Mon, 09/30/2024 - 12:05

Cabo Spirit to use John Henry purse to get into BC Turf

Benoit Photo

After wiring the John Henry Turf Championship, Cabo Spirit will head to the Breeders' Cup Turf at Del Mar.

ARCADIA, Calif.– Cabo Spirit financed his way into the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Turf at Del Mar on Nov. 2 with a surprise win in Saturday’s Grade 2 John Henry Turf Championship at Santa Anita.

The winner’s share of the $753,000 John Henry Turf Championship was $450,000, more than enough for owner Rustin Kretz to cover the hefty $150,000 in pre-entry and entry fees. The fees are still a sizable investment to start Cabo Spirit against an international field, however.

“It would have been nice if it was Win and You’re In,” trainer George Papaprodromou said on Sunday.

Mon, 09/30/2024 - 10:10

Mandella believes Classic distance won't be a problem for Subsanador

By Steve Andersen

ARCADIA, Calif. – Subsanador’s summer campaign was briefly in chaos in July after the 5-year-old Argentine-bred was withdrawn from the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap at Del Mar when he was erroneously given the wrong medication too close to race time.

“It was my fault,” trainer Richard Mandella said Sunday. “I made a mistake.”

The situation forced Mandella to alter Subsanador’s schedule. Since then, Subsanador is unbeaten in two starts, including a career-defining win in the Grade 1 California Crown Stakes on Saturday at Santa Anita.

Sat, 09/28/2024 - 18:50

Sunday’s card to feature $83,911 pick six carryover

By Mary Rampellini

Barbara D. Livingston

Sunday’s card at the Belmont at Aqueduct meet is highlighted by the Grade 2 Miss Grillo.

There will be a pick six carryover of $83,911 into Sunday’s card at the Belmont at Aqueduct meet after the $1 bet was not hit Saturday, the track announced.

The pick six on Saturday returned $822.50 on 5 of 6 tickets during the rain-soaked card that featured a handful of preps for the Breeders’ Cup.

Sunday’s sequence will run on races 4 through 9. It includes four fields with overflow entries, including the Grade 2 Miss Grillo, a Win and You’re In qualifier for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.

Fri, 09/27/2024 - 14:19

Five multi-race bets with a 15 percent takeout up for grabs

By Steve Andersen

Barbara D. Livingston

A $1 all-stakes pick five with a 15 percent takeout will be in play on Saturday.

There is no shortage of bets linking the major stakes at Santa Anita this weekend.

In an effort to promote Saturday’s California Crown program, and the first weekend of the track’s fall meeting, Santa Anita is offering five bets with 15 percent takeouts, lower than the standard rate of 23.68 for other multi-race bets such as the pick three or pick six.

On Saturday, there is a $1 all-stakes pick five encompassing the day’s stakes races – the Unzip Me, John Henry Turf Championship, Eddie D Stakes, California Crown, and City of Hope Mile. The bet has a mandatory payout.

Fri, 09/27/2024 - 14:07

Four-time stakes winner Linda's Gift retired

By Steve Andersen

Benoit Photo

Linda's Gift, a 5-year-old daughter of Arrogate, won 6 of 16 starts and more than $400,000.

Linda’s Gift, a four-time stakes winner on turf at Del Mar and Santa Anita in the last year, has been retired after an injury diagnosis, trainer Richard Mandella said on Friday.

The retirement was first reported by Thoroughbred Daily News.

Linda’s Gift, a 5-year-old daughter of Arrogate, is scheduled to be sold at the Fasig-Tipton November sale in Kentucky on Nov. 4.

Fri, 09/27/2024 - 11:00

Asmussen freshening Cogburn, Society for Breeders' Cup

By Marcus Hersh

Barbara D. Livingston

Cogburn should be a strong favorite in the BC Turf Sprint off big-figure wins in races like the Grade 1 Jaipur (above).

Steve Asmussen said two major players for Breeders’ Cup races, Cogburn and Society, won’t start again until November.

Cogburn figures a heavy favorite for the BC Turf Sprint after putting up a third consecutive powerhouse performance winning the Grade 2 Turf Sprint on Sept. 7 at Kentucky Downs. Cogburn earned a 107 Beyer Speed Figure for that performance following a 111 in the Grade 1 Jaipur at Saratoga in June and a 107 in the Twin Spires Turf Sprint at Churchill the month before.

Fri, 09/27/2024 - 10:35

DeVaux to prep for Breeders' Cup at Keeneland

By Marcus Hersh

Debra A. Roma

Vahva won two graded sprints earlier this year, including the Grade 1 Derby City Distaff in May.

Trainer Cherie DeVaux’s hopes for Breeders’ Cup races are based this fall at Keeneland. DeVaux plans to train two of them, Pyrenees and Vahva, straight into Breeders’ Cup starts, while Breeders’ Cup Mile hope More Than Looks starts Oct. 5 in the $1.25 million Coolmore Turf Mile at Keeneland.

Fri, 09/27/2024 - 10:25

Cox lining up his ducks for Breeders' Cup

By Marcus Hersh

Raging Sea (left) runs down Idiomatic to win Personal Ensign at SAR Aug 23 2024

Barbara D. Livingston

Idiomatic (right) was just caught by Raging Sea in the Personal Ensign at Saratoga.

Brad Cox’s key contenders for the Breeders’ Cup Classic and Breeders’ Cup Distaff will follow different paths to Del Mar.

When Highland Falls, all being well, runs in the Classic, he’ll race for the first time since a surprisingly dominant victory Sept. 1 in the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup.

Idiomatic, before she attempts to repeat in the Distaff, will have a go at landing her second straight Spinster Stakes at Keeneland, Cox said this week.

Thu, 09/26/2024 - 16:28

Louisiana-based trainer Glenn Delahoussaye to retire

By Mary Rampellini

Gina Arnaud

Glenn Delahoussaye, who saddled his first winner in 1981, is retiring as a trainer.

Glenn Delahoussaye, whose stable has been a mainstay in South Louisiana for more than 40 years, is retiring from training at the end of the month, he said Wednesday.

Delahoussaye plans to remain active in the industry as an adviser to clients and on Friday will be working the Breeders Sales of Louisiana yearling auction and mixed session in Opelousas, La.

He said his owners are in the process of turning over the racing-age horses in his care to his longtime assistant, Jason Faul. Delahoussaye, 67, said the decision to retire from training was not made overnight.

Thu, 09/26/2024 - 14:54

Big Blue Line has pedigree to back John Henry Turf experiment

By Steve Andersen

Coady Photography

Big Blue Line will try the turf for just the third time in his career in Saturday's John Henry Turf Championship at Santa Anita.

Proven at a mile on dirt at Saratoga last month, the 5-year-old gelding Big Blue Line will have a radically different assignment on the other side of the country in Saturday’s Grade 2 John Henry Turf Championship at Santa Anita.

For the third time in his career, Big Blue Line will start on grass. The $750,000 John Henry Turf Championship will be his stakes debut on the surface at a new distance of 1 1/4 miles.

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