ARCADIA, Calif. – Just Grazed Me will make her graded stakes debut on turf in the Grade 3 Sen. Ken Maddy Stakes at 5 1/2 furlongs at Santa Anita on Nov. 2 after winning Saturday’s $100,351 California Distaff Handicap for statebred fillies and mares over the same course and distance.
Ridden by Geovanni Franco, Just Grazed Me closed from fourth of six to win by 1 3/4 lengths over the 3-year-old Don’t Sell.
“I like the way she pulled away in the last sixteenth,” trainer Phil D’Amato said.
ELMONT, N.Y. – With each passing week and as he watches another solid workout, trainer Chad Brown wavers on exactly what to do with Bricks and Mortar. Initially saying he was leaning toward cutting the four-time Grade 1 winner back in distance for the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Mile, Brown said he is now giving serious thought to stretching Bricks and Mortar out to 1 1/2-miles in the $4 million Turf on Nov. 2 at Santa Anita.
Complexity and Instilled Regard, graded stakes winners from a year ago, are working their way back to the races.
On Sunday, at Belmont, Complexity, the Grade 1 Champagne winner in 2018, worked five furlongs in 1:00.36 in company with the maiden One-Eyed Jack. It was the fastest work of the morning at the distance and the 10th for Complexity since the summer.
Trainer Chad Brown said Complexity is “getting close” to a return. He has made only one start this year, finishing last of 11 in the Grade 1 Woody Stephens on June 8.
Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin debuted a good-looking 2-year-old colt on Saturday as Ashaar, a well-bred and expensive yearling purchase, won his debut by 2 1/2 lengths at Belmont.
Ashaar, a son of Into Mischief and a half-brother to multiple group stakes winner Mendip, covered seven furlongs in 1:22.50 under Joe Bravo and earned an 80 Beyer Speed Figure.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Longshot late-runner La Force, who upset Paradise Woods this spring in the Grade 2 Santa Maria at Santa Anita, is a surprising addition to the Breeders’ Cup Distaff field.
Trainer Paddy Gallagher confirmed Sunday morning 5-year-old La Force will be pre-entered in the Distaff, which could be the final start of her career. La Force, 3 for 28 with earnings of $599,151, is entered in the Fasig-Tipton November sale on Nov. 5.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Secret Spice had a target Sunday morning at Santa Anita, and the Breeders’ Cup Distaff contender delivered a sharp half-mile workout as trainer Richard Baltas tries to ration her speed in advance of the $2 million Distaff on Nov. 2.
Working a half-mile at 6:40 a.m., Secret Spice broke off behind a Baltas-trained workmate, went after that rival in the lane, smoked her final quarter-mile in 22.60 seconds on Baltas’s watch, and was given a 47.60 official time by track clockers.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Keith Doleshel has been promoted to the role of racing secretary for Aqueduct, the New York Racing Association announced in a press release Saturday afternoon.
Doleshel, 34, replaces Mike Lakow, who left NYRA in September to become vice president of racing operations at Gulfstream Park. Lakow also served as racing secretary at Saratoga. A new racing secretary for Saratoga was not named in the press release.
Come Dancing, who figures to be among the top choices in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint, worked five furlongs in 1:00.91 Saturday morning over the Belmont Park training track.
With regular rider Javier Castellano at Keeneland, trainer Carlos Martin tabbed Rajiv Maragh to work Come Dancing.
Come Dancing went her first quarter in 25.84 seconds, three furlongs in 37.66 and got his final quarter in 23.25 seconds. She galloped out six furlongs in 1:14.14.
Maximum Security, who missed the Pennsylvania Derby due to a severe bout with colic, is pointing to the Grade 3, $200,000 Bold Ruler Handicap at Belmont Park on Oct. 26, trainer Jason Servis said Saturday.
The Bold Ruler will be Maximum Security’s first start since he won the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park on July 20. Maximum Security was scratched out of the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby on Sept. 21 at Parx after becoming ill.
ELMONT, N.Y. – One of the key questions surrounding Code of Honor and his chances in the Breeders’ Cup Classic is how well he bounces back off what was a hard race in the Jockey Club Gold Cup, where he was beaten a nose by Vino Rosso, but was elevated to first following the disqualification of Vino Rosso for interference.
