HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – In 2000-01, Mark Hennig won 21 graded stakes. It has taken him 13 years to win his last 21 graded races.
Certainly, Hennig did not forget how to train a good horse. He simply wasn’t getting them in his barn with as much frequency.
“It wasn’t like we couldn’t see the horses the last 15 years,” Hennig said Monday morning at Gulfstream Park. “We just didn’t have the budget to buy them.”
Eskimo Kisses, whose late rally in the Fair Grounds Oaks fell a head short, could run back on short rest in the Ashland Stakes April 7 at Keeneland, trainer Ken McPeek said.
The Ashland comes just two weeks after the Fair Grounds Oaks, but Eskimo Kisses didn’t race on the anti-bleeder medication Lasix, which can require a longer post-race recovery.
Lone Sailor took a tough loss Saturday in the $1 million Louisiana Derby, losing by a neck to Noble Indy after he looked like a winner in midstretch.
But for his trainer, Tom Amoss, the defeat was tempered not just by the fact Lone Sailor had taken a huge step forward from his races earlier this winter, but that 40 minutes earlier he had scored an upset in the Grade 2, $400,000 Fair Grounds Oaks with Chocolate Martini.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Five Southern California trainers have been fined for six instances in which their runners tested positive for excessive amounts of non-steroidal anti-inflammatories after races or workouts in recent months.
In three incidents, trainers were cited when horses tested positive for two non-steroidal anti-inflammatories. Only one such medication is allowed to appear in post-race tests, according to California Horse Racing Board regulations.
The positives occurred from mid-October to mid-January.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Kenjisstorm chased home two winners trained by Phil D’Amato in graded stakes at Santa Anita and Del Mar last summer. Shortly after a fourth-place finish in the Grade 2 Eddie Read Stakes last July, Kenjisstorm was turned out.
When Kenjistorm resumed training last fall, he was transferred from Richard Baltas to D’Amato.
Thursday at Santa Anita, Kenjisstorm will have his first start for D’Amato in an allowance race with a $75,000 claiming option at a mile on turf. For a horse unraced since July, Kenjisstorm had an eventful rest period.
ARCADIA, Calif. - The spring seasonal migration of California graded stakes winners to Kentucky is about to begin.
Itsinthepost and Selcourt, the winners of Grade 2 stakes at Santa Anita on Saturday, are being strongly considered for stakes at Keeneland and Churchill Downs in coming weeks, their trainers said Sunday.
Itsinthepost won his third consecutive Grade 2 stakes in the $201,380 San Luis Rey Stakes at 1 1/2 miles on turf. The win could lead to a start in the Grade 2 Elkhorn Stakes, a $250,000 race at 1 1/2 miles on turf at Keeneland on April 21.
ARCADIA, Calif. - For the champion Unique Bella, workouts have been a breeze in recent weeks.
At Santa Anita on Sunday, Unique Bella worked five furlongs under jockey Mike Smith in 57.80 seconds, the fastest of 108 recorded works at the distance. Clockers gave Unique Bella a description of breezing, which is rare in California, compared to the more vigorous designation of handily.
“She was going so easy on the track,” trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said.
NEW ORLEANS – Noble Indy and Lone Sailor, separated by a neck at the end of a thrilling Louisiana Derby on Saturday at Fair Grounds, both came out of the race well, their trainers said Sunday morning, and both will be pointed to the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 5, six weeks hence.
Both Todd Pletcher, who trains Noble Indy, and Tom Amoss, who trains Lone Sailor, said their colts would not squeeze in another prep race between now and Derby Day.
Noble Indy got a Beyer Speed Figure of 95 for the win, his third in four lifetime starts.
NEW ORLEANS – Monomoy Girl, one of the top contenders for the Kentucky Oaks on May 4 at Churchill Downs, worked five furlongs in 59.60 seconds on Sunday at Fair Grounds, her final work here before she departs for Kentucky for the Grade 1 Ashland Stakes at Keeneland.
The Ashland is on April 7, on the same card as the Blue Grass Stakes for Kentucky Derby aspirants. The Ashland will be the final prep for the Kentucky Oaks for Monomoy Girl, and she will have one work in Kentucky prior to the Ashland.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Four prospective starters for the $1 million Florida Derby turned in their final works for that important Kentucky Derby prep Saturday.
The group, working at three different venues on two different coasts, included Audible and Promises Fulfilled, winners of the Holy Bull and Fountain of Youth stakes, respectively, earlier this winter at Gulfstream Park.
