Mon, 09/30/2019 - 15:20

Remington sets handle record on Oklahoma Derby Day

Barbara D. Livingston
Trainer Steve Asmussen won a record seven races at Remington Park on Sunday.

Remington Park handled $3,086,572 from all sources on its 13-race Oklahoma Derby Day program, an all-time live handle record for the track, said track spokesman Dale Day. The card was increased to 13 races this year after being at 12 since 2016, according to Day.

There were eight stakes Sunday. Remington offered an all-stakes pick four on races 10-13 that had a minimum guaranteed pool of $75,000. The final pool was $254,167. The winning numbers were 9-10-11-3 and the 50-cent bet returned $578.35.

Asmussen, Santana set records

Mon, 09/30/2019 - 15:06

Oklahoma Derby winner Owendale could go to Breeders' Cup Classic or Dirt Mile

Dustin Orona Photography
Trainer Brad Cox said he thinks Owendale is improving with each race..

Owendale may have put himself in the Breeders’ Cup.

The winner of the Grade 3, $400,000 Oklahoma Derby on Sunday night at Remington Park, Owendale could make his next start in one of two Breeders’ Cup races, trainer Brad Cox said Monday. The horse is under consideration for either the $6 million Classic or the $1 million Dirt Mile, both Nov. 2 at Santa Anita.

Owendale was scheduled to fly home to his Churchill Downs base Tuesday.

“First and foremost, we want to see how he comes out of the race,” said Cox, who trains Owendale for Rupp Racing.

Mon, 09/30/2019 - 15:04

Awesome Again top four could meet again in BC Classic

Benoit Photo
Mongolian Groom (right), winner of the Awesome Again Stakes, would need to be nominated to the Breeders' Cup in order to compete in the event.

The first four finishers from the Awesome Again Stakes on Saturday at Santa Anita all could run back in the Breeders’ Cup Classic on Nov. 2.

Mongolian Groom won the race in a 25-1 upset, and though the race is a Win and You’re In for the Classic, Mongolian Groom isn’t technically in just yet since, unlike the five horses he beat on Saturday, he is not nominated to the Breeders’ Cup. His connections would have to put up $200,000 by pre-entry day Oct. 21 to nominate him to the Breeders’ Cup.

Mon, 09/30/2019 - 13:49

Mundy, Pendergest assume new operations roles at Keeneland

Keeneland
Dr. George Mundy will occupy the newly created role of equine safety director at Keeneland.

Keeneland racetrack in Lexington has hired Dr. George Mundy as its equine safety director, a new position at the track, and promoted its longtime racetrack surface advisor Jim Pendergest to the new position of director of racing surfaces.

The two appointments were announced on Monday, five days prior to opening day of Keeneland’s fall meet, at a time when racing is under criticism from some groups because of growing concern over racetrack deaths.

Mon, 09/30/2019 - 13:10

At Keeneland, it's the calm before the storm as opening day approaches

Coady Photography
Ten stakes will be held at Keeneland during its three-day opening weekend, which begins Friday.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Rain has been in very short supply in Kentucky for more than a month, just as racing fans in the Bluegrass region have been lacking live action since late April. Hard to say what will be more welcome this week: the start of the Keeneland fall meet on Friday, or a forecasted end to the drought with Sunday rain.

Mon, 09/30/2019 - 13:06

Callaghan has eye on BC Juvenile Fillies for Donna Veloce

Emily Shields
Donna Veloce earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 91 for her 9 1/4-length maiden win on Saturday.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Donna Veloce, the easy winner of a maiden special weight race for 2-year-old fillies on Saturday, may start in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Santa Anita on Nov. 1.

By Uncle Mo, Donna Veloce led throughout the maiden race and pulled clear in the stretch under jockey Flavien Prat to win by 9 1/4 lengths as a heavy favorite. She ran 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:16.22 and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 91.

“I was very confident,” trainer Simon Callaghan said on Sunday. “We’ll see how she comes out of it, but we’ll look at the Breeders’ Cup.”

Mon, 09/30/2019 - 13:06

D'Amato gets meet off to a winning start

Emily Shields
Pee Wee Reese was among three graded stakes winners for trainer Phil D'Amato over opening weekend at Santa Anita.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Three graded stakes wins in a little more than 24 hours gave trainer Phil D’Amato a brilliant start to the Santa Anita autumn meeting on Friday and Saturday. At least two of those winners – and one runner-up from his stable – are being considered for Breeders’ Cup races on Nov. 2.

Pee Wee Reese won Friday’s Grade 2 Eddie D Stakes at five furlongs on turf and will be pointed for the BC Turf Sprint at the same distance on Nov. 2. Mirth, the upset winner of Saturday’s Grade 1 Rodeo Drive Stakes on turf, earned an automatic berth to the BC Filly and Mare Turf.

Mon, 09/30/2019 - 12:56

Performer targeting Disovery after successful route tryout

Chelsea Durand/NYRA
Performer earned a 95 Beyer Speed Figure for a second-level allowance win going 1 1/16 miles at Belmont on Sunday.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Performer made it three straight wins and proved he can handle a distance of ground when he won a second-level allowance at Belmont on Sunday.

Put on the lead by Joel Rosario, Performer set fractions of 24.09, 47.69, 1:11.42, 1:35.23 and covered 1 1/16 miles in 1:41.55 while winning by 1 3/4 lengths. He earned a 95 Beyer Speed Figure.

“New dimension going to the lead like that,” trainer Shug McGaughey said. “Joel got off him and said you can do whatever you want with him. The internal fractions were all 23 and change.”

Mon, 09/30/2019 - 12:36

Catholic Boy has Breeders' Cup options on turf and dirt

Debra A. Roma
Catholic Boy could go in one of three Breeders' Cup races.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Catholic Boy returned to the work tab Sunday at Belmont Park, breezing a half-mile in 47.72 seconds over the outer turf course. Trainer Jonathan Thomas said that he will most likely train Catholic Boy up to the Breeders’ Cup with the options being the Mile on turf or the Dirt Mile. Thomas said he would also keep an eye on the Classic to see how that race is shaping up.

“We’re breezing him on the turf to at least keep [the Mile] under consideration,” Thomas said. “It’s worked for us before where we kind of used the turf to get to races.”

Mon, 09/30/2019 - 12:00

Attard sorry to see September end

Michael Burns
Starship Jubilee, shown scoring a repeat victory in the Canadian Stakes, could start next at Woodbine or Belmont Park.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Trainer Kevin Attard experienced quite a bit of stakes success in September, recording victories with Starship Jubilee in the Grade 2 Canadian Stakes, Amalfi Coast in the Ontario Damsel Stakes, and Pumpkin Rumble in the Alphabet Soup Handicap at Parx.