LEXINGTON, Ky. – Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher was at Keeneland to watch Malathaat win the Spinster Stakes on Sunday and not at Aqueduct to see Nest win the Beldame earlier in the day. There’s absolutely no reading into what any of that means, simply because a person can’t be in two places at one time.
Human cloning still forbidden, Pletcher availed himself to watching Nest via simulcast, and in both races, he very much liked what he saw.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Slow Down Andy is bound for a Breeders’ Cup race at Keeneland on Nov. 5, with both the Dirt Mile and Classic under consideration, trainer Doug O’Neill said on Sunday.
“He’s got options,” O’Neill said.
Owned by breeders Paul and Zillah Reddam, the 3-year-old Slow Down Andy was third in the Grade 1 Awesome Again Stakes at 1 1/8 miles at Santa Anita on Oct. 1, racing near the front before fading to finish 2 1/4 lengths behind winner Defunded.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. _ A short turnaround proved not to be a problem for Nagirroc, who ran down Gaslight Dancer and Vacation Dance to win Sunday’s Grade 3, $150,000 Futurity Stakes at Aqueduct by a neck and earn a trip to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint next month at Keeneland.
Running back 15 days after winning a maiden race here on the front end, Nagirroc came from just off the pace Sunday under Manny Franco to get the victory in a race in which the top five finishers were separated by a half-length.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Elite Power will likely be pointed to the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Sprint following his 5 3/4-length victory in Saturday’s Grade 2, $250,000 Vosburgh at Aqueduct.
Elite Power earned a fees-paid berth into the Breeders’ Cup Sprint by virtue of the Vosburgh victory, which was Elite power’s first appearance in a stakes race. Overall, it was Elite Power’s fourth consecutive victory.
“It looked like, just visually, this race was pretty easy for him,” trainer Bill Mott said. “Jose [Lezcano] said he was just loafing. He showed him the whip and away he went.”
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Unbeaten at the distance, undefeated at Keeneland and now with a victory against males, the 5-year-old mare War Like Goddess may have established herself as North America’s top contender for the $4 million Breeders’ Cup Turf on Nov. 5 at Keeneland.
In 2000, Mike Gatsas put up $360,000 to supplement Gander to the Breeders’ Cup Classic and walked away with nothing as the New York-bred gelding finished ninth, 12 3/4 lengths behind Tiznow.
Twenty-two years later, Gatsas is ready put up another hefty fee to participate in the Breeders’ Cup. At least this time he has partners. Gatsas, Hidden Brook Farm and Randy Hill will pay a $100,000 supplemental fee to run You’re My Girl in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies on Nov. 4 at Keeneland, Gatsas said Sunday.
The majority of the traditional stakes races at Keeneland’s front-loaded fall meeting may be in the books, but the action is just heating up at the track, even as the weather cools. Trainers are beginning to consolidate their Breeders’ Cup arsenals at the host track, and, as Lexington saw its first frosts on Saturday and Sunday mornings, the Keeneland worktab began to get crowded with leading contenders for the Nov. 4-5 races.
ARCADIA, Calif. – A 2-year-old colt named for a hole in a mountain ran a hole in the wind Saturday at Santa Anita to solidify his role as early favorite for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.
Cave Rock ($2.40) smoked the Grade 1, 1 1/16-mile American Pharoah in a blistering 1:43.05, winning by more than five lengths as trainer Bob Baffert finished 1-2-3-4 in the eight-runner Win and You’re In for the BC Juvenile. Cave Rock received a 104 Beyer Speed Figure.
“He’s the real deal, isn’t he?” co-owner Mike Pegram said.
No doubt.
ARCADIA, Calif. – A 2-year-old filly whose above-average class compensates for her below-average speed is on her way to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies after overcoming another bad trip to win another graded stakes on Saturday at Santa Anita.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Going to Vegas is leaving California via the Santa Anita winner’s circle.
Making what is likely her final start in the state, Going to Vegas led throughout the Grade 1 Rodeo Drive Stakes for fillies and mare at 1 1/4 miles on turf. Going to Vegas ($7.20) won the race for the second consecutive year.
Going to Vegas earned a fees-paid berth to the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Keeneland on Nov. 5. The following day, the 5-year-old Going to Vegas is scheduled to be sold as a racing or broodmare prospect at the Fasig-Tipton November Sale in Kentucky.
