Thu, 05/10/2018 - 14:36

Unique Bella, Paradise Woods target Beholder Mile

Barbara D. Livingston
Unique Bella is expected to meet Paradise Woods again in the Beholder Mile on June 2.

ARCADIA, Calif. – The champion Unique Bella and the multiple Grade 1 winner Paradise Woods are on schedule for their second meeting in the Grade 1 Beholder Mile on June 2, their trainers said Thursday.

Unique Bella, the champion female sprinter of 2017, was second after a slow start in the Grade 1 Apple Blossom Handicap at Oaklawn Park on April 13. Unique Bella was considered for the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps Stakes at Belmont Park on June 9, but is unlikely to be sent out of state.

“I think we’re looking toward running here,” trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said.

Thu, 05/10/2018 - 14:30

McKinzie returns to light training

Barbara D. Livingston
Trainer Bob Baffert says no timetable is set yet for McKinzie's return to racing.

ARCADIA, Calif. – McKinzie was rated as trainer Bob Baffert’s leading 3-year-old hope earlier this year – until Justify came along.

While Justify is undefeated in four starts after an impressive win in the Kentucky Derby on May 5, McKinzie has returned to light training after being sidelined in late March with an undisclosed ailment that kept him from a start in the Santa Anita Derby on April 7.

Baffert said Thursday that McKinzie is tack-walking at his stable at Santa Anita, with no timetable for a return to racing.

Thu, 05/10/2018 - 14:26

After five months away, Gary Stevens returning to Santa Anita

Barbara D. Livingston
Gary Stevens is expected to resume riding at Santa Anita on May 17.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens is in the midst of a road trip this weekend.

Stevens, 55, has spent the last several months riding primarily in Arkansas and Kentucky, and is returning to his longtime base in California. He and his family planned to spend this weekend driving from Louisville, Ky., to Southern California before Stevens resumes riding at Santa Anita on May 17.

Stevens has not ridden at Santa Anita since Dec. 31.

Thu, 05/10/2018 - 13:46

Justify gallops, looks ready for Preakness

Barbara D. Livingston
Justify, under Humberto Gomez, trains at Churchill Downs on Thursday.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Everybody can calm down now.

Justify was sent through a spirited gallop early Thursday at Churchill Downs in his first day of training since the colt won the 144th Kentucky Derby, allaying concerns that his bid for the May 19 Preakness at Pimlico will be hindered by the minor injury he incurred during the Derby.

Wed, 05/09/2018 - 15:26

Hi Happy, One Go All Go to meet again in Man o' War

Barbara D. Livingston
Hi Happy returned $6.80 with his victory in the Pan American Stakes at Gulfstream on Saturday.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Hi Happy, the sharp winner of the Grade 2 Pan American at Gulfstream Park on March 31, drew post 7 in a field of 10 for Saturday’s Grade 1, $700,000 Man o’ War Stakes at 1 3/8 miles on turf.

Hi Happy will face a familiar rival in One Go All Go, whom Hi Happy defeated by 2 3/4 lengths in the Pan Am. One Go All Go returned to win the Grade 2 Elkhorn at Keeneland. One Go All Go drew post 9 and will have regular rider Chris Landeros up.

Wed, 05/09/2018 - 15:20

Diamond King considered for Peter Pan, Preakness Stakes

Jim McCue/Maryland Jockey Club
Diamond King paid $6.60 to win the Federico Tesio Stakes on Saturday at Laurel Park.

ELMONT, N.Y. – By virtue of his victory in the Federico Tesio Stakes at Laurel on April 21, Diamond King secured a fees-paid berth in the $1.5 million Preakness Stakes at Pimlico on May 19.

While his connections are still considering the Preakness, on Wednesday they entered Diamond King in Saturday’s Grade 3, $350,000 Peter Pan Stakes at Belmont Park. The Peter Pan is run at 1 1/8 miles around one turn.

Chuck Zacney, whose Cash Is King Stable is a co-owner of Diamond King, said Wednesday, “We’re at the enter-and-to-be-determined stage.”

Wed, 05/09/2018 - 15:10

Gronkowski joins Brown barn, eyes Belmont Stakes

hoycubed photography
This victory at Kempton Park in England helped Gronkowski qualify for a spot in the Kentucky Derby.

ELMONT, N.Y. – While Chad Brown doesn’t plan on running Kentucky Derby runner-up Good Magic in the Belmont Stakes, he could have another horse in that race.

On Tuesday, it was announced that Gronkowski, the 3-year-old named for New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski, is being moved from trainer Jeremy Noseda to Brown by owner Phoenix Thoroughbreds. On Wednesday, Brown said he expected the horse to clear quarantine Monday.

Wed, 05/09/2018 - 15:06

Cloud Computing to have surgery for ankle chip

Barbara D. Livingston
Cloud Computing has not raced since September.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Cloud Computing, who won last year’s Preakness, came out of his narrow fourth-place finish in last Saturday’s Grade 3 Westchester Stakes at Belmont Park with a chip in a front ankle and will need surgery, trainer Chad Brown said Wednesday.

Cloud Computing had a similar problem last September, when an ankle chip was diagnosed following a workout three weeks after he ran in the Travers Stakes.

Wed, 05/09/2018 - 14:16

Kanthaka, Moonshine Memories add sparkle to stakes

Shigeki Kikkawa
Two-time Grade 1 winner Moonshine Memories was supplemented to Saturday's Angels Flight Stakes at Santa Anita.

ARCADIA, Calif. – The graded stakes winners Kanthaka and Moonshine Memories have been entered in stakes for 3-year-old sprinters at Santa Anita on Saturday.

Kanthaka will start in the Grade 3 Lazaro Barrera Stakes at seven furlongs in an attempt to rebound from a sixth-place finish in the Grade 2 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland on April 7. Good Magic won the Blue Grass Stakes and was second in the Kentucky Derby last Saturday.

Wed, 05/09/2018 - 14:10

Stormy Liberal pointing for Jaipur

Mathea Kelley/Dubai Racing Club
Stormy Liberal's first start since a runner-up finish in Dubai is to come at Belmont Park.

Stormy Liberal, the winner of the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Del Mar last November and second in the Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint in Dubai in March, will resume racing in the Grade 2 Jaipur Invitational at Belmont Park on June 9.

Brian Trump, racing manager for co-owner Rockingham Ranch, made the announcement on Twitter on Tuesday. The $400,000 Jaipur Invitational is run at six furlongs on turf and is part of the undercard of the Belmont Stakes program.