Mike Dini believes Straight Arrow will ultimately prove to be better on turf than dirt. If true, that figures to portend well for next year.
Fow now, however, Dini is going to keep Straight Arrow on the dirt, where on Sunday he’ll try to stretch out to 1 1/8 miles in the $250,000 Empire Classic at Aqueduct. The Empire Classic is one of eight stakes and 10 races overall on New York-bred Showcase Day, a card dedicated to celebrate the statebred industry program.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Rarely can you say that a horse ran a huge race while finishing sixth, but Rockcrest fits the bill in Sunday’s featured ninth race at Woodbine, a conditioned allowance with an $80,000 claiming option.
Rockcrest has evolved into one of the top sprinters on the grounds. The handsome gray won both of his starts in the spring with Beyer Speed Figures in the upper 90s, including the Pink Lloyd Stakes.
Great Venezuela has put up the best Beyer Speed Figure for a 2-year-old filly at the Gulfstream Park meet and the number makes her look like a standout in the seventh race Saturday.
“She’s a nice filly,” said trainer Victor Barboza Jr.
Great Venezuela earned an 81 Beyer in her most recent start. The number is 14 to 55 points higher than each of the last-race Beyers put up by her seven rivals in the first-level allowance for fillies at 5 1/2 furlongs on Tapeta.
In 2002, Indiana was home to 113 registered Thoroughbred stallions. In 2022, that number was down to 47. During breeding season 2021, 430 registered Thoroughbred were foaled in the state, down from a peak of 739 in 2010. Fewer stallions, fewer horses, but plenty of money for Indiana horses: Average annual earnings per horse increased from about $15,000 in 2020 to nearly $25,000 in 2022, and the four heavily restricted stakes races Saturday at Horseshoe Indianapolis demonstrate why.
LEXINGTON, Ky. – With only a handful of 3-year-old restricted graded stakes remaining this season, Keeneland provides an opportunity for the division on Saturday, and several promising sophomores are taking advantage.
With a scratch expected, a field of nine should go in Saturday’s Grade 3, $300,000 Bryan Station Stakes at a mile on the lawn. Four are stakes winners, and the other five are stakes-placed.
It’s a good card on closing day at Keeneland, a decent one at the Belmont-at-Aqueduct meet, but a largely quiet Saturday of North American stakes racing. Just wait a week.
Fayette
Big stakes fields have been the rule at this Keeneland fall meet. As a nine-furlong dirt race for older horses, the Fayette seems like the kind of race to get eight entrants and it attracted 14.
Twirling Point gets a second chance to make a first impression on turf Saturday, when he takes on the high-profile maiden Spirit Prince in the $135,000 Awad at Aqueduct.
The race is for 2-year-olds over 1 1/16 miles. It’s one of three stakes on the card. The Awad drew a field of eight, with half of the entrants still eligible for maiden races.
Santa Anita
Weather: Hazy
Temperature: 63 degrees
Track: Fast
ARCADIA, Calif. – Senor Buscador was the first Breeders’ Cup Classic contender to don his personal gold Breeders’ Cup towel here this week. He also was the most notable of the three Breeders’ Cup hopefuls to breeze over a fast track on a somewhat quiet Thursday morning at Santa Anita.
Much has been expected from Everso Mischievous since he stepped foot on the racetrack. It looks like he’s starting to deliver on that promise.
Beaten at 3-5 on debut at Aqueduct in February, Everso Mischievous returns to the Big A riding a two-race winning streak into Saturday’s Grade 2, $300,000 Forty Niner Stakes going one mile. The Forty Niner, formerly known as the Kelso, is the local prep for the Grade 2 Cigar Mile run here on Dec. 2.
Between them, Altissimo and Mo Dont No have won five Ohio-bred horse of the year titles. But neither has scared anyone away, as their showdown in a bulky field of 13 for the $100,000 Best of Ohio Sprint shows on Saturday’s statebred showcase program at Mahoning Valley.
