Mon, 03/19/2018 - 13:10

Victory in return puts Spectator on track for stakes

Shigeki Kikkawa
Spectator (right) beats Yuvetsi by a neck in an allowance race Sunday at Santa Anita.

ARCADIA, Calif. – The graded stakes-winning filly Spectator returned to the races with a game victory in an allowance race Sunday at Santa Anita and has several options for moving back into stakes company, trainer Phil D’Amato said after the race.

Mon, 03/19/2018 - 12:50

Injury knocks Avery Island off Derby trail

Susie Raisher/NYRA
Withers winner Avery Island is out for 60-90 days.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin has confirmed what already had been suspected, that Grade 3 Withers winner Avery Island is now officially off the Derby trail after returning lame from a routine workout at Palm Meadows last Friday.

McLaughlin sent Avery Island to Rood and Riddle Clinic in Kentucky for further evaluation earlier this week.

Mon, 03/19/2018 - 12:46

Caledonia Road nears return, but won't make Gulfstream Oaks

Barbara D. Livingston
Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies winner Caledonia Road (outside) is close to her 3-year-old debut.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Last year’s Eclipse Award-winning juvenile filly Caledonia Road continues to progress toward her 3-year-old debut, but trainer Ralph Nicks said he still has no definite plans regarding when or where that might be. Caledonia Road, who has not raced since her convincing victory in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Del Mar on Nov. 4, has had four works at Palm Meadows since returning to training earlier this winter. She fired a bullet half-mile in 48.35 seconds, the best of 35 at the distance, at the training center last Thursday.

Mon, 03/19/2018 - 12:40

Sharp Azteca to miss Godolphin Mile

Barbara D. Livingston
Sharp Azteca has been sidelined with a minor injury and will be sent to the farm for a freshening.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Sharp Azteca will not make a planned trip to Dubai to compete in the Godolphin Mile due to a minor injury sustained after his most recent work, owner Ivan Rodriguez confirmed on Monday.

Mon, 03/19/2018 - 12:30

Soutache eyes comeback in Hutcheson

Kenny Martin/Coglianese Photos
In the Hutcheson, Soutche would be making his first start since winning the Sept. 30 In Reality Stakes against Florida-breds.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – With only 11 3-year-olds nominated to Saturday’s $100,000 Hutcheson, the racing office will have its work cut out just getting the race to fill. It can, however, count on at least two names being in the box when entries are taken for the Grade 3 dash on Wednesday: Soutache, for trainer Ralph Nicks, and Impact Player, for Todd Pletcher.

Mon, 03/19/2018 - 12:10

Former owner has no seller's remorse with Ivy Bell

Lauren King/Coglianese Photos
Ivy Bell's win in the Inside Information was her first start for trainer Todd Pletcher.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Ivy Bell has no bigger fan than her former owner Brook Smith. Over the winter, Smith sold Ivy Bell for an undisclosed price to the partnership of Mathis Stable and Madaket Stables after the daughter of Archarcharch had established herself as an up-and-coming sprinter in Kentucky.

Making her first start Saturday since being turned over to Todd Pletcher, Ivy Bell won the Grade 2 Inside Information at Gulfstream, earning a career-high 90 Beyer Speed Figure and stamping herself as a hot prospect in the national filly-mare sprint division.

Mon, 03/19/2018 - 12:00

Elate ready to return to serious training

Barbara D. Livingston
Elate is returning to training after recovering from a splint injury.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Elate, a 2017 Eclipse Award finalist for top 3-year-old filly, is ready to resume serious training at Payson Park under Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott after a minor setback.

“She popped a splint,” said Walker Hancock, whose family’s Claiborne Farm bred and owns Elate with Adele Dilschneider. “It’s very minor. She’s about to start back again. It was just a little hold-up.”

Mon, 03/19/2018 - 12:00

World of Trouble shortening up – at least for now

SV Photography
World of Trouble won the Pasco Stakes at Tampa by 14 lengths.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – World of Trouble finished a good third as the favorite in the March 10 Tampa Bay Derby, but that’s not enough to keep the speedy colt on the Kentucky Derby trail.

“We’re going to shorten him up, I think,” said Jason Servis, who trains World of Trouble for Michael Dubb and Bethlehem Stables. “My gut feeling is he’ll get 1 1/16 miles, maybe even farther, but not at this stage of his life.”

Mon, 03/19/2018 - 11:50

Tight race in Tampa trainer standings

A fierce battle atop the trainer standings has unfolded at the 2017-18 meet, with Kathleen O’Connell maintaining a 32-30 lead over Gerald Bennett, the perennial local kingpin who has steadily chipped away at the margin in recent weeks. Into Wednesday, Bennett had sent out 163 starters to O’Connell’s 136.

Among jockeys, Antonio Gallardo continues to lead Daniel Centeno by a 77-67 margin, with Samy Camacho emerging as a clear-cut third with 50 wins.

Mon, 03/19/2018 - 11:46

Forrest Kaelin, 83, sends out meaningful winner

Trainer Forrest Kaelin and his wife, Betty, have wintered off and on in Tampa since 1956, when the track was known as Sunshine Park and Forrest was still a jockey. The couple enjoyed quite a sentimental victory here Sunday when My Monkey captured the fifth race, for maiden claimers, at an $18 mutuel.

My Monkey, a dark bay 3-year-old filly, is named in honor of the couple’s late granddaughter Ashley King, who died at age 32 in a car crash in Louisiana six years ago. Another granddaughter, Brittany King, bred the filly.