Noted racing surface specialist Mick Peterson was scheduled to return to Keeneland Race Course early this week to reassess the safety of the main track in the wake of four fatal equine breakdowns during the meet as the Breeders’ Cup approaches.
Breeders’ Stakes winner Danish Dynaformer did not get an ideal setup in his first try against Grade 1 company in the Northern Dancer Turf Stakes here Sept. 13, but he’ll get another chance Sunday in the Grade 1, $1 million Canadian International, said trainer Roger Attfield.
Trainer Don Von Hemel is having a bang-up meet at Remington Park, where he won the $175,000 Governor’s Cup with Smack Smack on Aug. 15 and the $75,225 Ricks Memorial with Ghost Locket on Sept. 27.
Breeders’ Cup Sprint candidate Ivan Fallunovalot is scheduled to work over the weekend at his Remington Park base, trainer Tom Howard said.
Trainer Mike Stidham said Monday he was unsure whether Her Emmynency will race again this year in the aftermath of her 19-1 upset of the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup on Saturday at Keeneland.
Sunbean, a top class Louisiana-bred who has not raced since February, is set to return to the races during the Fair Grounds meet, said trainer Ron Faucheux. Fair Grounds opens its meet Nov. 19.
Keeneland begins its second full week of racing with a stakes-less card, but a few stakes horses. The short field of six for Wednesday’s nominal feature, a $62,000 conditioned allowance for fillies and mares on the turf, includes a pair of stakes winners.
Gantry, who was a powerful addition to the Fair Grounds sprint ranks following his 2011 private purchase out of New York, has been retired, according to trainer Ron Faucheux.
As someone who grew up in the sport, Shea Stuart has a respect for the commitment it takes to operate a racing stable, and as such he waited for the right opportunity to launch his training career. That came last spring when Stuart signed on as a private trainer for Danny Keene.
What a View will have an unobstructed view of nine rivals Thursday at Santa Anita. He leaves from the outside post – 10 of 10 – in a mile turf allowance for California-breds in race 7.
