Fri, 08/30/2019 - 14:40

Race for winning trainer may go down to the wire

Barbara D. Livingston
Doug O'Neill leads the trainer standings at Del Mar's summer meet going into closing weekend.

DEL MAR, Calif. – Monday’s Grade 1 Runhappy Del Mar Futurity may determine the leading trainer for the track’s summer meeting.

Through Thursday, with four days of racing remaining, Doug O’Neill led the standings with 19 wins, three more than Richard Baltas and Peter Miller, who were tied for second. All three trainers will be active through Monday’s closing program, and have runners scheduled for the $300,000 Del Mar Futurity at seven furlongs.

Fri, 08/30/2019 - 13:42

Got Stormy among 28 nominees to Woodbine Mile

Ronnie Betor
Got Stormy, a $23,000 yearling purchase at the 2016 Keeneland September yearling sale, wins the Grade 1 Fourstardave Handicap at Saratoga.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - The brilliant 4-year-old filly Got Stormy is among the 28 nominees to the $1 million Woodbine Mile, a Grade 1 turf event on Sept. 14 that is one of the highlights of the 133-day meet.

Got Stormy won two Saratoga stakes that were just a week apart in August, most notably the Grade 1 Fourstardave against the boys. She’s been pointed to the Woodbine Mile by trainer by Mark Casse, who won back-to-back runnings of the race with Tepin and World Approval in 2016-17. Casse also nominated Curlin’s Honor and March to the Arch.

Fri, 08/30/2019 - 13:25

With Hurricane Dorian approaching, Gulfstream cancels Sunday and Monday

Barbara D. Livingston
Gulfstream's summer meet runs April 4 through Sept. 29.

Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla., has canceled its Sunday and Monday live racing cards due to the approach of Hurricane Dorian, the track announced on Friday.

In addition to cancelling the two cards, held on a three-day weekend that includes Labor Day on Monday, the entire Gulfstream facility will be closed as of midnight on Saturday, the track said, including its casino and onsite simulcast-wagering operations. The closure will remain in effect “until further notice,” Gulfstream said.

Thu, 08/29/2019 - 17:05

Pegasus World Cup, Florida Derby highlight Gulfstream Championship meet

Ronnie Betor
The Gulfstream Championship meeting will offer 98 stakes, with 39 of them graded.

The $16 million Pegasus World Cup Championship Series and the $1 million Florida Derby will again highlight the rich stakes schedule for the 2019-20 Gulfstream Park Championship meeting, which opens Nov. 29.

Gulfstream will offer 98 stakes during the meet, 39 graded, for purses totaling $28.6 million. The meet ends March 29, 2020.

Thu, 08/29/2019 - 15:26

Englehart hoping Risky Mischief can keep 2-year-old momentum going

Barbara D. Livingston
Risky Mischief, an impressive Saratoga maiden winner, will race next in the Spinaway on Sunday.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – When Moonachie rolled to a 10-length victory in Wednesday’s sixth race here, it marked the seventh win by a juvenile at the Saratoga meet for trainer Jeremiah Englehart.

Moonachie, a New York-bred gelding by Central Banker owned by Hall of Fame football coach Bill Parcells, ran six furlongs in 1:10.78 and earned a 72 Beyer Speed Figure.

“He was training well, I didn’t think he’d run as well as he did,” said Englehart, who may wheel Moonachie back in the Bertram F. Bongard on Sept. 20 at Belmont.

Thu, 08/29/2019 - 15:16

Divine Miss Grey euthanized

Justin N. Lane
Divine Miss Grey's biggest win came in the Grade 2 Chilukki at Churchill Downs.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Divine Miss Grey, who was pulled up and vanned off in the Aug. 3 De La Rose Stakes, was euthanized Monday due to complications from surgery, according to trainer Danny Gargan.

In the De La Rose, Divine Miss Grey had fractured the sesamoid in her left foreleg, but the original prognosis was that she would survive. Following surgery to repair the fracture, Divine Miss Grey was not getting sufficient blood flow to her foot, Gargan said.

Thu, 08/29/2019 - 14:40

Starlet a possibility for Been Studying Her

Benoit Photo
Been Studying Her wins the Generous Portion Stakes at Del Mar on Wednesday.

DEL MAR, Calif. – There may be a Grade 1 race in the future for Been Studying Her, who won her stakes debut in Wednesday’s $100,351 Generous Portion Stakes for California-bred 2-year-old fillies at Del Mar.

Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said Thursday that Been Studying Her has been nominated to the Grade 1 Starlet Stakes on Dec. 7 at Los Alamitos.

In the Generous Portion, Been Studying Her ($19.20) closed from fifth of seven under jockey Mike Smith to win by 1 1/4 lengths over 8-1 Cholula Lips, finishing six furlongs in 1:11.56. She earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 72.

Thu, 08/29/2019 - 14:40

Omaha Beach continues to progress toward Ack Ack

Barbara D. Livingston
Omaha Beach is scheduled to return to racing in the Ack Ack on Sept. 28 at Churchill Downs.

DEL MAR, Calif. – Omaha Beach, unraced since a win in the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park in April, worked a half-mile in 47.80 seconds on Thursday at Del Mar for his comeback race at Churchill Downs next month.

The time equaled the fastest of 35 works at the distance that day. Trainer Richard Mandella timed Omaha Beach galloping out five furlongs in 1:00.60.

Omaha Beach was sidelined earlier this month with illness.

“He looked good,” Mandella said after the work. “He was clean afterward. No cough, no nothing.”

Thu, 08/29/2019 - 14:36

Express Train earns shot at American Pharoah Stakes

Benoit Photo
Express Train won a one-mile maiden race by 14 1/4 lengths Wednesday.

DEL MAR, Calif. – Express Train had a narrow lead on the backstretch of a maiden special weight race at a mile at Del Mar on Wednesday when the heavily favored colt was briefly passed by a longshot rival.

The deficit was quickly reversed. With minimal urging by jockey Mike Smith, Express Train regained the lead and had a one-length advantage with a quarter-mile remaining. Express Train won by 14 1/4 lengths over Can’tbetemall, a 40-1 outsider who had led momentarily.

Wed, 08/28/2019 - 16:00

LaPenta, Kumin buy Bellavia, transfer him to Pletcher

Debra A. Roma
Bellavia (background, above) was privately purchased after finishing second in his career debut to Tumbling Sky.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – A majority interest in the 2-year-old Bellavia, who finished second to Tumbling Sky in a highly regarded maiden race here on Aug. 10 has been sold, and the son of Honor Code has been transferred to trainer Todd Pletcher.

Robert LaPenta and Sol Kumin’s Madaket Stables headed a group that partnered to buy a 70 percent interest in Bellavia. His previous owners, Randy Bradshaw and Fred Rosen, have retained a minority share. The horse was trained by Jena Antonucci.