Listing comes back in Champagne Stakes

ARCADIA, Calif. – Listing won his first start in the I’m Smokin Stakes for 2-year-old California-breds at Del Mar on Aug. 31, and he makes his second start in Saturday’s Grade 1 Champagne Stakes at Belmont Park, trainer Ben Cecil said over the weekend.

Owned by Paul and Zillah Reddam, Listing will be ridden by Mario Gutierrez.

“It’s an ambitious spot,” Cecil said.

By Square Eddie, Listing closed from fourth in a field of eight to win the I’m Smokin Stakes at six furlongs by 1 1/4 lengths at 22-1. The $500,000 Champagne Stakes is run at a mile around one turn.

Van Dyke to appeal suspension

Jockey Drayden Van Dyke, who led the standings at the Del Mar summer meeting, plans to appeal a three-day suspension for causing interference in the eighth race Friday at Santa Anita, according to his agent, Brad Pegram.

Van Dyke, 24, was cited for his ride on Captivate, who was disqualified from first and placed second for failing to maintain a straight course in the stretch. The suspension was scheduled to run from Saturday through Monday.

Jockey Ruben Fuentes has been suspended for the same three-day period for causing interference in the stretch of the first race last Friday. Fuentes rode Gray Admiral, who was disqualified from first to fourth.

Fuentes, 21, finished fifth in the jockey standings at the Los Angeles County Fair meeting at Los Alamitos last month with six wins.

Apprentice jockey Heriberto Figueroa has dropped his appeal of a three-day suspension issued at Del Mar, according to a ruling released by Santa Anita stewards. The amended dates of suspension are Sunday, Monday, and Oct. 12. Figueroa, 18, was the leading rider at the Los Angeles County Fair meeting.

Two trainers fined

Trainers Bobby Wayne Grayson Sr., and Val Brinkerhoff have been fined $1,000 each for their involvement in the claim of Arch Prince after the fifth race at Del Mar on July 26.

Brinkerhoff started Arch Prince, who won a $20,000 claimer. Arch Prince was claimed by Grayson, but was returned to Brinkherhoff’s stable immediately after the race. Grayson and Brinkerhoff were cited for a California Horse Racing Board rule that states “no horse claimed out of a claiming race shall remain in the same stable under the management of its former owner or trainer.”

Brinkerhoff said on July 27 that the horse returned to his stable only on a temporary basis because Grayson was unable to attend the race and complete the claim because of illness.

Arch Prince finished third in a $32,000 claimer at Los Alamitos on Sept. 23 with Grayson as trainer. Arch Prince was claimed by Brian Koriner that day.