HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Justique, who won the $150,000 Carousel last weekend at Oaklawn, will likely make her next start in the $650,000 Madison at Keeneland, according to her trainer, Cherie DeVaux.
In the Carousel, Justique closed from last for a half-length win. She covered the six furlongs for fillies and mares in a sharp 1:09.96.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Thorpedo Anna, the reigning Horse of the Year, remains on schedule to make her 4-year-old debut in the Grade 2, $400,000 Azeri on March 8 at Oaklawn, trainer Kenny McPeek said. She has been prepping for the 1 1/16-mile stakes at Fair Grounds.
“She’s got one more work here and then she’ll come up,” McPeek said Thursday.
Brian Hernandez Jr. has the mount on Thorpedo Anna, who is coming off a win in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – First Mission indicated he could be sitting on a significant 5-year-old campaign last weekend, when he was just edged in the Grade 3 Razorback Handicap at Oaklawn Park in his first start since August.
First Mission came rolling through the stretch to be part of a three-way photo, with Alexander Helios coming out the winner from between horses and Banishing finishing second along the rail. First Mission was beaten a neck, and all three horses earned Beyer Speed Figures of 102.
Truly Quality is in the midst of a two-month break after he finished sixth of seven as the 11-10 favorite in the Grade 3 San Marcos Stakes at Santa Anita on Feb. 8, a loss that ended a streak of three stakes wins.
“I sent him back to Florida for a break,” trainer Jonathan Thomas said on Thursday.
Thomas said that Truly Quality’s closing style was ineffective in the San Marcos Stakes at 1 1/4 miles. The three consecutive stakes wins last summer and fall were at distances ranging from 1 3/8 miles to 1 1/2 miles on turf.
Jockey Kazushi Kimura hopes to resume riding in mid-March, two months after sustaining a lower leg injury in a starting gate incident at Santa Anita, according to his agent, Brian Beach.
Kimura underwent a minor surgical procedure to stabilize the injury in late January and has since started physical therapy, Beach said on Friday. Beach said Kimura is scheduled to see a doctor next week for evaluation.
“We’re still shooting for the second or third week of March,” Beach said.
Tamara, the winner of the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante in 2023, will be given an extended break in coming months after sustaining a leg injury in a training accident earlier this year.
Trainer Richard Mandella said on Friday that Tamara’s injury will not require an operation, a reverse from plans announced earlier in February.
“I don’t think she needs anything,” he said. “We’re going to give her some time off.”
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Ferocious, currently 19th in the point standings for the 2025 Kentucky Derby, has been taken off the Derby trail, his connections reported on Friday.
Ferocious, two-time Grade 1 placed at 2 who finished fourth making his 3-year-old debut earlier this month in the Grade 2 Holy Bull, suffered a muscle tear after the race, according to Gustavo Delgado Jr., a part owner of the horse and the son of trainer Gustavo Delgado.
Rookie Card, a 3-year-old allowance winner in Florida, could make his next start in the $150,000 Bay Shore Stakes on April 19 at Aqueduct, trainer Danny Gargan said.
Rookie Card won a Florida-bred allowance by three lengths going seven furlongs on Sunday at Gulfstream, earning an 86 Beyer Speed Figure. That was a good bounce-back effort after he was interfered with going into the far turn of the Pasco Stakes. He crossed the wire fifth but was elevated to fourth when Owen Almighty, who caused the interference, was disqualified from first.
Though Silvology won her second straight race since going a marathon distance on turf, trainer Shug McGaughey said he will be in no hurry to run her in a stakes race.
“We’ll bring her along slowly, and hopefully by the middle of summer, we’ll find a [stakes] spot for her,” McGaughey said.
Silvology, a 4-year-old daughter of Blame, lost her first two starts on dirt and then dropped her first three starts on turf, though none were farther than 1 1/8 miles. At Gulfstream this winter, Silvology won a 1 3/8-mile maiden race and then a 1 1/2-mile allowance on turf.
