Mon, 05/19/2025 - 11:39

Rispoli aims at more Memorial Day success with Liguria, Formidable Man

Benoit Photo

Umberto Rispoli will be aboard his regular mount, Formidable Man, in search of back-to-back wins in the Shoemaker Mile.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Last May, on the Memorial Day program at Santa Anita, jockey Umberto Rispoli won two Grade 1 races on the same program for the first time in his career with Anisette in the Gamely Stakes and Johannes in the Shoemaker Mile.

The same milestone is within reach on Monday for Rispoli, who has been at the center of the racing world after his dramatic win aboard Journalism in Saturday’s Preakness Stakes at Pimlico. The Preakness was the first American classic victory for the 36-year-old Rispoli, a native of Italy who has ridden in the United States since late 2019.

Sat, 05/17/2025 - 20:55

Sunday pick six begins with $45,806 carryover

By Steve Andersen

ARCADIA, Calif. - The $2 pick six at Santa Anita on Sunday begins with a carryover of $45,806.

The carryover was confirmed after the ninth race on Saturday’s 10-race program, the fifth division of the bet. An upset win by Druidic ($32.40) in the ninth race clinched the carryover.

Sunday’s pick six covers the fifth through 10th races on a program that begins at 1 p.m. Pacific. The pool of new money is likely to surpass $250,000. The fifth race has a scheduled post time of 3:08 p.m.

Sat, 05/17/2025 - 11:15

Sovereignty puts in half-mile work in preparation for Belmont

By David Grening

Barbara D. Livingston

Sovereignty worked a half-mile at Saratoga Saturday in preparation for his next start in the Belmont Stakes on June 7.

Approximately 13 hours before the Preakness was run at Pimlico, Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty was in action at Saratoga, where he worked a half-mile in 49.75 seconds over the Oklahoma training track in preparation for the June 7 Belmont Stakes to be run at Saratoga.

According to New York Racing Association clocker David Norton, Sovereignty went in splits of 12.88 seconds, 25.02 and galloped out five furlongs in 1:04.29. Sovereignty went by himself under exercise rider Neil Poznansky.

Fri, 05/16/2025 - 14:07

Baeza returns to the work tab with aim at Belmont

By Steve Andersen

Barbara D. Livingston

Baeza had his first work Friday since finishing third in the Kentucky Derby, and will now point toward the Belmont Stakes at Saratoga.

Baeza, third in the Kentucky Derby on May 3, worked a slow half-mile in 53.60 seconds at Santa Anita on Friday in preparation for a scheduled start in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes at Saratoga on June 7.

Ridden by Hector Berrios, Baeza had the slowest of 43 recorded works at the distance on the main track. The time was not a concern for trainer John Shirreffs.

“He was very relaxed and doing it very easily,” Shirreffs said. “He looked really nice.”

Fri, 05/16/2025 - 12:55

May Day Ready to return in Wonder Again

By David Grening

Barbara D. Livingston

May Day Ready has gone on to great heights since winning a maiden race in her first career outing at Saratoga.

May Day Ready, the Grade 2 Jessamine winner who finished second in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, will make her 3-year-old debut in the Grade 2, $300,000 Wonder Again Stakes at Saratoga on June 7, trainer Joe Lee said Friday.

Lee had been pointing May Day Ready to the Edgewood Stakes at Churchill on May 2, but the filly came into season and Lee could not prepare her for a race like he wanted.

May Day Ready spent the winter at Fair Grounds and then moved to Keeneland, where she remains.

Fri, 05/16/2025 - 12:54

Walden sending Bless the Broken to Acorn; Pipsy to Intercontinental

By David Grening

Barbara D. Livingston

Bless the Broken finished behind Good Cheer and Drexel Hill in the Kentucky Oaks.

Bless the Broken, third to Good Cheer in the Kentucky Oaks, is being pointed to a rematch with that undefeated filly in the Grade 1, $500,000 Acorn on June 6 at Saratoga, trainer Will Walden said.

Bless the Broken, winner of the Bourbonette Oaks, had a bit of a wide trip in the Oaks. She finished 3 1/2 lengths behind Good Cheer and 1 1/4 lengths behind runner-up Drexel Hill, who rallied inside of Bless the Broken in the stretch.

Fri, 05/16/2025 - 12:46

Locked pointing to Suburban; Fierceness to Met Mile

By David Grening

Barbara D. Livingston

Locked finished fourth in the Alysheba Stakes at Churchill Downs two weeks ago.

Locked, the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap winner who finished fourth in the Alysheba Stakes at Churchill Downs two weeks ago, will be pointed to the Grade 2, $400,000 Suburban Stakes on July 4 at Saratoga, owner Aron Wellman said Friday.

Thu, 05/15/2025 - 16:38

Jockey Herrera suspended for seven days

By Steve Andersen

Barbara D. Livingston

Herrera's punishment stems from two instances in which his mounts were disqualified.

Jockey Diego Herrera has been suspended seven racing days, from Friday through May 26, for two incidents in which his mounts were disqualified in races at Santa Anita in late April and early May, according to rules recently published by Santa Anita stewards.

Thu, 05/15/2025 - 16:30

Del Mar adds three new bet types for upcoming meet

By Steve Andersen

Barbara D. Livingston

Del Mar has received approval for a 31-day meeting from July 18 to Sept. 7.

Del Mar is adding three new bets to its extensive wagering menu this summer, all of which have been in place at times during the current Santa Anita meeting.

The track will offer a 50-cent middle pick four on the fourth through seventh races, a $3 pick three on the final three races, and a $5 double on the last two races, according to documents submitted to the California Horse Racing Board.

The track received approval from the racing board on Thursday for a 31-day meeting from July 18 to Sept. 7.

Wed, 05/14/2025 - 14:26

After slow start, Laurel sees surge in betting handle

By Matt Hegarty

Jim McCue/Maryland Jockey Club

Handle skyrocketed once Laurel opened its turf course on April 18.

Under new management for the first time in decades, Laurel Park in Maryland started off slowly this year, according to a handle analysis conducted by Daily Racing Form, but wagering figures skyrocketed over the last three weeks of its meet.

Subscribe to Track Notes