DEL MAR, Calif. – Del Mar’s stewards on Sunday said they have turned over to California Horse Racing Board investigators a matter involving jockey Kent Desormeaux’s ride in race 4 on Saturday aboard Take a Leap, who was caught in the last jump and finished third.
“They will talk to the trainer of the horse, the vets, and at the conclusion of their investigation decide if they should put forth a hearing,” said John Herbuveaux, one of Del Mar’s stewards.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Oscar Performance, pulled up in the stretch as the favorite for the Grade 1 Arlington Million two weeks ago, returned to the work tab Monday as he prepares for a fall campaign.
Oscar Performance worked a half-mile in 49.30 seconds over the Oklahoma turf course. He went in splits of 13.02 and 25.12, getting his last quarter in 24.18.
Trainer Brian Lynch said he was pleased with the move but resisted the temptation to supplement him to the Grade 2 Bernard Baruch Handicap here next Monday.
DEL MAR, Calif. – Mother Mother will remain at Del Mar for the Grade 1 Debutante on Saturday and Chasing Yesterday will head to Saratoga for that day’s Grade 1 Spinaway as trainer Bob Baffert tries to find optimum spots for some of his 2-year-old fillies – without them having to face one another.
Baffert on Monday made the final call on their placement after Mother Mother worked five furlongs at Del Mar in 1:00.80 in company with the multiple stakes-winning older horse Hoppertunity.
The winners of the opening legs of the Florida Sire Stakes are both expected back Saturday at Gulfstream Park when the series resumes at the South Florida track.
Capture Your Dream and Cajun Firecracker head the prospective fields for the $200,000 Susan’s Girl for fillies and $200,000 Affirmed for colts and geldings, both to be run at seven furlongs. Both horses were victorious when the series, restricted to Florida-bred and -sired 2-year-olds, opened Aug. 4 with six-furlong races: the Desert Vixen for fillies and the Dr. Fager for colts and geldings.
DEL MAR, Calif. – Cecil Peacock, who owned Santa Anita Derby winner Brother Derek, died recently at his home in Calgary, Alberta, at age 91.
“Just a great guy,” said Dan Hendricks, who trained Brother Derek, the fourth-place finisher to Barbaro in the 2006 Kentucky Derby.
“Great owner, and lucky as hell. He had such a great attitude,” Hendricks said.
DEL MAR, Calif. – Jeff Mullins was a bundle of nerves before Tatters to Riches won the Shared Belief on Saturday, but he was relieved the 3-year-old not only won the race but came out of it in good condition, and now the trainer will have plenty of time to map out a campaign focused on his 4-year-old year.
DEL MAR, Calif. – With three wins Sunday, including a meet-leading ninth stakes victory among jockeys, Drayden Van Dyke is heading into the final six days of the Del Mar season holding a four-win lead over Flavien Prat in his quest for his first riding title here.
“I don’t want to count my eggs before they’re hatched,” Van Dyke said. “I’m just trying to stay focused and ride every race the best I can.”
DEL MAR, Calif. – The Del Mar summer meeting was in its eighth day of racing before trainer Richard Baltas had his first winner. The stable did not have a pretty start.
“I was 0 for 21,” Baltas recalled last weekend.
The slump was temporary.
Baltas, who tied for the training title at the 2017 summer meeting, had two wins on July 27, finally gaining the results that had been expected from opening day on July 18. Beginning July 28, Baltas’s stable has been in better form, winning with 11 of 57 starters through Sunday.
DEL MAR, Calif. – On the opening week of the Del Mar summer meeting, Achira closed with interest to finish second to Fahan Mura in the restricted Osunitas Stakes for fillies and mares on turf July 20. On the final weekend of the meeting, Achira will have her graded stakes debut in Saturday’s Grade 2 John Mabee Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on turf.
DEL MAR, Calif. – Gross all-sources handle on all horse races in California fell by 12 percent in July with three fewer afternoon programs than in 2017, according to figures presented at the California Horse Racing Board meeting on Aug. 23.
For the year, gross handle at all venues showed an increase of 6.5 percent over 2017 to $1.82 billion.
