Solomini, who was 10th in the Kentucky Derby and third as a heavy favorite in the Grade 3 Affirmed Stakes on June 10 at Santa Anita, has been turned out at Ashford Stud in Kentucky, trainer Bob Baffert said over the weekend.
“He went off his form,” Baffert said.
Jerry Hollendorfer has the hot stable in California this summer.
Last Saturday and Sunday at Santa Anita, Hollendorfer won with six consecutive starters. Hollendorfer had four winners Saturday, the sixth occasion a trainer has had a four-timer at Santa Anita since the start of 2013.
Hollendorfer had two starters in Saturday’s second race, winning with Graycaster ($4.40) and finishing fourth with Italiano. Later on Saturday, Hollendorfer won with his next three runners – Sheer Flattery ($58.60), Facts Matter ($22.40), and Our Slick Chick ($9).
Prominent owner Charles Fipke has been ordered by the California Horse Racing Board to pay jockey Joel Rosario $110,000 as a result of a situation that developed last fall when Rosario was given the call to ride Forever Unbridled in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Del Mar, but was replaced days before the race by John Velazquez.
Forever Unbridled won the BC Distaff, earning $1.1 million in prize money.
The National Thoroughbred Welfare Organization founded by prominent owner Rick Porter has announced both Delta Downs and Evangeline Downs, the sister tracks in Louisiana operated by Boyd Gaming, have committed funds to assist with the “rehoming” of horses in Louisiana.
Jockey Joel Dominguez has found the key to the quarter pole at Louisiana Downs.
The 28-year-old won six of the seven races run at the Bossier City, La., track Saturday – the success coming just a month after he lost his “bug,” or apprentice allowance. Dominguez took the first five races on the card, finished third in the sixth race, and came back and won the nightcap.
“Everything just came together,” he said.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Santa Anita concluded its six-month marathon meeting Sunday with growth in all-sources handle over the corresponding period in 2017. It was a successful season that led to a purse increase in the final month.
Tim Ritvo, chief operating officer of The Stronach Group, the track’s parent company, said Sunday evening that he hopes the momentum can be sustained during the six-week fall meeting that begins on the final weekend of September and into 2019 when the track hopes to host the Breeders’ Cup for the first time since 2016.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Using an accelerated draw schedule to more easily facilitate the move to Ellis Park for racing-office staff this week, fields are already set for the three stakes on the 12-race closing-day card Saturday at Churchill Downs. Here is a quick rundown:
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Funeral arrangements for Shantel Lanerie are being handled by Melancon Funeral Home on North University Avenue in Carencro, La., where her body was being transported Monday following her death last week at a Louisville hospital.
Shantel Lanerie, 42, died Friday of sepsis following her treatment for Stage 1 breast cancer. She was married to Corey Lanerie, the perennial leading jockey at Churchill Downs, and her death has deeply affected many members of the racing community at Churchill and beyond.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Several Queen’s Plate contenders put in their final works over the weekend ahead of the first jewel of the Canadian Triple Crown, to be run over 1 1/4 miles Saturday on Woodbine’s Tapeta.
As of Sunday, a bulky field of 16 was expected for the $1 million Queen’s Plate, led by Plate Trial Stakes winner Telekinesis. Telekinesis will be one of three horses in the field trained by Mark Casse. Casse also will send out Woodbine Oaks runner-up Wonder Gadot and Neepawa in search of his second career Queen’s Plate victory.
ARCADIA, Calif. - The champion Unique Bella, who is likely to start in the Grade 1 Clement Hirsch Stakes at Del Mar next month, was among several notable workouts at Santa Anita over the weekend.
Unique Bella won the Grade 1 Beholder Mile on June 2 in her last start. On Saturday she breezed five furlongs in 1:00.80. In the last five weeks, Unique Bella has been given a breezing designation in three of her four workouts instead of the more strenuous description of handily.
