Javier Castellano quietly broke his own single-season record for earnings by a North American jockey with a second-place finish in the New York Stallion Series Stakes at Aqueduct on Sunday, according to figures from Equibase.
Jose Ortiz began a five-day suspension Sunday stemming from the controversial disqualification of Magna Light in the Grade 3 Sanford at Saratoga on July 25. Ortiz will resume riding this Sunday.
A California-bred allowance turf sprint and two maiden route races top the Thursday card at Del Mar as Week 4 of the five-week Bing Crosby season begins.
Trainer Catherine Day Phillips came close to recording her second stakes win of the meet Saturday, when Neshama was nosed out by Trini Brewnette in the $125,400 South Ocean Stakes, but she’ll have at least one more stakes starter before the end of the season, as Aye Aye Captain is on track for the $125,000 Kingarvie Stakes on Nov. 29.
David Jacobson holds a strong hand in the optional-claiming feature at Aqueduct on Wednesday as he will send out two runners, one of whom is likely to go for the lead and another who is likely to come from off the pace.
Trainer Kevin Attard claimed Calgary Cat for owners Stephen Chesney and Cory Hoffman in November 2013 and saw him become a graded stakes winner and Canadian champion male sprinter the following season. Attard will have the chance to turn another former claimer into a graded stakes winner with Melmich this season, should he win the Grade 3, $150,000 Valedictory Stakes at 1 3/4 miles in his next start on Nov. 29.
Horses to watch from Woodbine Harness.
Matt Rose's analysis of the Tuesday Afternoon 11/17 card at Yonkers Raceway.
More than four years since he won the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Churchill, Regally Ready once again showed his fondness for the local course when the 8-year-old gelding dominated the Sunday feature.
The Nov. 26 Falls City and a Nov. 28 Stars of Tomorrow card sandwich the Nov. 27 Clark Handicap, a Grade 1 race that is shaping up with an excellent field.
