueduct Racetrack inner dirt season.

Ron Correll
Senior columnist
Tracksideview.com

Regal Ransom extracted a measure of revenge on Saturday at Nad al Sheba when he beat heavy favorite Desert Party in the UAE Derby at the racecourse in Dubai. But there is a silver lining in the defeat for Godolphin, which owns both colts. The Mideast racing powerhouse now has two probable contenders for the Kentucky Derby on the First Saturday in May.

(Edited Gulfstream Park report)

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Lael Stable’s 3-year-old Nicanor, full-brother to ill-fated 2006 Kentucky Derby (Grade 1) hero Barbaro, made his third career start Saturday at Gulfstream Park, and finished second as he did last out on March 7, this time a half-length behind Brenda Stewart’s Glittermans Cartel in a one-mile maiden race.

Ron Correll
Senior columnist
Tracksideview.com

Jockey Aaron Gryder had a plan for Well Armed in the $6 million Grade 1 Dubai World Cup on Saturday at Nal al Sheba, and he wasn’t afraid to tell people ahead of time what it was. It was a simple plan, get Well Armed to the front and stay there.

Ed Golden
Santa Anita Park           

Frank Lucarelli said Saturday morning that Gallant Son was “99 percent sure” to run in the Santa Anita Derby a week from Saturday. The trainer had been considering the Illinois Derby at Hawthorne Race Course the same day for the son of Malabar Gold, who won the restricted Pasadena Stakes at one mile on turf at Santa Anita on March 15.

NYRA release

John “Jack” Dreyfus, Sr., the “Lion of Wall Street” who became one of Thoroughbred racing’s more prominent owners, died Friday. Chairman of the New York Racing Association’s Board of Trustees in 1969 and 1975, Dreyfus was 95.

(Edited press release)

Alysheba, a Kentucky Derby (Grade 1) winner and Horse of the Year, was euthanized Friday at Hagyard Equine Medical Institute near Lexington, Ky. The 25-year-old pensioned stallion, who resided at the Kentucky Horse Park, and was buried at the Park’s Hall of Champions across from the grave of the great John Henry.