OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Hot Fudge gave trainer Linda Rice her 2,400th career win when she captured Saturday’s Garland of Roses Stakes. It also was Rice’s 157th win on the New York Racing Association circuit this year, moving her within seven of David Jacobson’s single-year record of 164.
Hot Fudge ran in the Garland of Roses eight days after she won an allowance race at Aqueduct in her first start off a near six-month layoff.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – White Chocolate is likely headed back to stakes company after a decisive 3 1/2-length victory in a first-level allowance race run at Aqueduct on Sunday.
One of three winners ridden on Sunday’s card by Romero Maragh, White Chocolate broke running from her outside draw, set some solid early fractions, and galloped home a decisive winner. She ran six furlongs in 1:10.58 and earned an 86 Beyer Speed Figure. That number equaled her career best, also earned over a sloppy track.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – P Mutter Pickle, an eye-catching debut winner of a New York-bred maiden race for 2-year-old fillies on Nov. 19, will face winners for the first time in a first-level allowance race Thursday at Aqueduct.
A daughter of Vino Rosso trained by Phil Antonacci for Stuart Grant’s The Elkstone Group, P Mutter Pickle galloped to an 8 1/4-length victory while being geared down late by Irad Ortiz Jr. She ran 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:18.33 and earned a 66 Beyer Speed Figure.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Not that she necessarily needs them, but trainer Linda Rice appears to have some reinforcements on the way for the winter.
Downtown Mischief, a two-time female sprint stakes winner earlier this year for Rice, makes her return to the races off a 159-day layoff in a second-level/optional $62,500 claiming race going seven furlongs that serves as the feature Thursday at Aqueduct.
In what is likely to be the case on weekdays moving forward, only eight races were carded for Thursday, meaning first post will be 12:50 p.m.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – A couple of up-and-coming juveniles, Noted and Ozara, won stakes here Saturday with Irad Ortiz Jr. guiding both to their popular, narrow, and hard-fought victories on the turf in the Pulpit and Wait a While, respectively.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Questions abound regarding Port Renfrew in Thursday’s seventh race for fillies and mares at Woodbine, a 6 1/2-furlong maiden sprint combining Ontario-sired runners with $40,000 claimers.
How ready is she off a long layoff in just her second career start? Is the drop from maiden special company a dicey one? Will Lasix move her up?
Jockey Cindy Murphy, who established herself as one of the most successful female riders in racing, has retired. She will continue to work horses for the racing stable operation that she shares with her husband, trainer Travis Murphy.
“People are still going to see me out there in the mornings,” Murphy, 61, said Thursday. “I’ll still help gallop and work horses.”
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Although the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational is still nearly two months down the road, it’s not too early for the connections of potential starters to be looking ahead and mapping out their plans for the big event. That is the case with Octane, who will use the Grade 3 Harlan’s Holiday here on Dec. 30 as a stepping-stone to the Pegasus four weeks later.
Jockeys Keith James Asmussen and Erik Asmussen were both named on horses Saturday at Oaklawn – and they’re not the first members of their family to ride on the same card.
Back in the 1980s, their father, Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen, and their uncle, France’s five-time champion jockey Cash Asmussen, had mounts in the same race at Aqueduct.
