Mon, 06/05/2023 - 11:45

Belmont Stakes: Preakness winner National Treasure puts in final workout

National Treasure works at BEL June 5 2023

Barbara D. Livingston

National Treasure completed his preparation for the Belmont Stakes with a sharp five furlongs on Monday under rider Erick Garcia.

ELMONT, N.Y. – As a 2-year-old, National Treasure was a bit behind his more brilliant, perhaps more precocious stablemates such as Cave Rock and Arabian Knight.

At the time, trainer Bob Baffert hinted the best was still to come for National Treasure.

“By spring he’s going to be this really nice horse,” Baffert said last fall.

While Cave Rock has yet to run at 3 and Arabian Knight has only raced once this year, National Treasure has made his mark in the division with his gutsy Preakness victory on May 20.

Sun, 06/04/2023 - 20:04

Jockey Valdiva's busy day includes notching 2,000th North American triumph

By Steve Andersen

Churchill Downs/Coady Photography

Jockey Jose Valdiva Jr. is also a New York Yankees fan.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Veteran jockey Jose Valdivia Jr., and his family know how to fill a Saturday.

On Saturday morning, Valdivia’s daughter, Siena, took her college entrance exams, a few hours before the Santa Anita program. That afternoon, Valdivia won his 2,000th race in North America in the sixth race on Mitico ($6.80).

Valdivia’s wife, Renee, Siena, and brother Luca did not attend the races. They were en route to Dodger Stadium about 18 miles from Santa Anita to watch the late afternoon start of the Yankees-Dodgers game.

Sun, 06/04/2023 - 16:06

Pretty Mischievous faces new group of foes in Acorn Stakes

By David Grening

Barbara D. Livingston

Pretty Mischievous won the Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs on May 5.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Pretty Mischievous defeated 13 3-year-old fillies when she won the Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs on May 5. On Friday, when Pretty Mischievous returns to action in the Grade 1, $500,000 Acorn Stakes at Belmont Park, she will have mostly a new group of rivals to deal with in a field of eight.

Perhaps the most intriguing newcomer is Munnys Gold, the freakishly fast filly who will try and stretch her speed to 1 1/16 miles for the first time in the Acorn.

Sun, 06/04/2023 - 14:43

Taiba will pass on Met Handicap, will point to San Diego Handicap instead

By Steve Andersen

Barbara Livingston

Taiba trains at Keeneland in November.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Taiba, eighth in the $20 million Saudi Cup in Saudi Arabia in February in his only start this year, will miss Saturday’s Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont Park in favor of the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap at Del Mar on July 29, trainer Bob Baffert said on Sunday.

“I don’t know if he’s ready to go a mile against top horses,” Baffert said.

“He’s not quite back to where he was. That’s a long way to go to run against Cody’s Wish.”

Sat, 06/03/2023 - 16:18

Shirreffs pulls Skinner from Affirmed Stakes

By Steve Andersen

Barbara D. Livingston

Skinner works on May 3 prior to being withdrawn from the Kentucky Derby.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Skinner, one of the leading 3-year-olds in California this year, has been withdrawn from Sunday’s $100,000 Affirmed Stakes at Santa Anita, according to a statement from the track’s publicity department.

Skinner was the 9-5 second choice on the morning line in a field of six for the Affirmed.

Trainer John Shirreffs told track publicity that he was not satisfied with the way Skinner jogged in recent days.

Shirreffs was not immediately available for further comment.

Sat, 06/03/2023 - 15:37

Belmont Stakes Clocker: Forte, Tapit Trice breeze in different manners

By Mike Welsch

Susie Raisher

Forte (outside) work at Belmont Park on Saturday in preparation for Saturday's Belmont Stakes.

Belmont Park
Saturday, June 3, 2023
Weather: Cloudy
Temperature: 66
Track: Fast

Fri, 06/02/2023 - 15:44

Churchill to move racing to Ellis Park

By Matt Hegarty

Coady Photography

Ellis Park was purchased by Churchill Downs's parent group in September 2022.

Churchill Downs, whose brand has been battered by a spate of deaths over the past month, will shift its live race meet to Ellis Park in western Kentucky as of next weekend, the track announced on Friday afternoon.

Fri, 06/02/2023 - 13:35

2023 Belmont Stakes: Cox hoping third time's the charm

By David Grening

Hit Show Derby post parade at CD May 6 2023

Barbara D. Livingston

Brad Cox plans to run three in the Belmont Stakes, including Withers winner Hit Show (above), who finished fifth in the Kentucky Derby.

ELMONT, N.Y. – At the beginning of the season, the prospects for success in this year’s Triple Crown seemed bright for trainer Brad Cox whose 38 nominees were the most of any trainer in this year’s series.

After going winless with four starters in the Kentucky Derby and unable to have a runner in the Preakness, Cox will hope for a change of fortune when he sends out a trio of runners in the 155th Belmont Stakes on Saturday at Belmont Park.

Thu, 06/01/2023 - 18:42

HISA installs three new protocols at Churchill in response to horse fatalities

By Matt Hegarty

The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority has approved three new protocols that will be implemented at Churchill Downs in response to its recent review of a spate of horse fatalities at the track over the past month, the authority announced late on Thursday.

Thu, 06/01/2023 - 17:46

Pletcher has three medication violations pending in Florida

By Matt Hegarty

Barbara D. Livingston

Todd Pletcher had two medication positives in races on Dec. 10 at Gulfstream Park and another Feb. 3.

Todd Pletcher, the Hall of Fame trainer who was handed a 10-day suspension a month ago by New York regulators for a positive for a regulated medication that was stayed on appeal, has three medication positives pending in Florida from races in the past seven months, according to records of the Florida Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering.

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