ELMONT, N.Y. – Tacitus, the winner of the Grade 2 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct and the third-place finisher in the Kentucky Derby, returned to New York on Wednesday and is based at Belmont Park, where on June 8 he will run in the $1.5 million Belmont Stakes, potentially as the favorite.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia – After a lifetime of racing, Wayne Russell will call it a career following the last race at Hastings on Monday. Russell, who literally grew up at the track, has been a steward at Hastings for the last 20 years.
“I am going to be a bit choked up after the last race Monday,” he said. “The time has come to move on, but I have had a great life at the track and will miss it.”
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Trainer Kathleen O’Connell said her top 3-year-old Well Defined is back in training after being given some time off following his ninth-place finish in the Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby.
Well Defined, a homebred son of With Distinction owned by Stonehedge LLC, had captured the Grade 3 Sam Davis with a career-best 93 Beyer Speed Figure in his previous start and was considered the top local 2-year-old prospect here last season following his one-sided victory in the 1 1/16-mile In Reality Stakes.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – The road to Royal Ascot continued Friday morning at Gulfstream Park for the Grade 2-winning turf sprint specialist Imprimis. Working on the dirt, Imprimis breezed an easy half-mile in 48.25 seconds before galloping out five furlongs in 1:01.75 over a track dulled some by rain the previous day.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – The 160th running of the $1 million Queen’s Plate is quickly approaching, with just six weeks to go before the top Canadian-bred 3-year-olds enter the starting gate on June 29 at Woodbine. A pair of local Queen’s Plate preps will take place this weekend at Woodbine, and another leading contender will be in action in Northern California.
ARCADIA, Calif. - A large contingent of Bob Baffert-trained 2-year-olds are stabled at Los Alamitos where they are gearing up for career debuts, including an unnamed filly with a flashy pedigree who worked a bullet three furlongs this week in 35.20. Sired by Into Mischief and produced by Bubbler, the filly is a sibling to Arrogate.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Santa Anita-based Campaign and Giant Expectations are headed to Belmont Park for specialty stakes. Campaign, runaway winner of the Grade 3, 1 1/2-mile Tokyo City last month at Santa Anita, will target the Grade 2, 1 1/2-mile Brooklyn Invitational on June 8 trainer John Sadler said.
Campaign might be joined on the trip by Catalina Cruiser, who will work this weekend before Sadler decides where he returns.
“He might go to the True North,” Sadler said. “I need to get him started back.”
ARCADIA, Calif. - Not that Gift Box needs any help May 27 in the Grade 1 Gold Cup at Santa Anita, but trainer John Sadler and owners Kosta and Pete Hronis plan to unveil a second shooter in the 1 1/4-mile dirt race.
“Our secret weapon, Gift Box II,” Sadler said describing recently acquired Higher Power.
A 4-year-old by Medaglia d’Oro, Higher Power was purchased at auction for $250,000 in April at Keeneland and will be making his California debut.
Higher Power won 3 of 9 in the Midwest for trainers Mike Stidham and Donnie Von Hemel.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Delta Prince, an outstanding New York-based turf miler, and Sharp Samurai, a high-class California comebacker, will help make the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile on May 27 the strongest turf stakes this year in California.
It is fitting, since the Shoemaker is a Breeders’ Cup Challenge event for the BC Mile.
Delta Prince and Sharp Samurai will tackle Catapult, Ohio, Blitzkrieg, and possibly Bolo and River Boyne in the $500,000 Shoemaker.
Luis Saez has filed an appeal of a 15-day suspension handed down by the stewards at Churchill Downs for his ride on Maximum Security during the May 4 Kentucky Derby, according to his attorney. Saez also filed a request for a stay of the suspension until his appeal can be heard.
