Fri, 10/25/2024 - 10:21

Idiomatic to miss Breeders’ Cup Distaff, retired from racing

Barbara D. Livingston

Idiomatic has been retired ahead of a planned start in the Breeders' Cup Distaff.

Idiomatic, the champion older dirt female of 2023, was retired on Friday after being diagnosed with lameness in her left knee, an injury that will prevent her from starting in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Del Mar on Nov. 2.

Idiomatic was expected to be favored in the BC Distaff. With her absence, a field of 11 is expected, with the brilliant 3-year-old filly Thorpedo Anna now listed as the 7-5 early line favorite by Daily Racing Form.

Idiomatic, 5, won nine stakes for Juddmonte Farm and trainer Brad Cox.

Thu, 10/24/2024 - 12:16

Fort Erie handle down 8 percent from record in 2023

By Ron Gierkink

Michael Burns

Vitality wins the 2024 Prince of Wales Stakes at Fort Erie.

The 40-day Fort Erie meet concluded Tuesday with wagering down from last year’s record handle, according to a press release from the Fort Erie Live Racing Consortium.

A total of $42.5 million was wagered, the second-highest handle in the track’s history, but down nearly 8 percent from the $46 million wagered last year. Offtrack betting dipped slightly, while ontrack wagering held steady at $1.93 million.

Wed, 10/23/2024 - 14:49

Golden State Racing, Monarch reach deal to end simulcasting blackout

By Matt Hegarty

Golden State Racing and a simulcast-marketing company controlled by 1/ST Gaming have reached an agreement that will end a blackout on Golden State’s races at Monarch’s simulcasting sites as of the track’s next live racing day on Friday, according to officials.

Tue, 10/22/2024 - 19:01

Breeders’ Cup Sprint: The Chosen Vron scratched by California Horse Racing Board vet

By Steve Andersen

Benoit Photo

The Chosen Vron, winner of the Grade 1 Bing Crosby Stakes, has been scratched from a planned start in the Breeders' Cup Sprint.

The Chosen Vron, an 18-time stakes winner including the last two runnings of the Grade 1 Bing Crosby Stakes at Del Mar, will not start in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Del Mar on Nov. 2 after being scratched by a California Horse Racing Board veterinarian, according to a statement issued by the Breeders’ Cup.

Co-owner John Sondereker said The Chosen Vron was inspected on Monday by a veterinarian who made the decision.

“He’s off a little bit sometime,” Sondereker said. “I can barely see it and I’ve been around him forever.

Mon, 10/21/2024 - 13:25

Potts running two of his claims in Saturday stakes

By David Grening

Surveillance wins Troy Stakes at SAR Aug 10 2024

Debra A. Roma

Suveillance, shown winning the off-the -turf Troy at Saratoga, runs in Saturday's Bold Ruler Stakes for trainer Wayne Potts.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Trainer Wayne Potts has run in five stakes the last two years. On Saturday, he’ll run in two stakes in about 35 minutes.

In the Grade 3, $175,000 Bold Ruler, Potts will send out Surveillance, who two starts back won the off-the-turf Grade 3 Troy Stakes at Saratoga. In the Grade 3, $250,000 Forty Niner Stakes, Potts has Nelson Avenue, a horse whose last two starts signal him as a live longshot.

Mon, 10/21/2024 - 13:15

Gun Song likely favored in eight-horse Mother Goose

By David Grening

Barbara D. Livingston

Gun Song (blinkers) missed beating Thorpedo Anna by a neck in the Grade 1 Cotillion at Parx.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – There are two opportunities for 3-year-old fillies to win stakes in their own age group this fall at Aqueduct where they won’t have to face the dominant division leader Thorpedo Anna.

The first of those races is Saturday’s Grade 2, $250,000 Mother Goose Stakes at 1 1/8 miles. The eight-horse field includes three progeny of the stallion Gun Runner – Gun Song, Life Talk, and Headline Numbers – and a half-sister to Gun Runner named Pretty Ana.

Mon, 10/21/2024 - 13:15

Dr Ruben M pre-entered in Breeders' Cup Juvenile

By Steve Andersen

Barbara D. Livingston

Recent maiden winner Dr Ruben M was pre-entered into the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, which will take place Nov. 1 at Del Mar.

ARCADIA, Calif. – The recent maiden race winner Dr Ruben M was pre-entered in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, which will be run at Del Mar on Nov. 1.

Dr Ruben M needed four races to beat maidens, doing so in a one-mile race at Santa Anita on Oct. 14.

Owned by the Del Mar Group and trained by Doug O’Neill, Dr Ruben M will be a longshot in the BC Juvenile.

“We’ll give it a try,” O’Neill said on Sunday. “We’ll see how everything shakes out and take a shot.”

Mon, 10/21/2024 - 13:15

Maiden winner Accuracy earns huge Beyer, allowance race up next

By Steve Andersen

ARCADIA, Calif. – Accuracy, a 15-length winner of a maiden race at 1 1/16 miles at Santa Anita on Saturday, will more than likely resurface in an allowance race in coming months, trainer Michael McCarthy said.

Accuracy earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 108 for her win on Saturday, in 1:42.44. The only filly or mare with a higher speed figure this year on dirt is Thorpedo Anna, who was given a 111 for her second-place finish by a head to Fierceness in the Grade 1 Travers Stakes against 3-year-old males at 1 1/4 miles at Saratoga on Aug. 24.

Mon, 10/21/2024 - 13:15

Rothschild has Twilight Derby to boost value before sale

By Steve Andersen

Benoit Photo

Rothschild (right) will start in the Twilight Derby Saturday before being entered in the Keeneland Championship Sale at Del Mar on Oct. 30.

ARCADIA, Calif. – The value of the 3-year-old colt Rothschild may change substantially on Saturday afternoon.

Rothschild, who has won once in seven starts and has placed in three consecutive stakes, is scheduled to start in Saturday’s Grade 2 Twilight Derby at 1 1/8 miles on turf at Santa Anita.

Sat, 10/19/2024 - 13:15

Locked impresses in long-awaited return

By David Grening

Adam Coglianese/NYRA

Locked returned from a 50-week layoff to win an allowance race Saturday at Aqueduct.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Locked, away from the races for nearly 50 weeks, returned an impressive winner Saturday at Aqueduct, taking a second-level allowance race by 7 1/2 lengths.

Locked, under John Velazquez, who lost his crop early on in the race, chased the pace-setting Gun It before taking command at the three-sixteenths pole and drawing clear under a vigorous hand ride. Heavily-favored Locked ($2.80) covered seven furlongs in a solid 1:21.02 though it looked early on Saturday’s card that Aqueduct’s main track was quick.

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