ELMONT, N.Y. – A third-level allowance for female sprinters on dirt and one for female route horses on turf highlight Friday’s 10-race card at Belmont Park.
In race 3, the Grade 1 Test winner Chi Town Lady is hoping to use a seven-furlong third-level allowance to get her ready for the upcoming Saratoga meet where the Grade 1 Ballerina on Aug. 26 is a likely goal. This allowance was brought back from the June 7 card that was canceled due to poor air quality.
The five-stop Northern California fair circuit begins Friday with a four-week meeting at the Alameda County Fair in Pleasanton, highlighted by a newly created $150,000 stakes for older horses.
The Pleasanton meeting runs through July 9 and is followed by race meetings at Cal-Expo in Sacramento later in July, the Sonoma County Fair at Santa Rosa in early August, the Humboldt County Fair in Ferndale in the far north in late August, and the Big Fresno Fair in October.
ARCADIA, Calif. – The long Santa Anita season ends Sunday, but not before two prominent sprinters begin 2023 campaigns Friday in successive allowance races on separate surfaces.
American Theorem, a Grade 1 winner on dirt and top sprinter in California last summer, returns in race 4. Turn On The Jets, a stakes winner on turf last fall, returns in race 3. Both horses are using the allowance races at Santa Anita to prepare for summer stakes at Del Mar. Buyer beware.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Figuring out who will set the pace may go a long way to figuring out who will win Friday’s $52,000 allowance feature at Gulfstream Park. The race will be decided by fillies and mares going a mile and 70 yards on the Tapeta track.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Friday’s seventh race at Woodbine is a pivotal one for ardent pick four players because it’s the anchor leg of the first pick four and the second leg of the second one on the nine-race card.
A field of 14, including two also eligibles, was drawn for the maiden race that combines Ontario-sired runners with $40,000 claimers. The fillies trying the turf for the first time could dominate the 6 1/2-furlong sprint in lane 4 on the main course.
Crooked Finger Ray will make his his first start of 2023 in Friday’s co-feature at Emerald Downs. The Tom Wenzel trainee won four of six starts during the 2022 Emerald season and will make his first start since August in an $8,000 claiming race.
Crooked Finger Ray will use a waiver claiming option and won’t race for the $8,000 claiming tag because he has not raced for 120 days and is running at the same claiming level as his last start.
ELMONT, N.Y. – It could be a fun summer in the 3-year-old division.
With three different winners of the Triple Crown races, seven different winners of Grade 1 stakes, and several other talented runners in the division, Grade 1 summer races such as the Haskell at Monmouth Park on July 22 and the Travers at Saratoga on Aug. 26 should be pivotal in defining a division leader.
Todd Pletcher, the New York-based Hall of Fame trainer, has been suspended 14 days by the New York State Gaming Commission for an overage of the regulated anti-inflammatory drug phenylbutazone, the second suspension of the trainer handed down by New York regulators in the past month.
ELMONT, N.Y. – In the coming months, Javier Castellano may have a difficult decision to make, whom to ride between Kentucky Derby winner Mage and Belmont Stakes winner Arcangelo, should they show up in the same race such as the Travers Stakes on Aug. 26 at Saratoga.
Two summers ago, a struggling Castellano had an even more difficult decision to make – continue riding or retire.
With every passing month, the loss of champion Arrogate early in his stallion career becomes starker. It was apparent again Saturday evening, as Arcangelo won the Belmont Stakes, conferring classic sire status on Arrogate posthumously.
