Sun, 06/09/2019 - 12:34

Maiden claimer Formal Dude euthanized due to pelvis injury

ARCADIA, Calif. – After injuring his pelvis in the 10th race Saturday at Santa Anita, the 4-year-old gelding Formal Dude was euthanized Saturday night.

Formal Dude was favored in the $30,000 maiden-claiming route. Jockey Tiago Pereira told trainer Phil D’Amato he felt something wrong and pulled the horse up in the stretch. Formal Dude appeared to favor his right rear leg before being loaded onto the van.

Sun, 06/09/2019 - 12:08

Sir Winston, Tacitus, War of Will circle Travers Day on calendar

Barbara D. Livingston
Trainer Mark Casse with Belmont Stakes winner Sir Winston on Sunday morning.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Trainer Mark Casse on Sunday morning was still trying to wrap his head around the conflicted feelings he had following the Belmont Stakes on Saturday, which he won with Sir Winston while seeing War of Will, his Preakness winner, beat one horse.

“It was emotional,” Casse said. “It’s like having two kids, and you’re excited for one son and upset and hurt for the other son.”

Sun, 06/09/2019 - 11:06

Gift Box drills for Stephen Foster Handicap

Emily Shields
Santa Anita Handicap winner Gift Box is pointing for the Gold Cup at Santa Anita on May 27.

ARCADIA, Calif. – The top California-based handicap horse will head to Kentucky for his next start, as trainer John Sadler and Hronis Racing find themselves in an enviable position with a glut of top older horses.

Gift Box, the winner of the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap and the runner-up in the Grade 1 Gold Cup in his most recent start, worked five furlongs Sunday at Santa Anita and will start in the Grade 2, $600,000 Stephen Foster Handicap on Saturday at Churchill Downs.

Sat, 06/08/2019 - 20:52

Belmont Stakes 2019 handle sets record for non-Triple Crown year

Debra A. Roma
Belmont Stakes Day attendance was announced at 56,217 as Sir Winston posted a 10-1 upset in the featured event.

Total handle on the Belmont Stakes on Saturday was far short of the wagering totals for the race last year, when a Triple Crown was on the line, but the figure compared more than favorably to the last time the race was run without the additional attention from a Triple Crown try in 2017, according to charts of the races.

Sat, 06/08/2019 - 20:13

Belmont Stakes: Wide trip costly for favored Tacitus

Barbara D. Livingston
Tacitus (left) finishes second to Sir Winston in the Belmont Stakes on Saturday.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Trainer Bill Mott thought drawing the outside post with Tacitus for Saturday’s $1.5 million Belmont Stakes was going to work to his advantage. Just five weeks earlier, Mott had won the Kentucky Derby with Country House, who had the outside post in a 19-horse field.

In the end, the outside post – and the subsequent wide trip under Jose Ortiz – may have been Tacitus’s undoing.

Fri, 06/07/2019 - 15:16

Turf stakes highlight Retama meet

The El Joven and La Senorita, a pair of turf stakes for 2-year-olds, will be the richest Thoroughbred offerings during the upcoming meet at Retama Park. The races will each be worth $75,000 when they are run on a Wednesday card, Aug. 14.

Retama opens a mixed meet for Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses on July 4. The season will run through Sept. 11.

Fri, 06/07/2019 - 15:06

Brown eyeing new strategy for Newspaperofrecord

Barbara D. Livingston
Cambier Parc and jockey Jose Ortiz win the Wonder Again Stakes by 1 1/4 lengths over Newspaperofrecord.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Trainer Chad Brown said he will try to change tactics with Newspaperofrecord in hopes of getting her to the Grade 1, $750,000 Belmont Oaks on July 6.

Fri, 06/07/2019 - 15:00

Maryanorginger may await Adirondack

Barbara D. Livingston
Astoria winner Maryanorginger (inside) is likely to race next on Aug. 4 in the Adirondack Stakes at Saratoga.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Maryanorginger, who overcame a stumbling start and early trouble to win Thursday’s $150,000 Astoria Stakes for 2-year-old fillies in her career debut, likely won’t make her next start until the Grade 2, $200,000 Adirondack on Aug. 4 at Saratoga, trainer Jeremiah Englehart said Friday.

Englehart said he thought the filly looked a little light to him in the paddock and he wants to give her plenty of time to get over the race.

“I’ll probably want to wait a little bit longer than [July 11] to run her,” said Englehart, referring to the Schuylerville at Saratoga.

Fri, 06/07/2019 - 14:26

Shotgun Kowboy getting ready for Remington

Emily Shields
Shotgun Kowboy, who captured the 2018 Lone Star Handicap, is back in Texas for Saturday's Steve Sexton Mile.

Shotgun Kowboy is gearing up for the Remington Park meet, which opens Aug. 23 in Oklahoma City. Shotgun Kowboy is back at Lone Star Park near Dallas after a brief freshening following his fifth-place finish in the Grade 3, $300,000 Steve Sexton Mile on April 28 at Lone Star.

Shotgun Kowboy spent some time off at the Oklahoma farm of his breeder, owner, and trainer, C.R. Trout.

“He’s back galloping right now,” Trout said. “He’ll be ready to go for Remington.”

Fri, 06/07/2019 - 14:26

Pendleton turning into the real deal

Coady Photography
Pendleton romped by 14 1/2 lengths in Sunday's San Juan County Commissioners Stakes.

Pendleton won his fourth straight race – all in New Mexico – last Sunday, when he rolled home by 14 1/2 lengths in the $75,000 San Juan County Commissioners at SunRay Park.

“He exceeded my expectations that day, that’s for sure,” said trainer Justin Evans.