ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Florida shipper Mystic Lake should be prominent in Woodbine’s opening-day feature Saturday, the $125,000 Star Shoot Stakes for 3-year-old fillies.
Based at Palm Meadows with trainer Saffie Joseph Jr., Mystic Lake graduated over the six-furlong distance of the Star Shoot last September in her first of three 2-year-old outings at Woodbine. She subsequently ran second in the Glorious Song Stakes and third in the Grade 3 Mazarine going 1 1/16 miles.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Woodbine launches its 2024 season Saturday with a slightly shorter meet that includes some noteworthy changes to its lucrative stakes schedule.
The meet is scheduled for 129 days, four less than previously, while going until Dec. 15. Racing will be conducted on weekends until May 10, when Fridays are added. Thursday cards begin May 23 with a post time of 4:50 p.m. Eastern. The post time for Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays is 1:10 p.m. The lone Monday program is Labor Day, Sept. 2.
When looking beyond the obvious two horses – Fierceness and Sierra Leone – as potential winners of the Kentucky Derby, the Japanese-based Forever Young is top of mind among a lot of handicappers.
This colt’s undefeated record (5 for 5) and the ever-growing success of Japanese horses on the international stage could combine to make Forever Young the third betting choice in Derby 150 run on May 4 at Churchill Downs.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Oaklawn leading jockey Cristian Torres will be riding at Churchill next Friday and Saturday, but will be back home for the closing day card in Arkansas on May 5, according to agent Cody Autrey.
Torres had three stakes mounts on the Kentucky Derby undercard as of Wednesday. Autrey said he’s scheduled to ride in the Grade 1 Churchill Downs, the Grade 2 Pat Day Mile, and the Grade 2 American Turf.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Winnable, who captured the $200,000 Valley of the Vapors on Saturday at Oaklawn, has been retired, trainer Kenny McPeek said Tuesday.
Winnable was injured in the race, he said. She is expected to begin a new career as a broodmare. McPeek said those plans are to be determined by her breeder and owner, Stoneleigh Farm. Winnable is a 3-year-old by Justify.
Neom Beach, who was second by a head in the Valley of the Vapors in her third stakes placing of the Oaklawn meet, could see action on turf down the line, according to trainer Steve Asmussen.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Owners Kirk and Judy Robison and trainer Steve Asmussen are taking a wait-and-see approach with Informed Patriot and the Preakness.
The horse earned a berth into the race Saturday with his win in the $200,000 Bath House Row Stakes at Oaklawn. Informed Patriot was a head winner over stablemate Imperial Gun. Informed Patriot, who was ridden by Ricardo Santana Jr., was winning his first stakes. Plans are to be determined, Asmussen said Tuesday.
When talking about a horse getting better with age, one might want to begin the conversation with Xy Speed, who posted a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 102 on March 29 at age 8 in his 35th lifetime start.
Xy Speed, a son of First Samurai, rallied from near the rear of the field to a 1 3/4-length victory against allowance opposition in his most recent start at five furlongs on turf. The win was the 11th of his career, 10 of which have come on turf, four of those over the local course, and the last two for his current trainer, Michael Lerman.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Skippylongstocking could see action next in Kentucky or New York after putting up the year’s highest Beyer Speed Figure for an older dirt horse in last weekend’s Grade 2, $1.25 million Oaklawn Handicap.
Skippylongstocking earned a Beyer of 107. It’s second among all dirt numbers, behind the 110 earned by Fierceness in the Florida Derby. Tape to Tape has the year’s second-highest older dirt horse Beyer, a 106 earned for an allowance sprint win April 21 at Lone Star Park.
Graded stakes four-peats are a rare thing. A high-level equine performer almost always is retired to life at the farm before such an opportunity arises, and considering that most stakes for 2- and 3-year-olds are age-restricted and can’t be won twice a string of graded stakes wins likely begins at 4. That means the chance at four in a row comes as a 7-year-old. How many of those are up to the task?
