The quality and star power of Saturday’s San Antonio at Santa Anita and Donn Handicap at Gulfstream are unusually strong for the first Saturday of February. It’s a welcome early start on what could be a memorable year for racing’s older dirt males.
Handicappers are in for a real challenge trying to sort out the 12 scheduled starters in Saturday’s $100,000 Fred W. Hooper Stakes at Gulfstream Park.
Cassy Sue will be seeking her ninth consecutive win Saturday when the former $5,000 claimer moves into stakes company in the $50,000 El Diario Handicap at Sunland Park in New Mexico. She is out to extend a streak that started in April 2014.
Cigar was the last horse to post back-to-back victories in Gulfstream Park’s premier event for older horses, the Grade 1 Donn Handicap, accomplishing that feat in 1995-96. On Saturday his trainer, Hall of Famer Bill Mott, will attempt to do it again when he sends out Lea as the starting highweight and likely favorite against nine rivals in defense of his title in the $500,000 Donn.
Thoroughbreds named after people or special locations often don’t live up to the expectations of their owners. Named for a lion preserve in Mozambique, Niassa is not one of those.
Scott Lake’s suspension for two December medication violations at Laurel Park has been recalculated, and he is now facing a 120-day suspension rather than 60 days, according to Michael Hopkins, executive director of the Maryland Racing Commission.
I lean toward California Chrome in his rematch with Shared Belief in Saturday's San Antonio Stakes at Santa Anita.
I’m going with Confrontation, a surprisingly sharp second in the Hal’s Hope last time out to Lea, in the Fred Hooper Stakes at Gulfstream Park.
More than a few times, Rillito Park stared death in the face, but never so seriously as last year. Yet once again, the historic Tucson, Ariz., track got a reprieve – at least for the time being.
A familiar theme of David facing Goliath will be in play once again Saturday when Lochte returns in the 33rd running of the $300,000 Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap, the first Grade 1 race of the year in North America for older turf horses.
