Horse Racing News on May 6, 2011

Going into the first turn of Friday's $237,400 American Turf Stakes at Churchill Downs, Banned was only in front of three of the 11 rivals he was facing in the Grade 2 event. His jockey, Garrett Gomez, was a little concerned.

Plum Pretty took charge at the top of the stretch and then held off a late bid from St. John's River to win the $1 million Kentucky Oaks on Friday at Churchill Downs.

First Dude won the Grade 3, $300,000 Alysheba Stakes by the slimmest of noses over Regal Ransom at Churchill Downs May 6.

Taking advantage of a fast and contested pace, Victoria's Wildcat rallied from well back on the outside through the stretch to post a going-away victory in the $100,000 Eight Belles Stakes.

Favored Blind Luck overcame a bad stumble at the start to collar Unrivaled Belle in the final strides for a half-length victory in the $333,900, Grade 2 La Troienne May 6, the first of five graded stakes on Kentucky Oaks Day at Churchill Downs.

Without a mount following the scratch of Uncle Mo on Friday, Velazquez was picked up by the connections of Amimal Kingdom later in the morning, according to Barry Irwin, the president of the Team Valor Syndicate that owns Animal Kingdom.

Uncle Mo will not run in Saturday's Kentucky Derby.