LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The look in their eyes said it all.
“I’ve had people tell me it was one of the greatest races they’ve ever seen a horse run,” said Brad Cox, who sent out Covfefe to a record-shattering run last Friday in the Grade 3 Miss Preakness at Pimlico. “She was about as impressive as a horse can possibly be. The way she ran really was incredible.”
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – The speedy sprinter Yorkton may switch to the turf for the $175,000 Connaught Cup Stakes, according to Robert Landry, general manager for the horse’s owner, Chiefswood Stable. The seven-furlong Connaught Cup has Grade 2 status, and will be run here June 1.
Yorkton was a Sovereign award finalist for Canadian champion male sprinter last year. He faded after getting softened up in a speed duel in his season opener in the Grade 3 Jacques Cartier Stakes.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Commencing in the third condition book of the Woodbine meet, starter allowance races have been eliminated, except for several novelty starter races.
The first one is on May 29, the Early Bird Starter Handicap, a six-furlong Tapeta sprint for 3-year-olds and up who started for a claiming price at the meet before May 13.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Flor de La Mar will become the first Kentucky Oaks starter to run back when she starts Sunday at Santa Anita in the Grade 2 Summertime Oaks. Flor de La Mar, runner-up in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Oaks prior to finishing 12th in the Kentucky Oaks, worked a half-mile Tuesday a morning in 49.
A small field is taking shape for the Summertime Oaks. Possible starters for the 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-old fillies include Sneaking Out, My Majestic Rose, Flor del La Mar, and Colonial Creed.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Ollie’s Candy will dive into the deep end on Memorial Day when she starts for the first time in nine months. After a big work Monday at Santa Anita, new trainer John Sadler confirmed the 4-year-old filly would start in the Grade 1 Gamely.
“It’s aggressive," Sadler said. "It’s her first race back and she’s going against older, but she looks pretty fit. She’s ready to go.”
ARCADIA, Calif. – Catalina Cruiser, the top sprinter-miler in California last summer, will make his 2019 debut in the Grade 2 True North on June 7 at Belmont Park trainer John Sadler said Tuesday.
Sadler nominated Catalina Cruiser and Cistron, both owned by Hronis Racing, to the Grade 2 Triple Bend Stakes on Saturday at Santa Anita.
“I’m going to run Cistron here and save Catalina for New York,” Sadler said. “I’d like one more work [for Catalina Cruiser].”
Will Rogers Downs in Claremore, Okla., has canceled racing for Tuesday and Wednesday due to significant rainfall in the area over the last 24 hours, said Travis Noland, director of communications with Cherokee Nation.
Noland said Tuesday that the cancellation was made for the safety of jockeys and horses.
Parts of Oklahoma and Texas have been experiencing severe weather since Saturday.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Spectacular Music, a first-time starter who was pulled up on the backstretch of Sunday’s sixth race at Santa Anita, was euthanized Monday because of a pelvis injury, according to Rick Arthur, California’s equine medical director.
Trained by Steve Miyadi and co-owned by Miyadi and Nadine Anderson, Spectacular Music was pulled up by jockey Jorge Velez a little more than a furlong into a $50,000 claimer for maiden California-breds at six furlongs.
Anna’s Fast and Nayibeth, a pair of debut 2-year-old winners last month, made morning history Sunday at Keeneland.
The duo, aimed for races at England’s prestigious Royal Ascot meeting in June by trainer Wesley Ward, breezed a half-mile in company on the Keeneland turf course in 45.60 seconds, the fastest grass breeze over that distance there since at least 1996. A search of Daily Racing Form’s workout database, which dates back to spring 1996, revealed that before Sunday, the prior-best time had been 46.20, set by two-time Horse of the Year Wise Dan in October 2011.
ARCADIA, Calif. – California trainers Mike Pender and Marcelo Polanco were told by Santa Anita management over the weekend to vacate their stalls, according to two track officials who declined to speak publicly.
Pender, who has approximately 19 horses, was cited for an undisclosed horse-welfare issue, while Polanco, who has five horses in his care, was cited for training a horse on behalf of another person, according to the track officials.
It was not immediately clear when Pender and Polanco would be required to disperse their horses.
