Sun, 09/07/2025 - 16:30

Kings River Knight, winner of California Dreamin’ Stakes, retired due to injury

Benoit
Kings River Knight won 13 of 20 starts in a career that began in 2022.

DEL MAR, Calif. - The veteran gelding Kings River Knight has run his last race, and is leaving the track a winner.

Kings River Knight won the $152,000 California Dreamin’ Stakes at Del Mar on Aug. 2, and later was diagnosed with an injury, trainer John Sadler said on Saturday.

“He’s going to be retired,” Sadler said. “We’re going to miss him tremendously.”

Sadler did not disclose the injury, but said it was “enough” to end Kings River Knight’s racing career.

Sun, 09/07/2025 - 09:26

Highly Wicked gets freshening before Fair Grounds

Coady
Highly Wicked is 9 for 9 on the turf and has won 10 of 19 overall.

Highly Wicked, a winner of five turf stakes in her last five starts, was scratched from the Louisiana Cup Distaff at Louisiana Downs because the race came off the grass and is now being freshened, trainer Sam David Jr. said.

“That’s the only problem with a turf horse, you’ve got to find your spots and then hope it doesn’t rain,” quipped David.

Highly Wicked is 9 for 9 on the turf. She is a homebred for Earl Hernandez, Keith Hernandez and John Duvieilh. Overall, Highly Wicked has won 10 of 19 starts. The Louisiana-bred daughter of Wicked Strong has earned $386,430.

Sun, 09/07/2025 - 09:19

Usually Wrong targets Great West Stakes as next start

Coady
Usually Wrong is unbeaten in three starts on the grass and overall has a career record of 6 for 7.

Usually Wrong, who emerged as the top turf sprinter of the recent meet at Lone Star Park, is scheduled to make his next start in the new $250,000 Great West Stakes at Remington Park, said trainer Robertino Diodoro.

The five-furlong turf race will share a card with the Oklahoma Derby on Sept. 28. It was designed to serve as a potential prep for the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint this fall at Del Mar.

Sun, 09/07/2025 - 09:09

Take Charge Tom heads to Remington Park for Oklahoma Derby

Coady
Take Charge Tom was a 5 3/4-length winner of the Canadian Derby in August.

Take Charge Tom arrived Saturday at Remington Park for an intended start in the Grade 3, $400,000 Oklahoma Derby on Sept. 28, according to his trainer, Robertino Diodoro.

Take Charge Tom is a five-time stakes winner who is coming off a victory in the Grade 3 Canadian Derby at Century Mile. The race was run over 1 1/4 miles and he will be backing up in distance to 1 1/8 miles for the Oklahoma Derby.

“The timing of the race is good for him and we’ve had some luck in it before,” Diodoro said. “Broadway Empire won the Canadian Derby and won the Oklahoma Derby.”

Fri, 09/05/2025 - 11:20

Jockey Jimenez appeals one-year suspension

Coady Media
Albin Jimenez's 81 wins at Belterra are almost double the total of the next leading rider.

Albin Jimenez, the jockey suspended for one year by stewards in Ohio in late August based on a second-place finish in a race at Belterra Park, has filed an appeal of the ruling and been granted a stay, according to officials involved in the case. 

Jimenez, who was the leading rider at Belterra when the suspension was issued, is named on one horse at Horseshoe Indianapolis in Shelbyville, Indiana, in Friday’s sixth race. Jimenez has not ridden since Aug. 22, one day after the race that was cited by stewards for the one-year suspension. 

Fri, 09/05/2025 - 10:43

Handal suspended 22 days for painkiller violation

Barbara D. Livingston
Trainer Ray Handal reportedly admitted to wrongfully using the corticosteroid dexamethasone on two of his horses.

New York-based trainer Ray Handal began serving a 22-day suspension on Thursday for three violations of rules pertaining to the use of the corticosteroid dexamethasone, a regulated painkilling medication, according to records posted by the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit. 

Handal, who has 13 wins from 127 starts this year, was also fined $3,500, according to HIWU. The horses that tested positive were disqualified from their races. 

Wed, 09/03/2025 - 18:53

Outfielder back in States after good Prix Morny showing

Coady Media
Outfielder figures to be a candidate for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Sprint.

The 2-year-old Outfielder is back in America after a decent fourth-place finish in the Group 1 Prix Morny on Aug. 24 at Deauville Racecourse. 

His trainer, Wesley Ward, had won the Morny three times, but said, with good evidence behind him, that this year’s renewal came up much tougher than the years when Campanelle, Lady Aurelia, and No Nay Never won. Outfielder, making just his second start following a May 23 Churchill Downs turf-sprint maiden romp, broke a half-step slow in the straight-course, six-furlong Morny and was beaten 2 3/4 lengths.

Wed, 09/03/2025 - 16:55

Jockey mount-fee negotiations make progress but Thursday card won't be pretty

Remington Park Oct 18 2024
Barbara D. Livingston
Remington Park will hold a scratch-reduced nine-race card Thursday night, with field sizes ranging from two to five horses. The riding chores will be handled by five substitute jockeys.

A handful of riders unaffiliated with The Jockeys’ Guild have begun accepting mounts at Remington Park in Oklahoma, allowing the track to plan on holding a scratch-marred nine-race card Thursday night despite the lack of an agreement between the Guild and local horsemen on mount fees.

Five riders have been named on horses throughout the card, with field sizes ranging from five to two horses. More than half the horses originally entered for the card have been scratched.

Wed, 09/03/2025 - 11:26

Hartunian signs two-year Turf Paradise lease agreement; meet opens Nov. 10

Coady Photography
California real estate developer Gary Hartunian has said he would like to maintain racing at Turf Paradise as he looks for property to build a new track in the Phoenix area.

Gary Hartunian, the Southern California horse owner and real estate developer, has signed a two-year lease for the operation of Turf Paradise in Phoenix, according to an official involved in the process.

Tom Ludt, a seasoned racetrack executive who Hartunian has tabbed to run the track, said on Wednesday that the deal was signed last week. The group does not expect to take over formal operation of the track until late this year, after the licensing process is completed. In Arizona, licensing generally takes 90 days or more.

Tue, 09/02/2025 - 12:47

Undefeated filly Silent Rule taken out of training; future uncertain

JJ Zamaiko Photography
Silent Rule has won all 10 of her career starts.

The unbeaten filly Silent Rule, who was considered a leading candidate for Ohio-bred championship honors heading into the state’s fall stakes, has been taken out of training and could be sold at auction in Kentucky this November.