LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Finley’sluckycharm, the standout sprinter who was not entered in the Grade 3 Bed o’ Roses on Friday at Belmont Park, is being considered for the $75,000 Roxelana on June 23 at Churchill.
“It’ll probably either be that or just wait for the Honorable Miss” on July 25 at Saratoga, said trainer Bret Calhoun. “The mare’s doing very well. All we’re doing is working backward from the Breeders’ Cup” Filly and Mare Sprint on Nov. 3 at Churchill.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Friday’s 11-race card will kick off with a $100,000 allowance race on the turf that features the return to the races of Grade 1 winner Almanaar.
Almanaar hasn’t run since he won the Grade 1 Gulfstream Park Turf in February 2017, beating Beach Patrol.
“That horse had an injury, it took a long time to rehab him,” trainer Chad Brown said. “The team at Shadwell did an outstanding job and sent this horse back in really good condition. Knock on wood, he stays sound. I’m excited about the possibilities for this horse this year if he stays healthy.”
ELMONT, N.Y. – Though Rushing Fall returned to the work tab Sunday morning at Belmont Park, she is no longer under consideration for the Group 1 Coronation Stakes on June 22 at Royal Ascot, trainer Chad Brown said.
Brown said he is considering just training Rushing Fall up to the Grade 1, $1 million Belmont Oaks Invitational on July 7.
“I feel like she’s not up to making that trip right now, I need some more time with her,” Brown said.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Fresh off a career-best effort that equated to an eye-popping 110 Beyer Speed Figure, Chief Cicatriz could run once more at Churchill Downs before the spring meet ends.
Chief Cicatriz wowed a Downs After Dark crowd of 17,068 by posting his first graded stakes victory Saturday night in the Grade 3 Aristides, winning off by 6 1/4 lengths in 1:08.44 for owner-breeder Roy Gene Evans and trainer Shawn Davis.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Unchained Melody will likely be a bit of a longshot in Saturday’s Grade 1, $750,000 Ogden Phipps Stakes at Belmont Park, but she has one thing none of her expected five rivals possess – speed.
Unchained Melody won last year’s Grade 2 Mother Goose – like the Phipps, a one-turn, 1 1/16-mile race – in gate-to-wire fashion. She will likely try to employ the same tactics in the Phipps.
“I don’t think there’s much speed in the race, she should place herself pretty forwardly,” said trainer Brian Lynch, who will have Joel Rosario to ride.
Eclipse Award-winning trainer Todd Pletcher and 1936 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Bold Venture are part of a class of seven individuals to be inducted into the Texas Horse Racing Hall of Fame this year, according to a post on the organization’s website. The inductions will take place during a trackside gala Aug. 4 at Retama Park near San Antonio.
Others to be inducted are Tom Durant, Jim Helzer, Julianna Hawn Holt, Corey Johnsen, and One Famous Eagle.
There is a significant name missing from the entries this meet at Louisiana Downs: Morris Nicks.
The 71-year-old, who won the local training title in 2011, retired in March. But he’s still following racing closely, particularly the career of champion Caledonia Road, who is scheduled to run Saturday at Belmont Park in the Grade 1 Acorn.
Nicks’s son Ralph trains Caledonia Road. It was during the Louisiana Downs meet a year ago that Ralph called his father about Caledonia Road.
Trainer Jorge Navarro has plenty of lucrative options for X Y Jet’s first start back since his frustrating, second-place finish behind Mind Your Biscuits earlier this spring in the Dubai Golden Shaheen. But his choice to launch the second half of the speedster’s 2018 campaign is the Grade 3, $250,000 Smile Sprint on June 30 at Gulfstream Park.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Niigon’s Eclipse became a graded stakes winner in her first attempt for owner-breeder Chiefswood Stable by taking the Grade 2 Nassau Stakes in gate-to-wire fashion May 27 at Woodbine. Trainer Rachel Halden said Niigon’s Eclipse will make her next start during Canada Day weekend, but she does have a few options.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – The final local preps for the 159th running of the $1 million Queen’s Plate on June 30 are Saturday at Woodbine, and the contenders for the $500,000 Woodbine Oaks and $125,000 Plate Trial Stakes are putting in final preparations.
In addition to the Oaks and the Plate Trial, Woodbine’s condition book for Saturday also features two allowance races that could attract several Queen’s Plate nominees.
