If a horse based in Japan wins the Belmont Stakes, the horse’s connections will earn a $1 million bonus, the New York Racing Association announced Thursday.
This same bonus had been in effect from 2017 through 2019 but was not offered last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Careering Away is not rated among the leading contenders for Friday’s Orange Gold Cup at 1 5/16 miles at Orange Racecourse in Australia.
But the 6-year-old Careering Away has a sequence of successful starts in longer turf races in recent weeks that make the gelding an attractive longshot in a field of 12.
Trained by Garry Lunn, who won with 8 of 50 runners from Jan. 11 through Sunday, Careering Away has had a busy 2021 season, winning 3 of 10 starts. He has not gone more than 15 days without a race this year, and seems to thrive on the activity.
The classic season fast approaches not only in America, but in European racing jurisdictions, where the English 2000 Guineas takes its annual position about nine hours before the Kentucky Derby, on May 1 this year, with the English 1000 Guineas the following day.
His success in distance races, even if it was in 2019 and 2020, may be what the gelding Eugenio needs to end an eight-race losing streak at Newcastle Racecourse in Australia on Thursday.
A 5-year-old New Zealand bred, Eugenio won races at 1 1/2 miles in 2019 and 1 7/16 miles last June, and will be starting at about 1 1/2 miles at Newcastle. This year, Eugenio is winless in six starts at distances ranging from 6 3/4 furlongs to 1 1/2 miles.
Paul Lally:
R1 1-3-9-12
R2 2-4-10-8
R3 1-2-3-6
R4 9-7-5-8
R5 4-9-6-2
R6 4-1-3-9
R7 3-4-8-10
R8 7-8-11-5
R9 7-2-9-5
Best Bet R8 N7 Chevalier Prince
Longshot R4 N9 Raging Blaze
Play R8 QQP 7-8-11
Mark McNamara:
R1 1.9.6.3
R2 4.9.10.6
R3 6.1.3.2
R4 7.11.1.4
R5 1.4.6.2
R6 10.4.3.1.
R7 10.3.8.2
R8 7.11.6.1
R9 7.9.2.4
Best Bet R6 N10 Jazz Steed
Longshot R7 N10 Wood on Fire
Play R9 FCT 7.9
The majority of horses racing in Hong Kong are sprinters or milers, but the question for Charity Fun is whether the featured ninth race Wednesday at Happy Valley, a Class 2 handicap over 1,800 meters, about 1 1/8 miles, is too short.
The last time the Australian filly Ruby Tuesday reached the winner’s circle she beat males in a seven-furlong handicap at Hawkesbury Racecourse last September.
Ruby Tuesday lost her next four appearances – all against fillies and mares - although she closed well to finish a good third in a one-mile handicap at Warwick Farm on March 31 in that span.
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Rachael Blackmore became the first female jockey to win the riding title at the prestigious National Hunt festival over four days at Cheltenham Racecourse in England last month.
It was the prologue for a more famous victory on Saturday.
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