Fri, 10/19/2018 - 14:30

Trainer Colebrook has eye-popping ROI

Coady Photography
Ben Colebrook plans to have three starters in the Breeders' Cup races.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Ben Colebrook doesn’t have anything against winning with logical horses, but the results from his first 19 starts at the Keeneland fall meet argue otherwise.

Colebrook’s $10.22 return on investment for every $2 win bet was highest among all trainers (minimum six starts) through the first 10 cards of this 17-day meet and stems from three winners that paid hefty mutuels – Knicks Go ($142) in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity on opening weekend, followed by K Choice ($26) and Examiner ($26.20) on Thursday.

Fri, 10/19/2018 - 14:00

First graded stakes win has trainer Ortiz flying high

Keeneland/Coady Photography
Zulu Alpha won the Grade 3 Sycamore Stakes at Keeneland on Thursday for trainer John Ortiz’s his first graded stakes win.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Less than 24 hours after enjoying the greatest day of his nascent training career, John Ortiz got a quick humbling.

“I was missing a groom when I got to the barn this morning,” said Ortiz, who notched his first graded victory Thursday when saddling Zulu Alpha to win the Grade 3 Sycamore at Keeneland.

“I wound up mucking five stalls, galloping four, and cooling out three. This game will bring you back to earth pretty quick.”

Thu, 10/18/2018 - 14:46

Baltas wants Lady Prancealot in BC Juvenile Fillies Turf

Shigeki Kikkawa
Lady Prancealot (left) finishes second in the Surfer Girl Stakes on Oct. 8.

ARCADIA, Calif. – In her first two starts in the United States, Lady Prancealot finished second in $100,000 turf stakes for 2-year-old fillies at Del Mar and Santa Anita.

For her third U.S. start, trainer Richard Baltas is aiming for the top of the division. Baltas hopes to run Lady Prancealot in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, a $1 million race at a mile on Nov. 2 at Churchill Downs.

Thu, 10/18/2018 - 14:10

Bulletin drills for Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint

Kenny Martin/Coglianese Photos
Bulletin wins the Hollywood Beach Stakes by seven lengths on Sept. 29.

DELRAY BEACH, Fla. – Well Defined and Cookie Dough earned spots in the Breeders’ Cup with runaway victories in the 1 1/16-mile In Reality and My Dear Girl divisions of this year’s Florida Sire Series. But they aren’t the only juveniles who are Breeders’ Cup-bound exiting a one-sided victory on the rich Sire Series card Sept. 29 at Gulfstream Park.

Wed, 10/17/2018 - 17:27

Jockey Patrick Valenzuela pleads guilty to domestic abuse

Jockey Patrick Valenzuela, who has not ridden since December 2016, pleaded guilty to domestic abuse in a San Diego county court on Tuesday and was given probation for three years and ordered to undergo domestic violence counseling, according to a report by a San Diego television station.

Wed, 10/17/2018 - 15:46

Sea Foam coming back on short rest for Empire Classic

Debra A. Roma
Sea Foam will return to New York-bred company for Saturday's Empire Classic.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Buoyed by the success of winning two races in 11 days with Blacktype, trainer Christophe Clement will wheel Sea Foam back on 20 days’ rest when he starts in Saturday’s $300,000 Empire Classic at Belmont Park.

Sea Foam was one of 11 horses entered Wednesday for Saturday’s Empire Classic, the richest of eight stakes restricted to New York-breds on an 11-race New York Showcase Day program.

Wed, 10/17/2018 - 15:06

Breeders' Cup Juvenile: Hollendorfer has strong pair

Shigeki Kikkawa
Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer owns Gunmetal Gray in partnership with West Point Thoroughbreds.

Jerry Hollendorfer’s depth in the 2-year-old division is such that even with two of his best colts getting a break, he will still be represented by two horses in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile on Nov. 2 at Churchill Downs.

With Instagrand and Rowayton on the farm, Hollendorfer will send Gunmetal Gray and Dueling to Churchill Downs for the Juvenile. Remarkably, they will be the first two horses the Hall of Fame trainer has started in the Juvenile.

Wed, 10/17/2018 - 15:00

Garcia back in the saddle following spill

Shigeki Kikkawa
Martin Garcia was injured Wednesday morning in a spill at Santa Anita.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Jockey Martin Garcia resumed working horses this week at Santa Anita after being sidelined for three weeks following a fall during training hours on Sept. 26.

Garcia, who was at Santa Anita for workouts Tuesday and Wednesday, was booked on one mount for Thursday’s program. Garcia is not scheduled to ride on Friday’s eight-race program, but his agent, Thom Mitchell, said he was hopeful to book mounts this weekend.

Wed, 10/17/2018 - 14:56

Chasing Yesterday targets Desi Arnaz Stakes

Shigeki Kikkawa
Chasing Yesterday wins the Anoakia Stakes by a half-length last Sunday.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Chasing Yesterday, a 2-year-old half-sister to 2015 Triple Crown hero American Pharoah, will be pointed to the $100,000 Desi Arnaz Stakes at Del Mar next month after winning her first stakes in the $77,500 Anoakia Stakes last Sunday at Santa Anita.

Trainer Bob Baffert said Wednesday that Chasing Yesterday will run in the Desi Arnaz Stakes at seven furlongs for fillies on Nov. 12. He said she is not a candidate for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies on Nov. 2 at Churchill Downs.

“The Desi Arnaz will be her next start,” Baffert said.

Wed, 10/17/2018 - 14:46

Richard's Boy prepping for BC Turf Sprint in California Flag

Barbara D. Livingston
Stormy Liberal (center) topped a Peter Miller-trained exacta with Richard's Boy (inside) in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint on Saturday at Turf Sprint.

ARCADIA, Calif. – A little more than two weeks before the Breeders’ Cup races at Churchill Downs, trainer Peter Miller hopes to have four runners in the BC Turf Sprint on Nov. 3.

Miller will know more about his team by the end of the weekend.

On Saturday at Santa Anita, Richard’s Boy is scheduled to start in the $100,000 California Flag Stakes for California-breds at five furlongs on turf as a prep for the BC Turf Sprint. Richard’s Boy was second by a head in the 2017 BC Turf Sprint at Del Mar last November, two weeks after finishing second in the California Flag.