ELMONT, N.Y. – Vino Rosso, winner of the Grade 1 Gold Cup at Santa Anita on May 27, returned to the work tab Saturday, breezing a half-mile in 49.78 seconds over the training track.
Trainer Todd Pletcher said that barring a change of heart by the owners – Mike Repole and Vinnie Viola – Vino Rosso would point to the Grade 1, $1 million Whitney at Saratoga on Aug. 3. Vino Rosso went winless in two starts at Saratoga last summer, finishing third in the Jim Dandy and fifth in the Travers.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Jockeys Manny Franco and Corey Lanerie were each issued a suspension by the New York stewards.
Franco was suspended 10 calendar days for his ride on Deft in Saturday’s first race at Belmont Park. In the stretch, Franco took Deft from off the rail and cut in front of Highway Flyer, causing that horse to bobble and unseat Luis Saez.
Deft was disqualified from third and ordered unplaced.
Franco’s suspension was reduced to seven days for waiving his right of appeal. He will serve the days starting Saturday and be eligible to ride June 29.
A bill designed to aid the Texas racing and breeding industry was signed into law Saturday by Gov. Greg Abbott, confirmed Robert Elrod, spokesman for the Texas Racing Commission. It goes into effect Sept. 1.
The bill calls for a portion of existing taxes on specific horse products and services like feed, supplements, tack, grooming supplies, bedding and boarding, to be placed in an escrow account that will be capped at $25 million a year.
Mocito Rojo and jockey Filemon Rodriguez have been one of the most successful teams in Louisiana racing over the past three years. The horse and rider have combined for 13 wins since first being paired together in May 2017 and on Saturday night will defend their title in the $100,000 Evangeline Mile at Evangeline Downs in Opelousas, La.
Direct Dial, the reigning Texas-bred Horse of the Year, will meet multiple stakes winner Supermason on Sunday at Lone Star Park in the $50,000 Wayne Hanks Memorial. The 6 1/2-furlong race for Texas-breds is one of four restricted stakes on the nine-race program. The stakes are worth a cumulative $230,000.
Direct Dial will break from post 2. Trainer Steve Asmussen has given the mount to Richard Eramia. Supermason will start from post 8. Lindey Wade has the mount for trainer Joe Sharp.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Holiday Disguise, who recorded her sixth stakes victory when she took Saturday’s Dancin Renee Stakes at Belmont Park, will be pointed to the $100,000 Union Avenue Stakes for New York-bred females going 6 1/2 furlongs at Saratoga on Aug. 15, trainer Linda Rice said Monday.
“She’s a rateable sprinter. She likes to close,” Rice said. “She won the Critical Eye [at a mile] but I really think she’s truly a sprinter.”
ELMONT, N.Y. – Clyde’s Image looked like he was going to win the Poker Stakes on Sunday as the 9-5 favorite. About 20 yards before the wire, he took a funny step and jockey Javier Castellano can be seen grabbing the horse trying to slow him down. Clyde’s Image finished fifth, beaten a neck.
He was diagnosed with a bowed tendon in his right foreleg, an injury that will definitely end his racing career. On Monday, trainer Tom Bush was guardedly optimistic the gelding could be saved.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Trainer Robert Falcone Jr. wasn’t on hand Saturday to watch his up-and-coming Florida-bred filly Supercommittee dominate the $100,000 Ginger Punch Stakes in a race switched from the turf to a sloppy main track. But the young horseman was still excited when talking about the performance by phone from his Belmont Park headquarters on Monday.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – King Humor showed he was something special right off the bat, winning his debut during the height of the 2018 Gulfstream Park championship meeting by four lengths while earning an eye-catching 98 Beyer Speed Figure. But his career was put on hold for a year last June after he exited a stakes win here with an injury, and there was always the question of whether the promising youngster would be able to come back and live up to all that potential.
