The Sonoma County Fair will not conduct a summertime race meeting in Santa Rosa, Calif., this year, an expected setback for California racing.
In a press release issued earlier this week, the Sonoma County Fair board said it has suspended plans to seek a racing license from the California Horse Racing Board
“The Board recognizes that, unless an extraordinary opportunity arises, horse racing at Santa Rosa is not financially viable for the 2025 Fair,” the statement read, in part.
A former trainer has rolled up a fledgling effort to replace the horsemen’s organization at Gulfstream Park in favor of working with the existing group, the horsemen, Carlo Vaccarezza, said on Friday morning.
Vaccarezza, a longtime owner and breeder who recently retired from a 10-year training stint, said that the effort to create a new group would be “too lengthy” to address pressing issues in South Florida. Vaccarezza began collecting online signatures for the group just one week ago.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - The connections of White Abarrio and Sierra Leone, the winners of the 2023 and 2024 Breeders’ Cup Classics, respectively, and currently the two top rated older handicap horses in North America, have announced their intentions to bypass the $20 million Saudi Cup on Feb. 22 and concentrate on campaigning their horses in the United States the remainder of the year.
Hill Road, the third-place finisher behind Citizen Bull and Gaming in last November’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, is now with trainer Chad Brown and had his first workout Sunday at Payson Park, going three furlongs in 37 seconds.
While Hill Road is a longshot to make the Kentucky Derby, Brown said it’s not impossible for him to enter a different Triple Crown race – perhaps the Belmont Stakes on June 7 at Saratoga.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Patch Adams emerged from his fourth-place finish in last month’s Grade 3 Southwest at Oaklawn Park in excellent condition, trainer Brad Cox said Tuesday, with plans for the horse’s next start still being determined.
Patch Adams was making his two-turn debut in the Southwest and was the 4-5 favorite off a November maiden special weight win at Churchill Downs. He won the seven-furlong race on the front end in 1:20.77 and the Beyer Speed Figure of 98 he earned was the second-highest number put up by a 2-year-old in 2024.
The internationally prominent Thoroughbred owner and breeder Prince Karim Al-Hussaini, known as the Aga Khan IV, died Feb. 4 at age 88 in Lisbon, Portugal.
The Aga Khan was the spiritual leader of the world’s Ismaili Muslims. According to the Associated Press, his successor in that role, which is chosen from male progeny or other relatives, was designated in his will, which will be read to his family and religious leaders in Lisbon before being made public. The Aga Khan is survived by three sons, a daughter, and several grandchildren.
WHO’S HOT
Citizen Bull opens as 10-1 favorite on the Derby Watch Top 20 after a front-running comeback win Feb. 1 in the Grade 3 Robert B. Lewis at Santa Anita. Wire-to-wire winner of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile three months earlier, Citizen Bull was handed an easy lead in the Lewis and was strong to the finish. He will always be tough to catch when he gets a soft trip setting the pace.
Bob Baffert is contemplating the $1.5 million Saudi Derby on Feb. 22 for Getaway Car and Romanesque, though Baffert’s itinerary for 3-year-olds is subject to change.
“This is when I nominate everywhere, I even nominated to Sunland Park,” Baffert said.
His nominees to the $400,000 Sunland Derby on Feb. 16 include Barnes, Gaming, Getaway Car, Romanesque, and San Saba. Post positions for the Sunland Derby will be drawn Sunday.
A pair that might be better suited to distances shorter than 1 1/4 miles are tentatively scheduled to ship the Middle East.
Recently honored with its fifth consecutive Eclipse Award for leading owner and having campaigned seven equine North American champions over the last four years, Godolphin – the global operation of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum – has achieved a remarkable amount of success in the United States.
While his Grade 2 Remsen winner Poster runs Saturday in the $250,000 Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs, trainer Eoin Harty also looks forward to the return of First Resort, winner of the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club in his most recent start Nov. 30 at Churchill Downs. First Resort is headed to the John Battaglia Stakes, a synthetic-surface race Feb. 22 at Turfway Park.
