Top American sprinter Straight No Chaser may be bound for the Middle East in early 2025.
Trainer Dan Blacker said Sunday that Straight No Chaser is an intended starter in the Group 2 Riyadh Dirt Sprint at six furlongs on Feb. 22 in Saudi Arabia. The $2 million race is part of the program that includes the $20 million Saudi Cup.
Blacker said the Group 1 Golden Shaheen, a $2 million race at six furlongs April 5 at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai, is another goal.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Breeders’ Cup Sprint runner-up Bentornato turned in his final major prep for his 2024 finale, the Grade 1 Malibu on Dec. 26 at Santa Anita, on Monday morning at the Palm Meadows training center, going six furlongs from the five-eighths pole in 1:13.80, per Daily Racing Form clocker Donald Harris. The move confirmed his status for the Malibu and had trainer Jose D’Angelo brimming with confidence several hours later.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – The connections of White Abarrio have announced a slight change in plans for the 2023 Breeders’ Cup Classic winner’s next start and final prep for the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational here Jan. 25, opting for the seven-furlong, Grade 3 Mr. Prospector on Dec. 28 rather than the 1 1/16-mile Harlan’s Holiday here one week earlier.
Last weekend, Aunt Mo, the dazzling maiden race winner by nine lengths at Del Mar on Nov. 10, seemed unlikely to start in Saturday’s Grade 2 Starlet Stakes at Los Alamitos.
By mid-week, the partnership that owns the filly and trainer Peter Eurton had reversed course.
“Owners change their minds,” Eurton said. “Where else am I going to go with her? I’d have to wait until January.”
For the second time in less than two years, jockey Assael Espinoza has relocated from Northern to Southern California.
Espinoza rode in Southern California in the summer of 2023 before moving to the north to ride the final year at Golden Gate Fields, which closed permanently in June. After riding on the summer and fall fair circuit in Northern California earlier this year, and at the Golden State Racing meeting that began at Pleasanton in October, Espinoza moved to Southern California this week.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Castle Chaos, third in last year’s Cigar Mile and second in this year’s Carter, returned to the work tab Friday morning, breezing a half-mile in 50.38 seconds over the Belmont Park training track. It was his first breeze since he finished last of seven in an allowance race at Saratoga.
Trainer Robert Falcone Jr. noted that in that race Castle Chaos stumbled at the start and injured part of his foot, known as a grabbed quarter, and was given ample time off.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Giant Mischief, winner of the Fall Highweight Stakes on Nov. 29, will be aimed at a stakes in the Middle East in the first quarter of 2025, trainer Brad Cox said.
Cox said if Giant Mischief gets invited to the Grade 2 Riyadh Dirt Sprint on Feb. 22 he would consider running him there. If not, then he would look for a race in the United States to prep for the Dubai Golden Shaheen on April 5 at Meydan.
Cox said Giant Mischief would soon ship to Payson Park in South Florida, where Cox has a 40-horse string for the first time.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Law Professor is expected to scratch from Saturday’s Grade 2, $500,000 Cigar Mile Handicap at Aqueduct and will now point to the $150,000 Queens County Stakes, also at Aqueduct, on Dec. 29, trainer Rob Atras said Friday.
Atras cited the degree of difficulty of the Cigar Mile field as well as Law Professor’s preference for 1 1/8 miles as the reasons for passing on Saturday’s race.
The Cigar Mile field drew four Grade 1 winners – Mullikin, Locked, Book’em Danno, and Senor Buscador – as well as the Grade 2 winner Post Time.
Remington Park closes its meet next Friday, Dec. 13, and the final race of the season will be the $300,000 Springboard Mile. It drew 12 horses and will award points for the Kentucky Derby.
The race will be showcased on a card of six stakes. First post is 5 p.m. Central. The Springboard Mile has a scheduled post of 10:26 p.m.
Red Route One and Dimatic are two-turn stakes winners that could see action in some of Oaklawn’s route races this season, according to trainer Steve Asmussen. Both sons of Gun Runner race for their breeder, Winchell Thoroughbreds.
“I think we’ll be well represented,” Asmussen said.
Red Route One captured the Grade 2 New Orleans Classic earlier this year and was third in last season’s Oaklawn Handicap. He is a stakes winner at Oaklawn and to date has earned $1.8 million.
