Bay Shore: KOBE'S BACK (#8, 2/1) has appeared a real talent since running over stakes competition after a slow break on debut, and it seems pretty clear at this point that if he is to make his name it will be in shorter races. His Rebel was a disaster, and one best forgotten, but this turn back hits him between the eyes, there is pace signed on for him to run into, and he may simply be the best horse. He's tough to stand too strongly against.
Michael Buckley, owner of Toast of New York, the winner of the UAE Derby, told the British racing channel Racing UK on Friday that it was unlikely Toast of New York would come to the United States for the Kentucky Derby on May 3.
“No decisions have been made, but I think it’s fair enough to say I don’t think the concept of going off to Kentucky on the other side of the world and slogging around on the dirt is a fair thing to do with a horse like him,” Buckley said.
Television Games Network was added on Tuesday to the sports package of Time Warner cable systems in several large horseracing markets, including Lexington, Louisville, and Saratoga Springs, TVG announced on Friday.
TVG was added to the lineup in the Sports Pass package, which costs $8.99 a month, according to Time Warner’s website. Other markets where TVG became available as part of the package are New York City, Los Angeles, San Diego, Austin, San Antonio, Cincinnati, and Detroit, among other markets, according to TVG.
Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark., refunded all wagers on Reagan Trinity in Thursday’s first race after she was not loaded into the starting gate. She was No. 9 in a nine-horse field of fillies and mares for the $16,000 conditioned claimer at 1 1/16 miles. Reagan Trinity was 5-2 on the tote board for Hall of Fame trainer Jack Van Berg.
Larry Snyder, a steward at Oaklawn, said the incident was simply due to “human error.” Terry Walker is the starter at Oaklawn.
ARCADIA, Calif. – They are two races into their careers, and already Diversy Harbor and Nashoba’s Gold have the makings of a rivalry.
After each winning a maiden race this year, Diversy Harbor and Nashoba’s Gold were first and second, separated by a half-length, in the China Doll Stakes at Santa Anita on March 8. They meet again in Saturday’s $150,000 Providencia Stakes for 3-year-old fillies, the lone turf stakes on Saturday’s 11-race program.
One of three trainers indicted last year at Penn National is arguing that charges against him should be thrown out because the federal government has failed to provide evidence to support its counts, according to a motion to dismiss filed by the trainer’s attorney earlier this week.
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Not too long ago, winter acted as if it was here to stay, and the Kentucky Wildcats basketball team was losing game after game. Horse racing? Barely on the radar.
Well, fast forward a few weeks, and the hardy folks of the Bluegrass State suddenly find themselves in sports heaven. Their resurgent Wildcats have made it to the Final Four at a time when the weather is finally getting nicer, and, most importantly for racing fans, Keeneland is opening for three glorious weeks of live action.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Arethusa will be closing from off the pace in Saturday’s $400,000 Santa Anita Oaks over 1 1/16 miles. Whether she can run down her five rivals will depend on the pace and how far the speedy Fashion Plate carries her speed.
John Sadler, the trainer of Candy Boy, and Lee Searing, who owns Candy Boy with his wife, Susan, knew it was a calculated risk to manage Candy Boy the way they have this spring, running him in a Kentucky Derby prep worth 10 points for first, skipping one worth 50 points to the winner, and then knowing that a race worth 100 for first would determine their fate for the May 3 Derby.
It is high risk, but it could also be high reward.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Schoolofhardrocks had finished a well-beaten fourth in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes on March 8 when jockey Joe Talamo immediately began campaigning for a start in Saturday’s $1 million Santa Anita Derby.
The San Felipe Stakes was the second career start for Schoolofhardrocks, who beat maidens impressively at Del Mar last summer. Concern over an ankle kept him from racing for six months, but Talamo saw enough in the San Felipe to argue for the Santa Anita Derby.
