Mon, 12/02/2019 - 14:36

Servis making plans for stakes winners

Jim McCue/Maryland Jockey Club
Sunny Ridge was a three-quarter-length winner in Saturday's Richard W. Small Stakes.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Maximum Security was one of four horses trainer Jason Servis nominated to the Cigar Mile. The other three – Firenze Fire, Sunny Ridge, and Monongahela – all won stakes races last week at other venues.

Firenze Fire, a Grade 1 winner, captured the $200,000 Fabulous Strike Handicap at Penn National on Nov. 27. He earned a 101 Beyer Speed Figure for the easy score.

Firenze Fire is expected to remain in training and could be aimed at winter sprint stakes at Aqueduct such as the Gravesend on Dec. 22 or the Grade 3, $150,000 Toboggan on Jan. 18.

Mon, 12/02/2019 - 14:06

McGaughey will have 15-horse Oaklawn string

Barbara D. Livingston
Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey is one win away from his 2,000th career victory.

Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey said Monday he plans to send a 15-horse division to Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark., for the meet that opens Jan. 24. McGaughey is based in South Florida and New York.

McGaughey said his son, Reeve, will accompany the horses to Oaklawn. McGaughey estimated it will be the first time since 1984 or 1985 that he’s had a string at Oaklawn.

“We’re looking forward to it,” he said.

Mon, 12/02/2019 - 13:10

Mucho Macho Man may be next for Chance It

Lauren King/Coglianese Photos
Plan's for Chance It's next race are still in flux.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – After missing a work and a race, Saturday’s Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club at Churchill Downs, due to a minor illness several weeks ago, trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. has Chance It just about back on his regular schedule again. The decision to be made now is where to go next with the leader of the local 2-year-old division. Chance It has not started since cruising to an easy victory in the 1 1/16-mile In Reality Stakes here more than nine weeks ago.

Mon, 12/02/2019 - 12:50

Hollendorfer planning to winter at Oaklawn Park

Barbara D. Livingston
Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer presently has six horses stabled at Belmont Park.

Hall of Fame trainer Jerry Hollendorfer plans to relocate his stable to Oaklawn Park in January, he said on Sunday.

Hollendorfer said he plans to have approximately 25 horses at Oaklawn Park, which runs from Jan. 24 to May 2. He had a stable based at the Del Mar autumn meeting, which ended on Sunday, and has a stable at Los Alamitos, which runs a two-week winter meeting from Friday through Dec. 15.

Mon, 12/02/2019 - 12:46

Strong fields shaping up for Los Alamitos Futurity, Starlet Stakes

Barbara D. Livingston
Anneau d'Or (left), the Breeders' Cup Juvenile runner-up, is among those expected for the Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity.

Anneau d’Or and Wrecking Crew, second and third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita on Nov. 1, are scheduled to start in Saturday’s Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity at 1 1/16 miles for 2-year-olds.

Storm the Court, the upset winner of the BC Juvenile at 45-1, will not start and is scheduled to run in the Grade 3 Robert B. Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita on Feb. 1.

Mon, 12/02/2019 - 12:26

Emotional win for Sanner

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – A 27-1 victory by Fascilitator in the seventh race Friday at Churchill was the first for trainer Dan Sanner since his wife, Debbie, died suddenly on Sept. 10 at age 53.

“It was an emotional day,” said Sanner, a trainer since 1993. “Of course I was thinking of her, but she wouldn’t want me to sit here and wallow in self-pity. I’m trying to be upbeat and move forward, although it’s been very hard.”

Mon, 12/02/2019 - 12:06

Landeros to serve days; Gaffalione appeals

Barbara D. Livingston
Tyler Gaffalione is serving a three-day suspension that includes the Kentucky Oaks card.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Two jockeys headed to Gulfstream for the winter are using different tactics after being suspended by the Churchill stewards for recent infractions.

Chris Landeros has accepted a three-day suspension that runs Wednesday through Friday for the disqualification of Royal Mesa from second to third in the 10th race Friday. He will be back in the saddle for the Claiming Crown on Saturday at Gulfstream.

Mon, 12/02/2019 - 12:06

DeVaux savors first training double

Barbara D. Livingston
Cherie DeVaux, a former assistant to Chad Brown, won races with the 2-year-old fillies Veruca and Bayerness at Churchill Downs on Saturday.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Cherie DeVaux didn’t let a little rain take away her joy. DeVaux posted the first two-win day of her nascent training career amid a Saturday deluge at Churchill when the 2-year-old fillies Veruca and Bayerness rallied to win races some 90 minutes apart.

“They both acted like they had a lot of talent when I first got them in,” said DeVaux, who began her solo career in May 2018 after nearly eight years as an assistant to Chad Brown. “They trained together into this race, so it was really nice to see the way they both performed.”

Mon, 12/02/2019 - 12:00

Stall thinking Breeders' Cup Classic with Tom's d'Etat

Coady Photography
Tom's d'Etat cruised home to a 3 1/4-length victory in Friday's Grade 1 Clark.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Trainer Al Stall Jr. said Monday he is leaning toward skipping the early-season big-money events with Tom’s d’Etat and “pointing for a back-end of the year campaign” that would culminate with the 2020 Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland.

Mon, 12/02/2019 - 11:24

Chestertown starts living up to his $2 million price tag

Barbara D. Livingston
Chestertown, by Tapit, fetched $2 million at the OBS March sale.

Chestertown, a New York-bred son of Tapit who brought $2 million at the OBS March auction, will likely be heading out of town for the winter following his maiden victory Sunday at Aqueduct.

Chestertown, trained by Steve Asmussen for an ownership group that includes West Point Thoroughbreds, earned a 71 Beyer Speed Figure for his 2 3/4-length victory over a sealed main track labeled good. Chestertown was four wide under Irad Ortiz Jr. and pulled away in the final furlong as he covered the one mile in 1:37.56.