Mon, 06/24/2019 - 13:30

Zayas has edge in rider standings as spring meet nears end

Barbara D. Livingston
Edgard Zayas holds the lead in the Gulfstream Park jockey standings going into the spring meet's final days.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Edgard Zayas holds a 64-56 advantage over Emisael Jaramillo in the jockey standings, while Saffie Joseph Jr. maintains a comfortable 20-14 edge over both Ralph Nicks and Antonio Sano in the trainer standings heading into the final four days of Gulfstream Park’s 2019 spring meet, which ends Sunday.

Jaramillo might have been able to shave a little more off Zayas’s lead had he not spent the weekend at Monmouth Park, where he won three races on Saturday and two more on Sunday’s card.

Mon, 06/24/2019 - 13:30

Biancone has contenders for Smile Sprint, Princess Rooney

Lauren King/Coglianese Photos
Trainer Patrick Biancone has been pointing the lightly raced Diamond Oops (above) for Saturday’s Grade 3 Smile Sprint and has Razorback Lady for the Grade 2 Princess Rooney.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Diamond Oops has taken a somewhat unconventional route to get there, but he could be one of the more intriguing players in what figures to be a wide open renewal of the Grade 3 Smile Sprint on Saturday’s Summit of Speed program at Gulfstream Park. Diamond Oops is one of two horses trainer Patrick Biancone has been pointing toward the Summit of Speed for the past several months, along with the graded stakes-placed Razorback Lady, who will be among a small field of fillies and mares expected for the Grade 2 Princess Rooney.

Mon, 06/24/2019 - 12:26

Asmussen becomes third trainer to win 700 races at Churchill Downs

Barbara D. Livingston
On Saturday, Steve Asmussen joined Bill Mott and Dale Romans as the only trainers to win 700 races at Churchill Downs.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – One race before saddling Mia Mischief to defeat Covfefe in the Roxelana on Saturday, Steve Asmussen achieved another milestone in his Hall of Fame training career.

Rocky Tough went last to first in an allowance, making Asmussen just the third trainer in Churchill history with 700 wins. He then won the Roxelana and two more races Sunday, giving him 703, which trails only Dale Romans (729) and Bill Mott (715) atop the all-time Churchill list.

Mon, 06/24/2019 - 12:26

Cox has seven-win weekend despite Covfefe's loss

Barbara D. Livingston
Brad Cox will be bringing Covfefe to Saratoga for the summer.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Covfefe got beat, and still last weekend was another fabulous one for trainer Brad Cox.

“Covfefe ran really well, but sometimes you don’t win even when you run big,” said Cox, who had seven winners among four different tracks from Friday to Sunday, most notably Owendale in the Ohio Derby at Thistledown.

Mon, 06/24/2019 - 12:20

Albarado has surgery after fracturing wrist in spill

Barbara D. Livingston
Albarado, who has been riding almost 30 years, went down in a second-race spill at Churchill on Sunday.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Jockey Robby Albarado will be sidelined indefinitely after undergoing surgery Sunday evening for a fractured left wrist suffered in a spill earlier in the day at Churchill Downs.

Albarado was injured during the second race when his mount, Dennis’ Moment, appeared to clip heels when in a tight spot next to the inner rail when passing the half-mile pole. Albarado was dislodged, falling hard on his left side.

Mon, 06/24/2019 - 11:50

Several jockeys serving suspensions

Justin N. Lane
Manny Franco will miss seven days for a careless riding infraction.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Three jockeys who ride regularly at Belmont Park will be serving suspensions of varying lengths this week.

Last Saturday, Manny Franco started a seven-day suspension for a careless riding infraction in regard to the first race on June 15. Franco, the 10th-leading rider at the Belmont meet with 20 wins, will be eligible to ride on Sunday. The suspension was reduced from 10 days for waiving his appeal.

Sun, 06/23/2019 - 18:29

McKinzie takes it slow in first work back after Met Mile

Barbara D. Livingston
McKinzie covered a half-mile in 51 seconds on Sunday at Santa Anita Park.

ARCADIA, Calif. – McKinzie, a troubled second in the Grade 1 Metropolitan Stakes at Belmont Park on June 8, worked a half-mile in 51 seconds on Sunday at Santa Anita for a scheduled start in the Grade 1 Whitney Stakes at Saratoga on Aug. 3.

The $1 million Whitney Stakes is run at 1 1/8 miles. The winner receives a fees-paid berth in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita on Nov. 2.

Sun, 06/23/2019 - 18:18

Upcoming Del Mar, Los Alamitos meets will have safety review panels

A five-person panel of veterinarians and stewards will continue a recently enacted policy of reviewing the medical, training and race records of all horses entered to race at the summer meetings at Los Alamitos and Del Mar in coming months.

Rick Arthur, California’s equine medical director, said on Sunday that the personnel for the Los Alamitos panel had yet to be finalized. A Del Mar official said on Saturday that the track will have a review panel, and said an announcement on details will be made this week.

Sun, 06/23/2019 - 18:06

Simply Breathless targeting Del Mar stakes

Benoit Photo
Simply Breathless won her third consecutive race in Saturday's Wilshire Stakes at Santa Anita.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Simply Breathless extended her winning streak to three races in two countries with a smart-looking victory in Saturday’s Grade 3 Wilshire Stakes for fillies and mares at a mile on turf at Santa Anita.

Sun, 06/23/2019 - 17:36

Hollendorfer will be permitted to race, train at NYRA tracks

Barbara D. Livingston
Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer presently has six horses stabled at Belmont Park.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Jerry Hollendorfer, the Hall of Fame trainer who was banned from training and racing his horses at tracks owned by the Stronach Group – including Santa Anita and Golden Gate where he was based – will be permitted to race and train at New York Racing Association tracks, the company said in a statement on Sunday.