Banishing, with three wins and four seconds from eight starts, has earned $984,730 this year for owners David Jacobson and Lawrence Roman. He’s well over $1 million in earnings since Roman paid $80,000 for him last summer at a horses of racing age auction. At the time, Banishing was struggling mightily to clear his second allowance condition for his breeder, Godolphin, and in less than a year the gelding has made 13 starts. Perhaps he has slowed a touch in his last few, but only a touch.

“If you didn’t go to the wedding, don’t go to the funeral” remains an enduring racetrack proverb. For the Ellis Park Derby, “if you didn’t go to the wedding, you’re still invited to the renewing of vows” might prove more appropriate.

Five weeks ago, Big Boat won a first-level allowance race by six lengths at an extremely overlaid 17-1. Too bad if you missed that, but at 10-1 on the morning line for the Ellis Park Derby, there’s still time to join the Big Boat party.

The margin was somewhat misleading.

When Himika won her first start in a maiden race at five furlongs on June 12 at Santa Anita, she finished six lengths clear. It could have been much, much more.

“We sort of expected her to run the way she did,” trainer Bob Baffert reflected Thursday.

The performance makes Himika the favorite in Sunday’s Grade 3 Sorrento Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at six furlongs at Del Mar, the division’s first graded stakes of the year in California.

After three instructive starts in trainer Bobby Dibona’s barn, Relampago Verde will finally return to the turf in a $58,000 allowance on Sunday at Gulfstream Park. The 5-year-old gelding won two races on the surface in Kentucky for Kenny McPeek last year, and Dibona said that he expects him to relish the grass in Florida.

“Looking forward to getting him on the grass,” Dibona said. “He looks like he’s going in the right direction now that I’ve had him a little bit.”

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – If there was an award for the most improved horse at Woodbine this year, Hanlan would be in the running. The late-blooming 4-year-old should be favored against first-level allowance company in Sunday’s six-furlong feature on the Tapeta.

By Anna Jeffs

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Still an apprentice, Pietro Moran is not letting success go to his head.

“I still look at everything the same way, trying to grow and win every race and do the best you can with every horse,” Moran said.

Woodbine’s leading jockey with 61 wins through Thursday, Pietro Moran is preparing for his second attempt at the $1 million King’s Plate, Canada’s premier race on Aug. 16.

Kevin Attard, one of Woodbine’s top trainers, has provided the 20-year-old Moran with plenty of opportunities to showcase his skills.

Multiple stakes winner Surly Furious has earned more than $600,000 while racing at 10 tracks in six states, plus Canada. But the 7-year-old gelding has always felt at home at Presque Isle Downs, where he began his career – and where now returns to race for the first time since September 2023 in Monday’s $100,000 Avery Whisman Memorial.

Comport goes for a nice payday on Sunday as he runs in the $200,000 Ellis Park Juvenile, one of two stakes for 2-year-olds on the card, along with the $200,000 Ellis Park Debutante for fillies.

Comport pressed the pace, dueled, and kicked clear for a 2 1/4-length win in his debut on June 1 at Churchill Downs. He then finished second by 3 3/4 lengths in the Bashford Manor behind Romeo, who proceeded to sell for $1.7 million at the Fasig-Tipton horses of racing age sale. In the Bashford Manor, Comport pressed the winner and finished seven lengths clear of the third horse.

When reached by phone at her stable Thursday morning, Emerald Downs trainer Kay Cooper was quick to complain about a recent bout with “seconditis.”

Indeed, wins haven’t been easy to come by for Cooper, who had a 34-4-9-0 record at the meet as of first post Friday. But in Sunday’s race 5, a $23,000 maiden special weight for fillies and mares 3 years old and up that will be contested at six furlongs, Cooper has Emerald’s top rider, Kevin Krigger, aboard one of her horses for the first time this year and a very real chance to saunter into the winner’s circle.