Sun, 09/08/2019 - 13:47

Flower Bowl, E.P. Taylor among options for Edisa

Janet Garaguso/NYRA
Edisa could return to Belmont Park for her next start.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Edisa, the three-quarter-length winner of Saturday’s $750,000 Jockey Club Oaks Invitational, left New York on Sunday to return to France, but her trainer, Alain de Royer-Dupre, said the 3-year-old filly could possibly return to North America for her next start.

Sun, 09/08/2019 - 13:40

Spanish Mission to sit out Breeders' Cup, point for Dubai

Joe Labozzetta/NYRA
Spanish Mission earned a 95 Beyer Speed Figure for his win Saturday in the Jockey Club Derby Invitational.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Spanish Mission, winner of Saturday’s $1 million Jockey Club Derby Invitational at Belmont Park, won’t run in the Breeders’ Cup Turf or any other race this year and will be pointed to a 4-year-old campaign that likely will begin in Dubai, co-owner Barry Irwin said Sunday morning.

Sat, 09/07/2019 - 13:28

Catholic Boy on track for Kelso Handicap

Barbara D. Livingston
Catholic Boy worked five furlongs in 1:00.50 over the Belmont Park training track on Saturday.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Catholic Boy, a dual-surface Grade 1 stakes winner at 1 1/4 miles as a 3-year-old, will make his next start in the Grade 2, $300,000 Kelso Handicap, a one-turn mile race at Belmont Park on Sept. 21, trainer Jonathan Thomas said Saturday.

Catholic Boy has run twice this year, winning the Grade 2 Dixie going 1 1/16 miles on turf at Pimlico on May 18 and finishing second to Preservationist in the Grade 2 Suburban going 1 1/4 miles on dirt at Belmont on July 6.

Sat, 09/07/2019 - 12:49

War of Will fires another bullet for Pennsylvania Derby

Barbara D. Livingston
War of Will, with jockey Tyler Gaffalione aboard, works five furlongs in 1:00.43 on Saturday.

ELMONT, N.Y. - War of Will, the Preakness winner, drilled five furlongs in 59 seconds Saturday morning over the Belmont Park training track, his third consecutive bullet workout in preparation for the Grade 1, $1 million Pennsylvania Derby at Parx on Sept. 21.

Fri, 09/06/2019 - 15:46

Winter Sunset impressive in Indiana

Coady Photography
Winter Sunset easily wins the Indiana Grand Stakes on Wednesday.

Winter Sunset came out of her impressive win Wednesday in the $200,000 Indiana Grand Stakes in good shape, but trainer Wayne Catalano said there are no specific plans yet for this impeccably bred daughter of Tapit and Winter Memories.

“We were happy with the way she ran, and she came out of it well, but I don’t really have plans at the moment,” Catalano said. “We’ll look over the options.”

Fri, 09/06/2019 - 15:40

Mr. Jagermeister headed to Churchill for Ack Ack

Coady Photography
Mr. Jagermeister wins the Minnesota Sprint Championship by 5 1/4 lengths last Sunday.

Mr. Jagermeister is bound next week for Churchill Downs, where he’ll try to stretch his speed to a one-turn mile Sept. 28 in the Grade 3, $150,000 Ack Ack Stakes.

Fri, 09/06/2019 - 15:30

Fair Maiden representing Arlington well at Woodbine

Michael Burns
Fair Maiden earned a 91 Beyer Speed Figure for her win in the Catch a Glimpse Stakes at Woodbine.

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. – One of the fastest 2-year-old fillies in North America so far this year is training quietly along at Arlington.

Fri, 09/06/2019 - 14:36

Sadler will use City of Hope as a Breeders' Cup prep for Catapult

Emily Shields
Catapult will use the City of Hope Mile at Santa Anita to prepare for the Breeders' Cup Mile.

Catapult, second in the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Churchill Downs last November, is scheduled to start in the Grade 2 City of Hope Mile on Oct. 5 at Santa Anita after being withdrawn from Thursday’s Old Friends Stakes at Kentucky Downs.

Catapult was never sent to Kentucky, trainer John Sadler said Friday. The $200,000 City of Hope Mile will be Catapult’s first start since a fifth in the Grade 2 Eddie Read Stakes on July 21 at Del Mar and is designed as a prep for the BC Mile on Nov. 2 at Santa Anita.

Fri, 09/06/2019 - 14:30

Bellafina probable for Cotillion Stakes

Barbara D. Livingston
Bellafina is tentatively being pointed to the Grade 1 Cotillion at Parx on Sept. 21.

Bellafina, who was third in the Grade 1 Test Stakes at Saratoga on Aug. 3 in her only start of the summer, is tentatively scheduled to return in the Grade 1 Cotillion Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Parx Racing on Sept. 21.

Trainer Simon Callaghan said the $1 million Cotillion Stakes at 1 1/16 miles is preferred over the Grade 3 Charles Town Oaks at seven furlongs on the same day.

“The travel there is problematic,” he said of Charles Town. “It’s a flight and an extremely long van ride.”

Fri, 09/06/2019 - 13:56

Maximum Security puts in a Friday morning workout for the Pennsylvania Derby

Kim Pratt
Maximum Security two-minute licks a mile at Parx Racing on Friday under Alvaro Tomas.

BENSALEM, Pa. – The gate to the Parx main track by the half-mile pole was still closed as Maximum Security, escorted by a pony, made his way down the horse path.

As a maintenance man went to slide the gate open, trainer Jason Servis instructed exercise rider Alvaro Tomas to take Maximum Security further down the path.

“I just want to get my horse on the track,” Servis said in a tone belying his easy-going manner.