Mon, 09/30/2019 - 08:36

White-hot Cedillo relishing Southern California successes

Emily Shields
Abel Cedillo returns to the winner's circle aboard Mongolian Groom after Saturday's Grade 1 Awesome Again Stakes.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Prior to Saturday, Abel Cedillo had three career wins in graded stakes. He equaled that number over the weekend at Santa Anita.

Saturday, Cedillo won the Grade 2 John Henry Turf Championship with Cleopatra’s Strike and the Grade 1 Awesome Again Stakes with Mongolian Humor. Sunday, he won the Grade 2 Zenyatta Stakes with Paradise Woods, a mare he is likely to ride in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff here on Nov. 2.

“I feel so awesome,” Cedillo said at the end of Sunday’s program. “I never dreamed of this.”

Sun, 09/29/2019 - 17:31

Eddie Haskell moving on to BC Turf Sprint

Benoit Photo
Eddie Haskell (left) was second, beaten a half-length by Pee Wee Reese, in Friday's Grade 2 Eddie D Stakes.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Eddie Haskell, second in Friday’s Grade 2 Eddie D Stakes at five furlongs on turf, will be pointed for the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint, said trainer Mark Glatt.

Eddie Haskell closed from seventh in a field of eight to finish a half-length behind Pee Wee Reese in the Eddie D Stakes. Eddie Haskell broke from the rail and rallied well through the stretch.

“I think you can say the post beat him,” Glatt said.

:: BREEDERS’ CUP 2019: See DRF’s top contenders

Sun, 09/29/2019 - 17:23

Shancelot drills for Santa Anita Sprint Championship

Emily Shields
Shancelot covered four furlongs in 47.20 on Sunday at Santa Anita Park.

ARCADIA, Calif. – The speedy 3-year-old Shancelot, the winner of the Grade 2 Amsterdam Stakes at Saratoga in July, worked a half-mile in 47.20 seconds on Sunday in advance of the Grade 1 Santa Anita Sprint Championship on Saturday.

Shancelot is rated as a leading contender for the Breeders’ Cup Sprint here on Nov. 2.

Sunday, Shancelot had his first workout at Santa Anita since arriving last Wednesday.

“I wanted to give him one [workout] over the track,” trainer Jorge Navarro said. “The main thing is to have him ready for the Breeders’ Cup.”

Sun, 09/29/2019 - 17:13

Brown leaning toward BC Mile for Bricks and Mortar

Coady Photography
Bricks and Mortar made his most recent start at 1 1/4 miles, a victory in the Aug. 10 Arlington Million.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Though he may not make a final decision for another three weeks, trainer Chad Brown said Sunday that he is leaning toward running Bricks and Mortar in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Mile rather than the $4 million Breeders’ Cup Turf. Both races are on Nov. 2 at Santa Anita.

Bricks and Mortar, undefeated in five starts this year, has never raced beyond 1 1/4 miles and is 3 for 3 in his career at one mile. The BC Turf is at 1 1/2 miles.

Sun, 09/29/2019 - 16:31

Imperial Hint, Carvajal both breathing easier after hard-fought Vosburgh win

John Bambury
Imperial Hint (right) gutted out a nose victory over Firenze Fire in Saturday's Grade 1 Vosburgh.

Trainer Luis Carvajal Jr. said he received a congratulatory text from his colleague Arnaud Delacour following Imperial Hint’s nose victory over Firenze Fire in Saturday’s Grade 1, $300,000 Vosburgh.

“You look at a little pale in the face,” Carvajal said the text read. “I think I’m getting my color back.”

Sun, 09/29/2019 - 16:24

Midnight Bisou California bound on heels of Beldame triumph

Barbara D. Livingston
Mdinight Bisou won her seventh straight graded stakes race in Saturday's Beldame.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Midnight Bisou was scheduled to ship to Southern California on Monday to continued preparations for the Breeders’ Cup Distaff on Nov. 2 at Santa Anita where the 4-year-old mare will look to complete an undefeated season and state her case for potential Horse of the Year consideration.

Sun, 09/29/2019 - 14:50

Chance It may try BC Juvenile off easy In Reality victory

Ryan Thompson/Coglianese Photos
Chance It aced his two-turn debut in Saturday's In Reality division of the Florida Sire Stakes.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Chance It may have earned himself a chance to participate in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile following his super impressive, 7 1/4-length victory making his two-turn debut here Saturday in the $400,000 In Reality Stakes, the finale of the open division of the Florida Sire Stakes. The win was the third in the last four starts for Chance It, whose only loss during that streak was a head setback in the middle leg of the series, the seven-furlong Affirmed.

Sun, 09/29/2019 - 14:18

Vino Rosso moving on to BC Classic, no appeal planned in Gold Cup DQ

Justin N. Lane
Vino Rosso (right) got his nose down first in Saturday's Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont but was disqualified to second for making contact with Code of Honor (left) during the stretch drive.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Upon further review, the connections of Vino Rosso have decided not to appeal the stewards’ decision to disqualify their horse from first and place him second behind Code of Honor in Saturday’s Grade 1, $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park.

Trainer Todd Pletcher said Sunday morning that while he still disagreed with the call, “trying to appeal it is usually a fruitless venture.”

Braulio Baeza Jr., the New York Racing Association steward, told reporters following Saturday’s card that Pletcher had planned to file an appeal on Sunday.

Sun, 09/29/2019 - 12:50

Tax scratched from Oklahoma Derby, may train up to BC Classic

Susie Raisher
Tax, pictured at his Belmont base on Sept. 13, is scheduled to ship home from Remington on Tuesday.

Tax has been scratched from the Oklahoma Derby and could train up to the $6 million Breeders' Cup Classic on Nov. 2 at Santa Anita, trainer Danny Gargan said on Sunday.

Tax was to start as one of the top choices in the Grade 3, $400,000 Oklahoma Derby on Sunday at Remington Park for a record that includes a win in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy at Saratoga. He shipped into Oklahoma City on Wednesday from his base of Belmont Park.

Fri, 09/27/2019 - 15:10

Omaha Beach has quick work that pleases Mandella

Debra A. Roma
Trainer Richard Mandella was quite happy with Omaha Beach's Friday workout.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Omaha Beach, unraced since a win in the Arkansas Derby in April, zoomed a fast half-mile at Santa Anita on Friday.

Officially, Omaha Beach was timed in 46.60 seconds, but trainer Richard Mandella recorded the workout in 46 seconds, as did some people watching with him.

“A couple of us got 46 flat,” Mandella said.

Regardless, Omaha Beach had a quick workout in advance of a scheduled start in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Sprint Championship at six furlongs on Oct. 5. The $300,000 Sprint Championship will be the shortest race of Omaha Beach’s career.