Wed, 05/30/2018 - 13:16

Hunt may pursue shorter distances in 2018

Emily Shields
Hunt upset Saturday's Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile.

ARCADIA, Calif. – The upset win by Hunt in Monday’s Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile at Santa Anita is likely to alter goals for the 7-year-old gelding for the rest of the year.

With the win, Hunt earned an automatic berth in the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Churchill Downs on Nov. 3, a race that is expected to become a goal rather than stakes at longer distances. Last year, Hunt won the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap at 1 3/8 miles and was later 13th in the BC Turf at 1 1/2 miles at Del Mar.

“We may switch gears this year,” trainer Phil D’Amato said.

Wed, 05/30/2018 - 12:36

Surface switch benefitted Millionaire Runner in Home of the Brave

Leslie Martin/Coglianese Photos
Millionaire Runner and jockey Luis Reyes win the Home of the Brave Handicap on Monday.

The rainy weather that plagued South Florida in the past week obviously had a major impact on Monday’s $60,000 Home of the Brave Handicap, won by the 28-1 Millionaire Runner, who drew off by seven lengths under jockey Luis Reyes for trainer Jaime Mejia.

The Home of the Brave, restricted to horses who had started for a claiming price, was originally carded for 1 1/2 miles on turf and had attracted a dozen potential starters. The race was shifted to a “good” main track due to the weather, resulting in four scratches, and was shortened to 1 1/4 miles.

Wed, 05/30/2018 - 11:56

Minit to Stardom rewards owner's long drive

Coady Photography
Minit to Stardom wins at Churchill on Sunday with owner Evelyn Benoit in attendance.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Al Stall Jr. didn’t know who was more impressive last weekend: Minit to Stardom, who stayed unbeaten in three starts Sunday at Churchill, or the filly’s owner, Evelyn Benoit.

Benoit made a 12-hour drive to be here to see Minit to Stardom win a first-level allowance by 6 1/4 lengths, earning a career-high 92 Beyer Speed Figure. On Saturday night, Benoit had been at Evangeline Downs in Opelousas, La., to see two of her horses, Mr. Al’s Gal and Testing One Two, win stakes on the Louisiana Legends card.

Wed, 05/30/2018 - 11:56

Aristides, Mighty Beau form late-night double

Coady Photography
Wilbo (right) finishes second to Whitmore in the Count Fleet last time out.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Catering, evidently, to the late-night crowd, Churchill has carded its two Saturday stakes as the last two of 11 races on the Downs After Dark card. First post is 6 p.m. Eastern, with the $100,000 Aristides (race 10) going at 10:42 and the $75,000 Mighty Beau (race 11) going at 11:10.

The 30th running of the Grade 3 Aristides at six furlongs drew a well-matched field of seven older horses, with Wilbo and Mr. Crow the likely favorites over Smart Spree, Awesome Saturday, and Chief Cicatriz.

Wed, 05/30/2018 - 11:56

Oaks also-rans look to get back on track in Friday allowance

Andrew Watkins/Dubai Racing Club
Rayya may possibly race in the Kentucky Oaks on May 4.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – It’ll be a reunion of sorts Friday afternoon at Churchill Downs when three fillies from the Kentucky Oaks get together again.

None of them hit the board in the May 4 Oaks, but their respective connections have a right to expect better things the rest of the year from Kelly’s Humor (eighth), Classy Act (10th), and Rayya (13th). They’re part of the race-5 feature on a terrific nine-race Friday card that includes four allowances.

Tue, 05/29/2018 - 15:52

Lynch wins Pimlico riding title

A year ago, Fergal Lynch finished in a three-way tie for leading rider during the 12-day Pimlico mini-meet. On Sunday, he won the title outright.

Lynch, 39, rode nine winners at the meet, two more than both Horacio Karamanos - who also tied for last year's meet lead - and Rosario Montanez. Lynch scored riding triples on both May 13 and 24.

Mon, 05/28/2018 - 19:55

Audible sent to Kentucky for a physical exam

Barbara D. Livingston
Audible will bypass the Belmont Stakes, and will be freshened before beginning a summer campaign.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Audible, the Grade 1 Florida Derby winner and third-place finisher in the Kentucky Derby, has been taken out of training and sent to a clinic in Kentucky for a complete physical, trainer Todd Pletcher said Monday.

Last Friday, Pletcher said Audible was not training to his satisfaction and he was removed from consideration for the Belmont Stakes. Audible shares common ownership with Justify, the Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner who will be aiming for a Triple Crown in the June 9 Belmont.

Mon, 05/28/2018 - 15:26

Good Samaritan in Met Mile mix

Lou Hodges Jr./Hodges Photography
Good Samaritan could turn back to a mile for a start in the June 9 Metropolitan Handicap.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Good Samaritan, a multiple graded stakes winner on dirt going 1 1/8 miles, will turn back to a one-turn mile race when he runs in the Grade 1, $1.2 million Metropolitan Handicap on June 9.

Though it appeared Good Samaritan was pointing to the Grade 1 Stephen Foster at Churchill Downs on June 16, trainer Bill Mott said: “We’ve been thinking about the Met Mile all year. He ran well at a mile as a 2-year-old, albeit on turf, but we’ve always wondered ‘What if?’ This is our chance to try and find out.”

Mon, 05/28/2018 - 15:26

Catholic Boy, Analyze It in final works for Pennine Ridge

Barbara D. Livingston
Catholic Boy is set to make his first start on turf since the Breeders' Cup in Saturday's Pennine Ridge Stakes.

ELMONT, N.Y. – The undefeated Analyze It and the dual-surface stakes winner Catholic Boy both put in workouts at Belmont Park Monday morning and were then part of an eight-horse field drawn that afternoon for Saturday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Pennine Ridge Stakes at Belmont Park.

Turf works, usually conducted on Sunday, were moved to Monday due to rain on Sunday.

Catholic Boy, who has not run since having been found to have bled in the Grade 1 Florida Derby on March 31, found a solid workmate in the 5-year-old New York-bred mare Kundray.

Mon, 05/28/2018 - 15:20

Bolt d'Oro sizzles in Keeneland work

Barbara D. Livingston
Bolt d'Oro is pointing for the June 9 Metropolitan Handicap.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Mick Ruis has moved on from Bolt d’Oro’s 12th-place finish in the Kentucky Derby. Apparently, the horse has as well.

On Monday, at Keeneland, Bolt d’Oro blitzed five furlongs in 57 seconds in preparation for the Grade 1, $1.2 Metropolitan Handicap here on June 9. According to owner-trainer Ruis, Bolt d’Oro started four lengths behind workmate Orbit Rain and finished three in front.

Ruis said, “we didn’t even try to” go that fast.