Sun, 10/20/2024 - 18:36

Trainer Brown closing on $300M in earnings

Barbara D. Livingston
Trainer Chad Brown swept the three stakes run at Aqueduct over the weekend.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Trainer Chad Brown is on the verge of becoming the fifth trainer in North American history to surpass the $300 million mark in career purse earnings.

Brown, who swept the three stakes run at Aqueduct over the weekend, enters this week with $299,980,856 in career purse earnings. Brown, 45, will join Todd Pletcher, Steve Asmussen, Bob Baffert and Bill Mott as the trainers who have surpassed the $300 million earnings mark.

Sun, 10/20/2024 - 18:22

Frizette winner Scottish Lassie works half-mile for BC Juvenile Fillies

Susie Raisher
Scottish Lassie (left) works a half-mile in 49.60 seconds outside of Jody's Pride on Sunday at Belmont Park.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - When she runs in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Del Mar on Nov. 1, Scottish Lassie will to try finish one place better than her stablemate Jody’s Pride did in last year’s Juvenile Fillies.

On Sunday, Scottish Lassie couldn’t go by Jody’s Pride in a workout at Belmont Park, the first of two the Grade 1 Frizette winner will have before she ships to California next Sunday.

Sun, 10/20/2024 - 18:09

D'Amato will hold Stronghold out of BC Dirt Mile in favor of fall rest

Nikki Sherman/EQUI-PHOTO
Stronghold was second in the Pennsylvania Derby at Parx Racing in his last start on Sept. 21.

Santa Anita Derby winner Stronghold will be held out of the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Del Mar on Nov. 2 in favor of an autumn rest and a scheduled comeback in the Grade 1 Malibu Stakes for 3-year-olds at seven furlongs at Santa Anita on Dec. 26.

Trainer Phil D’Amato said on Sunday that Stronghold was always going to have a rest this fall, either before or after the BC Dirt Mile.

“We’ve run him a lot this year,” D’Amato said. “We were going to run in the Breeders’ Cup and give him a rest, or give him a break now and wait for the Malibu and have a nice 4-year-old year.”

Sun, 10/20/2024 - 17:55

No pick-6 winners from Aqueduct's Sunday program; carries over to Thursday

Barbara D. Livingston
A pick-6 carryover of $124,239 goes into Thursday’s card after there were no winners on Sunday.

OZONE PARK, N.Y.  - The trend of the pick-6 not getting hit at Aqueduct this fall on Sunday continued as no one hit the wager for the fifth Sunday of the meet, resulting in a pick-6 carryover of $124,239 into Thursday’s card.

There was a carryover of $44,954 into Sunday’s card after the wager was not hit on Saturday. There was $139,096 wagered in the pick-6 Sunday, but victories by Gregorian Solo ($30.40) and Shesalittle Edgy ($24) assured there would be a carryover even before the last leg of the sequence was run.

Sun, 10/20/2024 - 12:33

Mary Broman, among leading NY breeders, dies at age 88

Barbara D. Livingston
Mary Broman and her husband Chester operated Chestertown Farm, just north of Saratoga Springs.

Mary Broman, who with her husband Chester established one of New York’s leading breeding and racing operations, died Oct. 16 at age 88, the New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc., reported Sunday.

“We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Mrs. Broman,” NYTB executive director Najja Thompson said in a release. “In addition to her tremendous accomplishments in the New York-bred program alongside her husband Chester, she was also a warm and welcome presence. We express our deepest condolences to Chester and the entire Broman family.”

Sun, 10/20/2024 - 10:41

Sweet Azteca will skip BC Filly and Mare Sprint, trainer says

Benoit photo
Sweet Azteca finished last as the odds-on favorite in the Chillingworth Stakes on Oct. 5 in her last start.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Sweet Azteca, the Grade 1 winner recently ranked among the favorites for the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint, will not be pre-entered, trainer Michael McCarthy said Sunday.

A five-time winner from seven starts, Sweet Azteca finished last as the odds-on favorite in the Grade 3 Chillingworth Stakes on Oct. 5 at Santa Anita, the first misfire of her career. McCarthy and owner-breeder Pam Ziebarth postponed a Breeders’ Cup decision until Sweet Azteca resumed training. Sunday morning, it was made official.

Sun, 10/20/2024 - 08:54

Jockey Torres will miss mounts at Keeneland to visit ailing grandfather

Coady Media
Jockey Cristian Torres is expected to be riding again at Keeneland by Saturday.

Jockey Cristian Torres, a multiple title winner at Oaklawn who is currently riding at Keeneland, left Kentucky for Puerto Rico on Saturday morning to visit his grandfather, who is very ill, said agent Cody Autrey. 

Torres will miss the Wednesday and Thursday cards at Keeneland and could possibly be back as early as Friday. Autrey said Torres plans to ride Saturday.

Sun, 10/20/2024 - 08:37

Inca Empire fits the Oklahoma Classics pattern for owner Danny Caldwell

Barbara D. Livingston
Owner Danny Caldwell said Inca Empire may run in the Jeffrey Hawk Memorial next month.

Inca Empire’s pedigree as a half-brother to Oklahoma-bred star Miss Code West was one of the reasons owner Danny Caldwell claimed the horse for $20,000 in June at Prairie Meadows.

Fast forward to last Friday night, when Inca Empire gave Caldwell his third win in the year’s richest race for Oklahoma-bred runners, the $175,000 Oklahoma Classics Cup at Remington Park.

And on the same card for different connections, Miss Code West won her division’s richest race for Oklahoma-breds, the $145,000 Oklahoma Classics Distaff.

Sun, 10/20/2024 - 08:29

Jaxon Traveler points to Zia Park Sprint as next start

Coady Media
Jaxon Traveler won the David M. Vance at Remington Park last month in his last start.

Jaxon Traveler will travel to New Mexico for his next start after becoming a millionaire in last month’s $100,000 David M. Vance at Remington Park in Oklahoma City.

Trainer Steve Asmussen said Jaxon Traveler is being pointed to the $100,000 Zia Park Sprint. The six-furlong race will be run on the Land of Enchantment card of stakes Nov. 26. 

“That was kind of the race that got him back winning last year,” Asmussen said.

Sat, 10/19/2024 - 14:14

Breeders' Cup: Brown's Belmont brigade breezes during busy morning

Susie Raisher
Domestic Product worked a solo half-mile at Belmont Saturday, and will be pre-entered in the Breeders' Cup Sprint and Dirt Mile.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Domestic Product, who had been mentioned solely as a candidate for the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, will also be pre-entered in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Sprint, trainer Chad Brown said Saturday.