3/27 - Morning with Two Seven O/Day at the Races
Morning Works
Moe Eighty Eight - trained by John Ortiz
Two Seven O prepping for race tomorrow
McKinzie's Glory - trained by Sarah Shaffer. I last photographed this horse during the summer when she was then trained by Kenny McPeek
Robby Albarado aboard his Kenny McPeek trainee.
First Rodeo Racing CEO Matt Scull with Two Seven O. After I returned from my first trip to Gulfstream Park, I was hired by FRR as a content creator and photographer. I've joined the stable and their friends to watch the Arkansas Derby and our very own Two Seven O race on the undercard.
Two Seven O - trained by David Fawkes
TSO is surely noticing the camera; he will pick up on the idea that he's a big deal. A lot of horses know when they are getting their picture taken, and along with a decent presence of people, they will know that their next race is important, and will want to perform better.
McKinzies Glory surely isn't camera shy either. While I was taking photos of TSO, she looked at me, hoping that I would come over to take pictures of her as well. I couldn't resist because she was giving me the most adorable look. As soon as the camera started snapping, she started posing.
She's probably looking for airplanes
This girl knows how to strike a pose.
Erik Asmussen aboard one of his fathers, Steve, trainees
Jockey Joseph Bealmear aboard Warrior Sophie for David Fawkes
Keith Asmussen aboard for his father
Wayne Potts Trainee
Kenny McPeek Trainee
Dallas Stewart Trainee
Jockey Kelsi Harr
Brad Cox Trainee
Banksy's - trained by David Fawkes
Echo Again - trained by Norm Casse. He will run in the American Phoroah Stakes on Saturday
Sarah Shaffer Trainees
Rodolphe Brisset Trainees
Joseph Bealmear and Stephens Dream for trainer Sarah Shaffer. She will make her debut next Thursday.
Rob Atras Trainee
Wayne Potts Trainee
Luke Hoskins aboard for John Ortiz
John Ortiz Trainee
Steve Asmussen Trainee
Untamed Moment - trained by David Fawkes
Brian Mills and Two Seven O
Two Seven O has a quick graze
Races
She Called and Francisco Arrieta
After the victory, I got to be in the winners' circle with the FRR team and those who work around She Called. David Fawkes, who trained the winning mare, also trains Two Seven O. This was my first time being in the winners' circle as a connection for a horse, rather than being a photographer taking the winning photo.
Miracle Mark, Barb, and Title Contender (right to left)
Miracle Mark and Ramon Vazquez
Chad Allan and Ronnie Huckaby
Race 3
Barb and Flavien Prat
Face Value and Francisco Arrieta
Race 4
Inca Empire and Joseph Bealmear on the rail
Higginsville
French Knight and Emmanuel Esquivel
Race 6
Higginsville and Jane Elliott
Ramon Vazquez {Keene Thoroughbreds LLC}
Jane Elliott {JD Throughbreds LLC}
Quality Chic and Keith Asmussen
Papa You and Erik Asmussen
Shepherd and Emmanuel Esquivel
Race 7
Shepherd
Top Gun Tommy and Cristian Torres
Race 8
Lundberg and Francisco Arrieta
Chiringo
Francisco Arrieta rings the winner's circle bell. Each time this bell is rung, $1,000 is raised for Thoroughbred aftercare in the state of Arkansas.
Zeitlos and Irad Ortiz Jr
Haulin Ice and Francisco Arrieta take the Matron Stakes for trainer Saffie Jospeh Jr
Haulin Ice is the all-time highest earning Arkansas-bred, and is also the reigning Arkanas-bred horse of the year.
War Munny and Joseph Bealmear
Flyin Private and Ramon Vazquez
Matt's Luck and David Cohen
Forty Love and Amir Mendoza
Taken by the Wind and Emmanuel Esquivel
The Grade 2 Fantasy Stakes
Counting Stars and Francisco Arrieta
Counting Stars takes the Grade 2 Fantasy Stakes for trainer Mark Casse, cememting her spot in this years Kentucky Oaks
Counting Stars
Fantasy Stakes winning connections
Arrieta completed a grand slam on Friday's card, which included both of the stakes races that afternoon. {West Point Thoroughbreds LLC}
Polska Sue
Lady Belle and Erik Asmussen win the nightcap
3/28 - Arkansas Derby Day
One Way or Another leads from Talkin in Cursive
One Way or Another and Francisco Arrieta
{Kennedy}
Perfectly Harvey and Ramon Vazquez
Walter De La Cruz {Nielsen}
Mr Fahrenheit and Rafael Bejarano
Bernardi had some other plans this afternoon! After stumbling out of the gate and losing his jockey, the bay gelding ran the entire race on his own. He passed all the others and crossed the wire first, but since his jockey fell off, he was technically no longer a contender in the race, and all bets that involved him were refunded. Despite this, he showed lots of heart and put on a show for the fans! Not only that, Bernardi broke a major myth that these racehorses are forced to run, but the gelding by Tekton, and of course, many other racehorses love to run and love their job.
