Tue, 01/21/2025 - 11:51

Turfway cancels Wednesday card; will race on Sunday

Coady Photography
Wednesday night temperatures in central Kentucky are forecast to be in the low 20s or high teens, not including wind chill.

Turfway Park in Northern Kentucky has canceled its Wednesday night card and rescheduled the races for Sunday due to anticipated sub-freezing conditions in the area, the track announced on Tuesday morning. The Sunday card will begin at 12:30 p.m. Eastern.

The National Weather Service has forecasted temperatures in the low 20s and high teens for Wednesday night, not including wind chill. The latest arctic system to hit the Midwest has followed a remarkable string of cold weather in central Kentucky beginning early in the year.

Tue, 01/21/2025 - 11:38

Keeneland raises Blue Grass purse to $1.25 million

Keeneland gate shot April 16 2022
Coady Photography
Keeneland will offer record stakes purses of $9.4 million at its spring meet this year.

The 2025 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland, one of the most significant prep races for the Kentucky Derby, will be worth $1.25 million, Keeneland announced on Tuesday along with a handful of other purse increases for its spring meet.

The Blue Grass, scheduled this year for April 5, four weeks before the Derby, had a purse of $1 million from 2015 to 2019, before it was reduced to $800,000 during the height of the pandemic. The purse was restored to $1 million in 2022.

Mon, 01/20/2025 - 16:26

Fair Grounds moves Thursday card to Monday due to winter weather

Fair Grounds on Monday moved the racecard card scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 23, to Monday, January 27. 

The card will be run as already drawn, the rescheduling made necessary by a spell of unusually harsh wintry weather descending this week on New Orleans. 

As much as six inches of snow was forecast to fall in the city on Tuesday, with the low temperature Tuesday night forecast to drop to 23 degrees, radically low for the region. 

The low temperature Wednesday night is forecast to be 30 degrees before Thursday begins a shift toward more seasonable temperatures.

Mon, 01/20/2025 - 14:47

Recharge draws rail for Houston Ladies Classic

Dustin Orona Photography
Recharge drew the rail for Saturday's Grade 3 Houston Ladies Classic at Sam Houston.

Recharge, winner of last year’s Sunland Park Oaks, drew the rail in a field of nine for the Grade 3, $300,000 Houston Ladies Classic that runs Saturday at Sam Houston Race Park.

Recharge is 2 for 2 over the main track at Sam Houston, where she won an allowance ahead of the Sunland Park Oaks and won an allowance in her most recent start Jan. 3.

The complete Houston Ladies Classic field from the rail is: Recharge, Our Pretty Woman, Our Davina, Alpine Princess, Hoosier Philly, Free Like a Girl, Miss Code West, Flashy Lass, and Kara.

Mon, 01/20/2025 - 14:46

Corrina Corrina points to La Coneja

Coady Media
Corrina Corrina is being pointed to the $90,000 La Coneja on Jan. 31 at Sunland Park.

Corrina Corrina, the all-time richest New Mexico-bred Thoroughbred, did not come out of the starting gate in the Bold Ego on Friday at Sunland Park, but emerged from the incident in good order and is scheduled to run back in the track’s $90,000 La Coneja, trainer Gary Cross said Saturday.

“She’s okay,” he said. “She reared up when they kicked it and didn’t leave the gates.”

The La Coneja is a six-furlong race for New Mexico-bred fillies and mares. It will be run Jan. 31 at Sunland.

Mon, 01/20/2025 - 14:43

Deuteronomy on the rise for Shug McGaughey

Adam Coglianese/Coglianese Photos
Shug McGaughey appears to have an up-and-comer in 4-year-old Deuteronomy.

While the focus of his older male turf division centers on Integration and Battle of Normandy, entered in this Saturday’s Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Turf, trainer Shug McGaughey appears to have an up-and-comer in the division in Deuteronomy.

Mon, 01/20/2025 - 14:42

Olivia Twist retired, will be bred to Curlin

Coady Media
Olivia Twist retires from racing with a record of six wins from 15 starts.

Olivia Twist, a half-sister to $3 million earner Skippylongstocking, has been retired, trainer Todd Fincher said last week. The 5-year-old by Mshawish races for a partnership and in her last start Nov. 26 was second in the Zia Park Distaff.

Olivia Twist was a two-time stakes winner during her career and overall compiled a career record of six wins from 15 starts for earnings of $321,572.

“She’s a nice filly, been very good to us,” Fincher said.

Olivia Twist is likely to be bred to Curlin.

Mon, 01/20/2025 - 14:40

Take Charge Tom eyeing Sunland Park Derby for next start

Coady Media
Take Charge Tom took advantage of a stalking trip to win the $100,000 Riley Allison Derby on Friday at Sunland Park.

The unbeaten Take Charge Tom is on pace to make his next start in the $400,000 Sunland Park Derby on Feb. 16 after winning the local prep last Friday in New Mexico.

Take Charge Tom tracked the pace en route to a length win over favorite Smash It in the $100,000 Riley Allison Derby. For the effort, Take Charge Tom earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 77.

“I thought he ran quite well, first time going two turns – and that Smash It is no slouch,” Robertino Diodoro, who trains Take Charge Tom, said Saturday.

Mon, 01/20/2025 - 12:28

Tamara has first work since being scratched

Barbara D. Livingston
Tamara had her first workout on Sunday since being scratched from the La Brea Stakes on Dec. 26.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Tamara, the winner of the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante in 2023, has resumed workouts after missing the Grade 1 La Brea Stakes at Santa Anita on Dec. 26 because of illness.

On Sunday, Tamara worked three furlongs in 37.20 seconds.

“She went easily,” trainer Richard Mandella said. “Next week, we’ll tighten her up.”

Tamara, by Bolt d’Oro, is out of Beholder, the Hall of Fame mare who was honored with four championships in a spectacular career from 2012 to 2016.

Mon, 01/20/2025 - 12:27

Gutierrez loses home in wildfires

Barbara D. Livingston
Mario Gutierrez's home in Altadena, Calif., burned during the recent wildfires in Los Angeles. Both of his Kentucky Derby trophies were lost in the blaze.

ARCADIA, Calif. – As much as possible, jockey Mario Gutierrez is seeking normalcy these days.

Earlier this month, Gutierrez lost his Altadena, Calif., home in one of the devastating wildfires that struck Southern California. Among the immeasurable losses were his two trophies commemorating wins in the Kentucky Derby aboard I’ll Have Another (2012) and Nyquist (2016).

“They’re gone,” Gutierrez said between races at Santa Anita on Sunday. “Everything is gone.”