Fri, 11/08/2024 - 11:55

Moira possible to race in Australia for 2025 season

Julie Wright
Bought by Australia interests, Moira, the winner of the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf, may race in Australia in 2025.

Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf winner Moira, who sold for $4.3 million to rank among the top prices of the Fasig-Tipton November sale, could continue racing before beginning her broodmare career in Australia.

Moira was purchased via an online bid using the moniker “Bayles.” That has been revealed to be the Australia-based Yulong Investments. The breeding season in Australia, in the Southern Hemisphere, runs from September through December, meaning the window to ship Moira and get her in foal this season is rapidly closing.

Fri, 11/08/2024 - 11:55

Flightline's weanlings drawing interest from all over

Barbara D. Livingston
A 2.5 percent interest in Flightline was sold for $2.5 million at the inaugural Keeneland Championship sale at the Breeders’ Cup.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Jane Lyon, who bred and raised unbeaten 2022 Horse of the Year Flightline at her Summer Wind Farm, continued on as part of his racing partnership and now has welcomed several foals by the champion. She takes incredible pride in her horse’s accomplishments.

“It is more than pride,” she tried to explain. “It’s like your child graduates cum laude. He is such a dream come true for me. . . . I want to support him. Every time I go see him I get chills. I want so much for him to reproduce just a fraction of his ability.”

Fri, 11/08/2024 - 11:15

Arrossa brings strong quartet to Los Alamitos Super Derby

As a group, Ab Seis Corazones, Bp Cartel Policy, Lets Leave, and Stanley Cartel provide trainer Monty Arrossa with an intimidating team in Sunday’s $763,000 Los Alamitos Super Derby at 400 yards.

Selecting one among the group to win the track’s richest race for 3-year-olds is not an easy chore.

“I have a strong contingent of horses,” Arrossa said in late October.

Fri, 11/08/2024 - 11:05

Plenty of options in deep Tapeta sprint

Julie Wright
Gilt Edge could have plenty of speed to chase in Sunday's featured race at Woodbine.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – One could go several different ways in Sunday’s featured conditioned allowance with a $50,000 claiming option at Woodbine.

Horses coming out of the talented Playmea Tune’s recent win in a similar spot should be competitive in the six-furlong Tapeta sprint. Souped Up, third by a length to Playmea Tune, should be dangerous as the possible favorite with his tactical speed. Trained by Ron Sadler, the 4-year-old has won 2 of 6 outings at the meet while earning Beyer Speed Figures mostly in the upper 80s.

Thu, 11/07/2024 - 14:50

Battle Cry back at two turns in Thirty Eight Go Go

Ryan Thompson/Coglianese Photos
Battle Cry (left) is 5 for 10 going two turns coming into the Thirty Eight Go Go.

Battle Cry will be moving back to two turns for the $100,000 Thirty Eight Go Go on Saturday at Laurel Park one start after facing eventual Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint winner Soul of an Angel.

The Thirty Eight Go Go is one of three stakes on Laurel’s card. It features fillies and mares over 1 1/16 miles. The $100,000 James F. Lewis III and $100,000 Smart Halo both are for 2-year-olds.

Battle Cry, who is based at Gulfstream Park, was supplemented to the Thirty Eight Go Go. She also was entered in a Friday night stakes at Delta Downs in Louisiana.

Thu, 11/07/2024 - 14:15

Integration looks to get back to winning ways in Red Smith

Barbara D. Livingston
Integration will try to end his 4-year-old campaign with a win in the Grade 2 Red Smith Stakes.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Though he’s developed a reputation of a Colonial Downs turf course specialist, Integration ran arguably the best race of his career last fall at Aqueduct winning the Grade 2 Hill Prince, equaling a course record for 1 1/8 miles in the process.

While Integration’s 4-year-old season has been a tad disappointing, he returns to Aqueduct where he has a chance to end it on a strong note in Saturday’s Grade 2, $300,000 Red Smith Stakes at 1 3/8 miles.

Thu, 11/07/2024 - 13:30

Outlaw Kid brings record into Aqueduct Turf Sprint Championship

Michael Burns
The last time Outlaw Kid ran in a six-furlong turf race at Aqueduct he set a course record of 1:06.73 for six furlongs.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – The last time Outlaw Kid ran six furlongs over Aqueduct’s turf course, he set a course record of 1:06.73 in winning an allowance race by a neck over Big Invasion.

The next time Outlaw Kid runs six furlongs over Aqueduct’s outer turf course will be in Saturday’s $150,000 Aqueduct Turf Sprint Championship. A repeat of his July effort, or something close, should make him a major player in this full field.

Thu, 11/07/2024 - 13:30

Deterministic tries to end season on a high note in Hill Prince

Barbara D. Livingston
Now performing well over the turf, Deterministic headlines Saturday's Hill Prince at Aqueduct.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Deterministic began his season at Aqueduct winning the Grade 3 Gotham Stakes, a one-mile dirt race that briefly put the 3-year-old on the Triple Crown trail. Deterministic will end his 3-year-old campaign in Saturday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Hill Prince, a 1 1/8-mile turf race that his connections hope sets Deterministic up for a big 2025 turf campaign.

Thu, 11/07/2024 - 13:25

Mr Skylight looks for better break in Awesome Banner Handicap

Coady Media
Mr Skylight, weighted at 121 pounds, returns to Gulfstream Saturday for the Awesome Banner Handicap.

Mr Skylight returns to Gulfstream Park on Saturday for the first time since his maiden win to start as one of the highweights in the $75,000 Awesome Banner, an overnight handicap for 3-year-olds at seven furlongs.

Mr Skylight, who is weighted at 121 pounds, is part of a field of nine that includes recent allowance winners Big Effect – who is highweighted at 122 pounds – and Holiday Pay, weighted at 121.

Thu, 11/07/2024 - 13:25

Weekend GamePlan: Picks for Maple Leaf, Bessarabian, Aqueduct Turf Sprint Championship

Caitlinhergrtness wins King's Plate at WO Aug 23 2024
Michael Burns
Despite starting from post 13, Caitlinhergrtness has the speed to gain good position in the run to the first turn of the 1 1/4-mile Maple Leaf Stakes.

Weekend GamePlan returns from an extended vacation and runs smack into massive stakes fields at Woodbine. The best racing this Saturday comes north of the border, though Aqueduct’s three grass stakes hold appeal. Laurel hosts three dirt stakes, but we’ll stick with Tapeta and turf.

Maple Leaf

Hard to imagine Caitlinhergrtness could go off at odds as high as 5-1, but here’s hoping. The morning-line lists Fashionably Fab as the 3-1 favorite, Queen’s Regent the 4-1 second choice, and it’s not easy wrapping one’s brain around either one of those prices.