ARCADIA, Calif. – The late scratches of two horses in the last week because of incorrect administration of Lasix by third-party veterinarians has led Santa Anita officials to review policies enacted in late December regarding the anti-bleeder medication.
On Jan. 28, Pali High was withdrawn from a maiden race after the colt was given Lasix in error. When entries were taken Jan. 25, Pali High was the only horse among 14 in the field not scheduled to receive Lasix.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Midnight Bisou, the winner of the Grade 2 Santa Ynez Stakes last month, is not part of Sunday’s Grade 2 Las Virgenes Stakes for 3-year-old fillies by design, trainer Bill Spawr said on Friday.
If plans go as expected, Midnight Bisou will be joining the division’s leading races soon. Midnight Bisou worked five furlongs in 1:02.40 on Friday. After the workout, Spawr said Midnight Bisou will be pointed for the Grade 3 Santa Ysabel Stakes at 1 1/16 miles for 3-year-old fillies on March 3.
Glen Murphy, the retired rider who has been representing jockey Jareth Loveberry at Oaklawn, will be embarking on a new career path next week.
Murphy will be serving as a state steward during the Will Rogers Downs meet in Claremore, Okla., which opens in March. Murphy reports to work Feb. 19.
“I went to stewards’ school in California and was the association steward last meet at Arapahoe,” Murphy said. “I really enjoyed it. It’s hard to replace the funnest job in the world, but I enjoyed being a steward.”
Runaway Ghost established himself as the leading local hope for the Grade 3, $800,000 Sunland Park Derby last Sunday, when he won the track’s first prep for the race, the Riley Allison Stakes, by 7 3/4 lengths under Tracy Hebert. He earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 84 in the one-mile Riley Allison, the first two-turn win of his career.
“We wanted a big finish, and that’s exactly what he gave us,” said trainer Todd Fincher. “That was very encouraging.
Sam Houston handled $2,534,779 from all sources on its 10-race Houston Ladies Classic-Connally Turf Cup program last Sunday, according to figures provided by the track. It was the second-highest handle in the six-year history of the meet’s richest program, behind $2,796,222 in 2017.
Pink Lloyd, who was unbeaten in eight stakes starts last year, is a finalist in two 2017 Sovereign Award categories that were announced by the Jockey Club of Canada on Thursday.
The 43rd annual Sovereign Awards Ceremony will take place on April 19, when the hardware for 16 awards will be doled out at Woodbine.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Two of the fastest sprinters in January at Santa Anita – both trained by John Sadler – will try to become graded stakes winners next out.
Edwards Going Left, who earned a 102 Beyer winning the California Cup Sprint by six lengths last Saturday, and the filly Selcourt, who crushed the Kalookan Queen Stakes with a 96 Beyer on Jan. 14, both could be favored while seeking their first graded win.
Sadler said Edwards Going Left came out of the Cal Cup Sprint in top shape and will make his next start March 10 here in the Grade 1, $400,000 Triple Bend Stakes.
The West Virginia Racing Commission, which on Jan. 23 voted not to approve the purse of the state's biggest horse race, the $1.2 million Charles Town Classic, has called another meeting for Monday.
There are three items on the agenda:
1) Rescind Commission's previous vote regarding Charles Town Classic purse.
2) Approval of the 2018 Stakes Schedule at Charles Town.
3) Adjournment.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Trainer Todd Pletcher will start three of the six horses in Saturday’s Grade 3, $250,000 Withers Stakes at Aqueduct, but most of the focus will be on Marconi, a colt with a big price tag, big pedigree, and big stride.
Marconi is a son of Tapit and a half-brother to 2013 Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Mucho Macho Man. He was purchased as a yearling for $2 million by a partnership of Bridlewood Farm and the Coolmore connections of Michael Tabor, Susan Magnier, and Derrick Smith.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Enticed, the winner of the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes last November, will break from post 1 when making his 2018 debut Saturday at Gulfstream Park in a field of 11 3-year-olds in the 29th running of the Grade 2, $350,000 Holy Bull Stakes.
Seventeen Kentucky Derby qualifying points, including 10 to the winner, are at stake in the 1 1/16-mile Holy Bull, which will be the last of 12 races on a Saturday card that starts at noon Eastern. Post time for the Holy Bull will be about 5:49.
