The two-turn experiment over, Lord Nelson will look to remain undefeated around one turn when he heads a field of eight 3-year-old sprinters set to run seven furlongs in Saturday’s Grade 3, $300,000 Bay Shore Stakes at Aqueduct.
This time last year, California Chrome was the talk of the Coast, fresh from a bracing score in the San Felipe Stakes and creeping up the lists of Kentucky Derby contenders. His 5 1/4-length win in the Santa Anita Derby put trainer Art Sherman, Martin, and co-owner Steve Coburn on the national map as the horse to beat in Louisville.
Despite winning three graded stakes in his last four starts, El Kabeir still has his fair share of skeptics who need to see him do more before taking him seriously as a Kentucky Derby contender. In Saturday’s Wood Memorial, El Kabeir will have to prove he can get the 1 1/8-mile distance against better competition than he’s faced.
Patience will be vital for Prize Exhibit in Saturday’s $150,000 Providencia Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Santa Anita.
R Sassy Lass, beaten just a half-length in the Grade 3 Old Hat Stakes at Gulfstream Park in her last start, comes off a three-month freshening on Saturday as the choice of the Sophomore Fillies Stakes at seven furlongs as that 3-year-old filly stakes tops a trio of $75,000 main-track co-features for statebreds on Florida Cup Day.
The best betting race on Saturday’s 11-race program at Santa Anita may be the last – the $75,000 Thunder Road Stakes at a mile on turf.
Dortmund’s physical presence is imposing, as is his perfect race record. And now that he gets to stretch out to 1 1/8 miles Saturday in the Grade 1, $1 million Santa Anita Derby, his advantage could be more pronounced.
Old Time Hockey shoots for his second straight $75,000 Tampa Turf Classic win Saturday when he tops a solid field of nine slated to go postward in that 1 1/8-mile test that tops three turf stakes for statebreds on Florida Cup Day.
The Pennsylvania Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association named its year-end award winners for the 2014 season at Parx Racing on Wednesday, highlighted by Horse of the Year Favorite Tale.
An official at the New York Racing Association and two jockey agents were escorted off the Aqueduct grounds by track security officials and are being investigated by the Queens District Attorney’s office for multiple alleged violations – including possibly tampering with a sports event, according to sources.
