It wouldn’t take much improvement to get Tizcano to the winner’s circle following a strong comeback effort July 29, and trainer Peter Miller expects him to move forward when he heads the field in an optional claimer at five furlongs on turf Thursday at Del Mar.
Churchill Downs will spend $18 million prior to next year’s Kentucky Derby on renovations to its premium seating areas, increasing the reserved seating capacity at the track by approximately 800, the track announced on Tuesday.
Wise Dan had his final serious workout in preparation for his much-awaited return to racing, breezing five furlongs in 1:00 on Tuesday before dawn at his home base at Keeneland.
Ironicus, a tough-luck second to Grand Arch in the Grade 2 Fourstardave on Aug. 15 at Saratoga, worked a sharp half-mile in 48.86 seconds Tuesday morning over the Oklahoma training track in preparation for a start in Monday’s Grade 2, $250,000 Bernard Baruch Handicap.
The two lads with Triple Crown aspirations—Pinkman and Dealt a Winner—are going to have to work for their respective second jewels Saturday night, with Yonkers Raceway hosting both the half-million dollar Yonkers Trot and the equally-pursed Messenger Stakes.
Honor Code, the Metropolitan Handicap and Whitney Stakes winner, will “most likely” make his next start in the Grade 2, $400,000 Kelso Handicap, a one-mile race at Belmont Park on Oct. 3, trainer Shug McGaughey said Tuesday.
Nik Juarez, the fourth-leading rider at the Monmouth Park meeting with 36 wins, finished his apprenticeship on Aug. 26, but didn’t miss a beat, going 4 for 18 over the weekend.
Jockey Carol Cedeno resumed riding Tuesday after getting thrown from her mount following the finish of the ninth race at Delaware Park on Aug. 26.
Social Inclusion made an impressive return to the races at Parx last Saturday for his new trainer, Juan Carlos Guerrero, winning a second-level optional-claiming race by 11 3/4 lengths.
For a very long time, trainer Jeremiah Englehart couldn’t win a race at Saratoga. Now, Englehart seems to hardly ever lose at Saratoga.
