ELMONT, N.Y. – Spinoff, who competed in two legs of the Triple Crown, will switch surfaces for his next start when he runs in next Saturday’s Grade 1, $1 million Belmont Derby Invitational at Belmont Park.
On Saturday morning, Spinoff put in his final breeze for the Belmont Derby when he worked a half-mile in 49.06 seconds over the Belmont turf. He worked in company with Social Paranoia, who will also represent Pletcher in the Belmont Derby. The two completed their final quarter in 23 seconds.
ELMONT, N.Y. – In an about face from a week ago, the New York Racing Association will not allow trainer Jerry Hollendorfer to run horses at its tracks under his name, the Hall of Fame trainer and his attorney told Daily Racing Form on Saturday.
The decision came a week after The Stronach Group announced it had banned Hollendorfer from stabling, training, or racing at its tracks after he had a fourth horse sustain a fatal breakdown during a six-month span.
Plus Que Parfait, winner of the Group 2 UAE Derby and the ninth-place finisher in the Kentucky Derby, will return to the turf for next Saturday’s Grade 1, $1 million Belmont Derby Invitational, trainer Brendan Walsh confirmed Friday.
Plus Que Parfait has not run on the grass since he finished third over it in his career debut as a 2-year-old. Plus Que Parfait, who has not raced since the Kentucky Derby, has worked twice over the turf at Churchill and Walsh has been pleased with what he’s seen. The Belmont Derby is run at 1 1/4 miles.
Beginning with the Saratoga meet, which opens July 11, the New York Racing Association will charge a 1.5 percent fee on all claims, with that money going to Thoroughbred aftercare.
In addition, the existing owner’s contribution to the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA) of $5 per starter at a NYRA track will increase to $10.
GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas – Moro Said Ready became trainer J.R. Caldwell’s fourth 2-year-old winner of the Lone Star Park meet last Sunday when he won his maiden in the $65,000 Staunch Avenger division of the Texas Stallion Stakes.
The Staunch Avenger was the first 2-year-old stakes of the meet for colts and geldings. Caldwell’s other juvenile winners have come in maiden special weight races, starting with Midknightwar on May 25. Caldwell also won with Tap and Spin on May 27 and Tick Tack Mo on June 13.
CYPRESS, Calif. – Schrodinger, a 2-year-old first-time starter who runs in Sunday’s fifth race at Los Alamitos, is keeping top jockey Flavien Prat on the go this weekend.
Prat was booked to ride at Woodbine on Saturday. Schrodinger is one of two mounts for Prat on Sunday’s nine-race program at Los Alamitos.
Purchased for $550,000 at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales 2-year-olds in training auction in March, Schrodinger will start in a maiden special weight amidst high expectations from owner Kaleem Shah and trainer Simon Callaghan.
Average all-sources handle rose at the six-month Santa Anita meeting that ended June 23, according to statistics provided by the California Horse Racing Board.
Average handle, including from ontrack, satellite, and account-wagering sources, was $11,670,777, a gain of 3.6 percent compared to $11,255,944 at the 2017-18 meeting.
Roy H, the champion sprinter the last two years, will resume training after missing a scheduled start in the Group 1 Golden Shaheen Sprint in Dubai in March because of a foot ailment.
Trainer Peter Miller said Friday that Roy H is likely to have a single prep before the Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Santa Anita on Nov. 2, a race he won at Del Mar in 2017 and at Churchill Downs last year. Miller said he is targeting the Grade 1 Santa Anita Sprint Championship in early October.
Seeking the Soul, winner of the June 15 Stephen Foster at Churchill Downs, will be pointed to the Pacific Classic at Del Mar while staying put at Churchill for the summer, trainer Dallas Stewart said this week. The Grade 1 race is set for Aug. 17.
Seeking the Soul, bred and owned by Charles Fipke, also had been considered for the Grade 1 Whitney on Aug. 3 at Saratoga, but Stewart will be using the same strategy he used to great success the last time he won a major event for Fipke at Del Mar.
