BY TAMMY A GANTT

Florida-breds Sabatini and Mystic Lake are in $125,000 Star Shoot going six furlongs on synthetic for Woodbine Entertainment's opening day this Saturday at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario.

BY TAMMY A GANTT

Co-owner and horsewoman, Julie Davies who provided the key early training for Catalytic, has been sharing her excitement for her horse on Facebook since her arrival to Churchill Downs.

1/ST PRESS RELEASE

Grade 1 Kentucky Derby favorites Fierceness and Sierra Leone will open as the second and third choices respectively in the Preakness Future Wager when the final pool opened today.

CHURCHILL DOWNS BARN NOTES

Florida-bred Fiona's Magic is ready for her jockey to don the famed Stonehedge green and white silks for owner and Florida's Breeder of the Year Marilyn Campbell in the Kentucky Oaks following her wire-to-wire win the Grade 2 $200,000 Davona Dale at Gulfstream Park in March.

Florida Connections: 

The Iroquois Stakes winner cycled back to good form in Florida in early 2024 with a second in the Pasco Stakes and a third-place finish in the Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs before being a runner-up in the Jeff Ruby Steaks behind Endlessly. The gray galloped Thursday morning at the Thoroughbred Center in Lexington. West Saratoga trained this morning in Lexington and shipped to Churchill Downs arriving at 2 p.m. Jesus Castanon is scheduled to be aboard for a three-furlong work Saturday.

Florida Connection: 

Owned by L and N Racing, Clark Brewster, Jerry Caroom, and Breeze Easy, the horse has connections from Oklahoma to Virginia to Florida. The managing director of Breeze Easy is Mike Hall who on a visit to Ocala, fell in love with the area and decided to buy a farm. After forming associations with many people in Ocala’s thoroughbred industry, he started attending the OBS sales, and bought his first Thoroughbred in 2016. His involvement in team roping led him to becoming the co-owner of Classic Rope Company, and later Equibrand and now he plays a vital role as a supplier to the equine industry. Hall also stands a stallion Curlin’s Honor in Florida at Pleasant Acres Stallions.

Standouts to carry the Breeze Easy colors have been multiple graded stakes winning sprint star, Imprimis; Late Night Pow Wow, a West Virginia-bred, who captured the Grade 3 Barbara Fritchie S. and was G1-placed; G3 Marine scorer Easy Time; multiple stakes winner and GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf third Outadore; and other stakes winners Curlin’s Honor (owned in partnership with John Oxley), Devine Mischief, Curlin’s Catch and Karak. Most recently, Boppy O (owned in partnership with John Oxley) captured the 2022 G3 With Anticipation at Saratoga.

Breeze Easy scored a notable triumph in 2018 with Florida-bred Shang Shang Shang to win the G2 Norfolk at Royal Ascot. In 2019, Four Wheel Drive was undefeated in three juvenile outings, culminating in the G2 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint.



Clark Brewster owns 60 horses but has been in the press as of late as he serves on the team of trial attorneys representing Bob Baffert to reclaim Florida-bred Medina Spirit’s 2021 Derby victory.

Florida Connection: 

Based at Reid Nagle’s Oak Ridge Training Center in Morriston, Fla, David Scanlon’s operation is well represented for this year’s Derby. His Scanlon Training & Sales pinhooked Grade 3 Gotham Stakes runner-up Just a Touch and he was in charge of the early training of Derby contender Sierra Leone also.

Florida Connections: 

Those connected with the horse know he has a legitimate chance to win the whole thing. He was purchased by Barry Berkelhammer as a yearling for the Albaugh Family Racing stable. He was started and trained at AbraCadabra Farm in Ocala and sent to trainer Brad Cox. AbraCadabra Farm in Ocala had three starters in last year’s Kentucky Derby, one of them being Albaugh's Angel Of Empire that ran a credible third.

Berkelhammer’s wife Terri Pompay said, “I’m very proud of my husband for his success at purchasing quality babies and prepping and training them to the next step.” And the horses are proving that out.



Berkelhammer also prepped contender Endlessly, who was managed by Bloodstock agent Bob Feld for the owners the Amermans. He breaks and trains all the babies for the Amermans who also owned Oscar Performance the sire of Endlessly who was also started at AbraCadabra.

Trainer Brad Cox’s Derby trio of Catching Freedom, Encino and Just a Touch had their normal training sessions Thursday at 7:30 a.m., all galloping 1 ½ miles and again 5:30-6:30 a.m. this morning and are planned to work at 7:30 a.m. Saturday.

Florida Connections: 

He was managed by Bloodstock agent Bob Feld for the owners the Amermans and then shipped to AbraCadabra Farms for early schooling and prepped by Barry Berkelhammer at AbraCadabra Farms in Ocala. Berkelhammer breaks and trains all the babies for the Amermans, who also owned Oscar Performance the sire of Endlessly who was also started at AbraCadabra.