ARCADIA, Calif. – Stylishly ran two remarkably similar races to win turf sprints at five furlongs at Del Mar in July and August, closing from off the pace to lead in the final furlong both times.
The wins give Stylishly a leading role in an allowance race with a $62,500 claiming option for fillies and mares at 5 1/2 furlongs on turf at Santa Anita on Monday. A win by Stylishly could lead to a start for her in the Grade 3 Sen. Ken Maddy Stakes at the same distance on Nov. 2.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – It’s never too early to start thinking about next year’s Queen’s Plate, and trainer Mark Casse already has several prospects for the classic race for Canadian-bred 3-year-olds.
Muskoka Gold was a powerful-looking winner in just his second start of the $226,600 Cup and Saucer Stakes, traveling 1 1/16 miles on the grass Oct. 6. Casse said the Lea colt could be headed for the Grade 3 Grey on the Tapeta Oct. 27 in advance of another Tapeta route stakes here, the $225,000 Coronation Futurity Nov. 23.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Vino Rosso worked a half-mile in 49.16 seconds Friday morning over Belmont Park’s training track. It was his first move since he finished first but was disqualified to second in the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup on Sept. 28. Vino Rosso worked in company with You’re to Blame, with the pair galloping out five furlongs in 1:02.48 and six furlongs in 1:15.16.
“He’s acting good, to be honest. I liked what I felt today,” said Irad Ortiz Jr., aboard for the work and who will ride Vino Rosso in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.
ELMONT, N.Y. – John Hertler, who trained Slew o’ Gold during his 1984 championship season and one of the nicest people on the backstretch, has retired from training following a 41-year career.
Hertler, 69, was down to four horses and has been battling Parkinson’s disease for years. He ran his final horse on Thursday, Yankee Division, who finished fourth in a $30,000 claiming race at Belmont Park.
“I didn’t have any stock. I have Parkinson’s disease, that didn’t help,” Hertler said by phone when asked why now is the time to retire. “Couldn’t make any money training.”
ELMONT, N.Y. – Catholic Boy was supplemented to Monday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Knickerbocker Stakes – a 1 1/8-mile turf race – at Belmont Park, a race his connections hope to use as a springboard to a Breeders’ Cup race in three weeks.
ARCADIA, Calif. – There is racing scheduled for Monday, Columbus Day, although there is no stakes on the program.
Next week, there will be a three-day racing week from Friday through Sunday, with the week highlighted by Saturday’s $100,000 California Flag Handicap for statebreds at 5 1/2 furlongs. The next graded stakes at Santa Anita is the Grade 3 Autumn Miss Stakes at a mile on turf for 3-year-old fillies on Oct. 26.
ARCADIA, Calif. – American Theorem and Storm the Court, second and third to Eight Rings in the Grade 1 American Pharoah Stakes here on Sept. 27, remain on schedule for a start in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita on Nov. 1 after each worked five furlongs on Friday.
American Theorem was timed in 1:01.60, working in company with a stablemate. The exercise began slower than trainer George Papaprodromou would have preferred, but American Theorem finished well under jockey Tiago Pereira, who did not strongly urge his mount.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Honor A.P. finished with such interest in a maiden special weight race for sprinters at Del Mar on Aug. 17 that he quickly drew attention as a 2-year-old to follow.
Sunday at Santa Anita, Honor A.P. will be favored to justify the hype when he starts in a maiden race at a mile against nine rivals.
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Jockey Adam Beschizza will be sidelined at least three weeks after suffering a collarbone fracture when he fell to the turf course as his mount, Triggerman, broke down approaching the finish of the fifth race Wednesday.
The British-born Beschizza, 26, had been on pace to surpass his 2018 mount earnings of nearly $5 million when the spill occurred. As the leading jockey at the 2018-19 Fair Grounds meet, he is looking to regain full health well before the New Orleans track resumes racing Nov. 28.
