ARCADIA, Calif. – Maiden winner Special Club hardly compares to streaking stakes winners The Chosen Vron or Kings River Knight, but this week at Santa Anita their similarities are unmistakable – all figure to be strongly favored in races for California-breds.
Every thousandth of a second is crucial through the first three days of the Ruidoso Downs meeting that begins in southern New Mexico on Friday.
The Friday and Saturday programs consist of 32 time trials for the Ruidoso Futurity at 350 yards on June 8. The five runners with the fastest time from each day advance to the final. The Ruidoso Futurity is the first of three seven-figure futurities at the spring-summer meeting, culminating with the $3 million All American Futurity on Sept. 2.
On Sunday, there are 10 time trials for the Ruidoso Derby at 400 yards on June 7.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – The Josie Carroll-trained stablemates Playmea Tune and Times a Breeze will both compete with blinkers as contenders in Friday’s seventh race at Woodbine, a six-furlong maiden special with a purse of $111,300.
Unraced Playmea Tune is a Chiefswood Stables homebred. The 4-year-old got the bullet in each of his last two works, including a half-mile in 47 from the gate last Friday.
BALTIMORE – Once a coach, always a coach.
Whether it be in his days as a high school basketball coach in Wisconsin, or the long list of successful trainers he’s sent out in the world of Thoroughbred racing, D. Wayne Lukas has always gotten enjoyment out of coaching.
“And when you’re gone,
who remembers your name?
Who keeps your flame?
Who tells your story?”
– Broadway’s “Hamilton”
With every passing year, the depth of the loss of champion Arrogate, who died at age 7 after just three seasons at stud, becomes more pronounced. His first crop was led by Kentucky Oaks winner Secret Oath; his second by Belmont and Travers winner and champion Arcangelo. His third crop now includes Seize the Grey, front-running victor of last Saturday’s Preakness Stakes – and a candidate for the Belmont Stakes.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – The first Thursday program of the Woodbine meet includes a competitive maiden event that rounds out the eight-race card. Trainer Kevin Attard sends out the debuting Sinclairity in the nightcap, which is a sprint for Ontario-sired maidens and $40,000 claimers.
Owned by Canuck Racing Club, Sinclairity is named after Christine Sinclair, the retired 14-time winner of the Canada Soccer Player of the Year award.
A daughter of popular Ontario sire Souper Speedy, Sinclairity was a $26,000 purchase at the 2022 Canadian premier yearling sale.
Admiral Hopper is one of three runners chasing after a third consecutive win Thursday in the seventh race at Gulfstream Park and her versatile running style might give her the edge over Flirtini and Fortuna Belle.
The horses meet in a $25,000 starter allowance that carries an optional-claiming price of $35,000. The five-furlong race drew eight fillies and mares and will be run on Tapeta.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Forbidden Kingdom, the winner of three Grade 2 stakes, was sold for $310,000 during the Fasig-Tipton digital sale last week as a stallion prospect for 2025.
But the 5-year-old’s racing career may not be finished, trainer Richard Mandella said on Sunday. Forbidden Kingdom may have additional starts later this year after a short-term vacation at Pete Parrella’s Legacy Ranch, where the horse will be based as a stallion.
“We’ll give him a little rest and we might try him again before breeding season and see how it goes,” Mandella said.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Jockey Frankie Dettori, who was based in Southern California earlier this year, will be back at Santa Anita for the first time since late April to ride the stakes-packed May 27 Memorial Day program.
It may be one of Dettori’s few appearances in Southern California in coming months. In the second half of the summer, Dettori will be based at Saratoga, according to his agent, Ron Anderson.
Dettori is booked on three mounts at Churchill Downs on Saturday.
The globe-trotting Kabirkhan has been transferred to trainer Brad Cox and is currently stabled at Churchill Downs, with plans calling for a campaign in the U.S. this summer and fall.
Cox said the 4-year-old, most recently a well-beaten eighth in the Dubai World Cup in March after winning 10 of his first 11 starts, arrived at Churchill early last week and has had daily gallops. Cox has yet to circle an initial start for the colt.
