Jockey Flavien Prat has been booked to ride Country Grammer in the Grade 1 Hollywood Gold Cup on May 29 at Santa Anita, the first time he has ridden the multiple stakes winner in the United States since a victory in the same race in 2021.
Prat rode Country Grammer to a second-place finish in the $20 million Saudi Cup in Saudi Arabia in February 2022. Country Grammer has since been ridden by Frankie Dettori, John Velazquez, and Juan Hernandez.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Last seen 530 days ago finishing second to stablemate Americanrevolution in the Grade 1 Cigar Mile at Aqueduct, Following Sea returns to the races in a third-level allowance/optional $80,000 claiming race going seven furlongs that serves as the feature on Thursday’s Belmont Park card.
Following Sea ran in the Cigar on Dec. 4, 2021, after winning the Grade 2 Vosburgh at Belmont and running a troubled third in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Del Mar.
On the day Kentucky Derby winner Mage was confirmed as a starter for the Preakness so too was potentially one of his sternest challengers in National Treasure.
After working Friday morning at Santa Anita, National Treasure was declared a "go" by Bob Baffert, the seven-time Preakness-winning trainer who returns to the Triple Crown stage for the first time in two years.
Officially, National Treasure was credited with a half-mile in 47.40 seconds, though Baffert said it was a five-furlong drill from the half-mile pole. Baffert said he had 59.60 on his watch.
Leader of the Band needed four starts to hit a peak during her 2022 campaign. Her trainer, John Servis, doesn’t think it will take as long in 2023.
“She’s ready to rock and roll,” Servis said.
If that assessment holds and Leader of the Band comes back from a 22-week break in rhythm, she’ll win the $100,000 Serena’s Song Stakes on Sunday at Monmouth Park.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Leading trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. will hold the upper hand – which is so often the case around these parts during the spring-summer meet – when sending out the veteran Max K. O. and his younger stablemate Saratoga Flash as the horses to beat in Sunday’s $75,000 Mr. Steele Stakes at Gulfstream Park.
Tecumseh Caroline has amassed a three-race winning streak against California-bred fillies and mares since early December at Del Mar and Santa Anita.
Racing against statebreds was part of that success, along with a gradual increase in distances. How Tecumseh Caroline rates against open company will be determined to some extent in Sunday’s fifth race at Santa Anita, an allowance race at a mile.
“I think she’s a filly on the improve,” trainer Phil D’Amato said Friday. “We’ll see where that takes her.”
ELMONT, N.Y. – Trainer Butch Reid has lofty year-end goals for Dr B, the journey to which begins Sunday at Belmont Park in the Grade 3, $175,000 Vagrancy Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs.
Based on the way Dr B finished her 4-year-old season, Reid believes Dr B could be a viable candidate for the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint or potentially the Dirt Mile at Santa Anita this fall. Dr B ended her 4-year-old campaign with a dominant 4 1/4 length victory in the Grade 3 Go for Wand, going a mile at Aqueduct.
A trio of trainers will send tag teams of runners after the purse in Sunday’s feature at Emerald Downs, a $25,000 first-level allowance for 3-year-olds at 5 1/2 furlongs.
The field of six is comprised of runners from the barns of Vince Gibson, Frank Lucarelli, and Candi Cryderman. In a quirk of the draw, the stablemates will all start alongside each other in the gate.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Racing fit Candy Overload will meet the fast workers Ironstone and Arzak over six furlongs in Sunday’s Grade 3, $150,000 Jacques Cartier Stakes at Woodbine.
Trained by Mark Casse, Candy Overload has proven to be a lucrative private purchase by owner Gary Barber and his partners. In his first start for Casse in September, the stretch-runner hit traffic along the inside in the stretch before ending up fifth in the Grade 3 Vigil.
“He got in all kinds of trouble and probably should have won then,” Casse recalled.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – When you think of Royal Ascot, the first name that comes to mind, at least in the United States, is trainer Wesley Ward, who has already saddled a dozen winners over that hallowed ground and is gearing up for another trip across the pond for the 2023 meet.