Denali Lightning. He pulled off quite an upset, but he isn't going to be the only one....
The Jocks
Denali Lightning and Alexander Castillo in the winners' circle.
Kelsi Harr {Cline}
Bolivia and Israel Hernandez
Runaway Roxy and Abel Cedillo
Luis Saez {R. A. Hill Stable}
Vekoma's Diva and Luis Saez
A record 73,000 fans showed up at Oaklawn Park on Arkansas Derby day.
Parchment Party and Luis Saez
The Temperence Hil Stakes
Parchment Party battles with Jokestar
Parchment Party takes the Temperence Hill Stakes over Jokestar.
{Pin Oak Stud}
Parchment Party: your race winner
It's game time. Two Seven O is in the paddock for his big race.
Team First Rodeo Racing has taken its spot on the steps! CEO Matt Scull is seen in the backwards hat and sunglasses, and co-owner Brian Mills is to his left. Friends of the team, including Tanner Reisman (in the cowboy hat) of the Next-Gen Throughbred Podcast, have joined the guys.
Rooster J and Erik Asmussen
This is it! I've given him a pep talk, and the entire team, and many fans, of course, are rooting for him. Weeks, even months, of preparation that a team puts into a horse all lead up to 2 minutes. It's 270's time to shine.
Special Ops and Ramon Vazquez
Noble Affair and Irad Ortiz Jr
Our boy did it!! Two Seven O got the victory over Noble Affair and a late-charging Special Ops.
The silks of First Rodeo Racing
We are so proud of our boy for giving his all. When you put so much love, care, and effort into these horses, they return it. At First Rodeo Racing, we chase firsts. We stood in the winners' circle on the Arkansas Derby undercard. That's a first. Cheers to many more!
Dawn at Normandy leads from Biloba
Irad Ortiz Jr and Ramon Vazquez
Dawn at Normandy
Run Classic and Rafael Bejarano
Perfect Force and Keith Asmussen
Osbourne and Ramon Vazquez
Hola Joey and Tyler bacon
Risk It and Keith Asmussen
Race 8
Dancin for Gold and Cristian Torres
Echo Again and Cristian Torres
Timeout and Francisco Arrieta
Classic Car Wash and Irad Ortiz Jr
Winnemac Avenue and Luis Saez
Publisher and Erik Asmussen win the American Pharoah Stakes. The bay colt is in fact a son of American Pharoah, who won the Triple Crown in 2015.
Publisher had a very slow start to his career. Though starting as a two-year-old, the colt didn't get that elusive win until Feb 15th of this year! He competed in a number of graded stakes races, including the Kentucky Derby, despite being winless. His trainer, Steve Asmussen, decided to take a step back with him and brought him to Oaklawn, and he has finally found his winning form!
Erik Asmussen {Estate of Brereton C. Jones}
Moe Eighty Eight and Ricardo Santana Jr
Render Judgment and Emmanuel Esquivel. Like Publisher, he competed in graded stakes races, including the Kentucky Derby.
Dr. Storm and Cristian Torres
Dual Monarchy and Kelsi Harr
B. Sudd and Abel Cedillo.
Couperin and Luis Saez
Race 10
What a race and what a photo!! B. Sudd fends off Dr. Storm and Render Judgment to pull off the win at 80-1!
2024 Breeders Cup Dirt Mile winner, Full Serrano
East Avenue and Cristian Torres
Bedeviled and Keith Asmussen
Race 12
Fleek and Rafael Bejarano
Denali Lightning leads from Mr Fahrenheit and Gimme a Chance to pull off the upset at 39-1
Blackout Time and Brian Hernandez Jr
Silent Tactic and Cristian Torres
Litmus Test and Francisco Arrieta
And they're off
The Arkansas Derby
Renegade and Irad Ortiz Jr win the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby.
race winners
Own My Destiny and Luis Quinonez
Wolf Tooth and Erik Asmussen
Seventies Music and Rafael Bejarano win the nightcap