Shes Our Fastest is back at her Evangeline Downs base after the 4-year-old filly won the fourth stakes of her career Sunday in the $50,000 Valor Farm Stakes at Lone Star Park. The race was for Texas-bred fillies and mares, and Shes Our Fastest was a three-quarter-length winner while covering six furlongs in 1:10.66.
“She ran a big race,” trainer Scott Gelner said. “She had to fight to get the win. She dug in and got it.”
DEL MAR, Calif. – Catapult and Sharp Samurai were the top two finishers in the Grade 2 Eddie Read last summer at Del Mar, and they were among those expected to be entered Thursday for this year’s edition, to be held Sunday.
The Eddie Read, a 1 1/8-mile grass race for 3-year-olds and up, is also expected to include Bowies Hero, Majestic Eagle, Marckie’s Water, and Ohio.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The dominating winners of the marquee races at Indiana Grand last Saturday night both returned to Churchill Downs in good order as their connections now ponder whether to run next in a Grade 1 at Saratoga.
Mr. Money, who earned a 99 Beyer Speed Figure in winning the Indiana Derby by 2 1/2 lengths, has the Aug. 24 Travers as a possible next start, while Street Band, a 3 1/2-length winner of the Indiana Oaks with an 87 Beyer, could go next in the Aug. 17 Alabama.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Perennial leader Eurico Da Silva was recently reunited with agent Tom Patton, and the Brazilian native is on target for another Woodbine riding title this year.
Following a car accident in 2017, Patton missed all of last year due to health issues. Early this month, he began booking mounts again for Da Silva, who was represented by Mike Luider during his hiatus. Luider, who recently picked up Luis Contreras, is the long-time agent for Emma-Jayne Wilson.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer Steve Asmussen, who won the 2018 Jim Dandy Stakes with Tenfold, will seek a second straight Jim Dandy trophy when he sends out Laughing Fox in the Grade 2, $600,000 stakes for 3-year-olds on July 27.
Laughing Fox, who finished fifth in the Preakness, 3 3/4 lengths behind winner War of Will, worked five furlongs in 1:01.19 Monday over the Oklahoma training track. He got his last three furlongs in 36.50 seconds and galloped out six furlongs in 1:13.64 and seven furlongs in 1:26.38.
“That’s as good as he’s ever worked," Asmussen said.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Guarana was certainly impressive drawing away to a six-length triumph in the Grade 1 Acorn last month at Belmont Park. But there was no shortage of rave reviews for runner-up Serengeti Empress following her courageous effort in defeat in the one-mile Acorn.
Alfredo Lichoa found fulfillment in his prior callings in the Thoroughbred business, first as a veterinarian in his native Venezuela and then as a farm manager and consultant in Ocala, Fla.
But that lifetime of work never provided the kind of thrill Lichoa got Saturday at Gulfstream Park when Lady Alida led all the way at 18-1 in the $75,000 Treasure Coast Stakes, giving the 56-year-old his first stakes victory as a trainer.
Maximum Security turned in his last piece of serious work on Monday prior to the Grade 1 Haskell at Monmouth Park.
Maximum Security, who will be favored in Saturday’s Haskell, two-minute licked a mile at Monmouth in 1:53 and change. Trainer Jason Servis said the son of New Year’s Day went his first half-mile in a minute and then came home in just over 53 seconds.
“I’m feeling good about him,” Servis said.
Eddie Johnston trained the recently retired multiple stakes winner Pacific Pink, and he appears to have another quality Louisiana-bred distaffer on his hands in Is Too.
Is Too defeated open company at her Evangeline Downs base last Friday night in the $50,000 Opelousas Stakes. She is now a candidate to return to the Louisiana-bred ranks in the $50,000 Louisiana Cup Distaff on Aug. 3 at Louisiana Downs, said Johnston.
DEL MAR, Calif. – Justify ran six times, his last race coming just 111 days after his first. Yet the impact of the 2018 Triple Crown winner is being felt in Southern California more than a year later.
