Fair Grounds Race Course on Wednesday cancelled the racing program on Thursday, Jan. 18 owing to wintry weather in the area.
New Orleans had record cold on Tuesday night into Wednesday morning in addition to a mix of sleet, ice, and snow. The conditions were unusually harsh by area standards and led to widespread cancellations, postponements, and travel problems. The low temperature early Thursday morning was forecast to be an unusually low 23 degrees, with Thursday’s high expected to reach 42.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Sassy Sienna turned in an impressive performance on the Smarty Jones card Monday, when the 3-year-old filly drew off by 9 1/2 lengths in an optional $62,500 claiming race at a mile. The race came one start after Sassy Sienna finished fifth in the $100,000 Trapeze at Remington.
Last year, Sassy Sienna ran fourth in the Grade 1 Alcibiades at Keeneland and finished third in the $100,000 P.G. Johnson on turf at Saratoga. She earned a career-higher Beyer Speed Figure of 77 on Monday.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Mourinho emerged from his win in the $150,000 Smarty Jones Stakes on Monday at Oaklawn in good order, and he will be considered for the Grade 3, $500,000 Southwest here Feb. 19, trainer Bob Baffert said Wednesday.
Mourinho picked up 10 qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby in the Smarty Jones, a one-mile race that he won wire to wire. For his 3 1/4-length victory, Mourinho earned a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 99. He invaded from Southern California.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – The grass indeed proved greener for the New York Racing Association as the 2017 Aqueduct fall meet – the first in four decades with two turf courses – showed gains in all-sources handle compared with 2016.
All-sources handle for the meet was $250,376,535 a 7.6 percent increase over the $232,646,188 handled in 2016. Ontrack handle was $28,099,665, a 2 percent increase over the $27,554,724 handled in 2016.
Sam Houston Race Park opens Friday night with the track’s biggest program of the season on the immediate horizon. The Houston Racing Festival card, led by the Grade 3, $400,000 Houston Ladies Classic – which is the richest Thoroughbred race in Texas – and the Grade 3, $200,000 John B. Connally Turf Cup, is on Jan. 28. Entries for the program will be out on Wednesday, Jan. 24.
Fear the Cowboy, a 6-year-old horse who won two Grade 3 stakes races at Gulfstream Park last year, is being pointed to the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup as a starter in the slot co-owned by Gulfstream owner Frank Stronach, the track announced on Wednesday.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Bendable, a winner of two sprint stakes on dirt for fillies and mares, is scheduled to have her turf debut in Saturday’s Grade 3 Las Cienegas Handicap on the hillside course at Santa Anita.
The $100,000 Las Cienegas is run for fillies and mares at about 6 1/2 furlongs.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Benefiting from ideal weather and strong field size, Santa Anita has shown an increase in all-sources handle at its winter-spring meeting, according to data provided by track executive Tim Ritvo.
Combined handle from ontrack, satellite, and account-wagering sources rose 14.6 percent, from $109.7 million at the start of the 2016-17 season to $125.8 million this year. The figures reflect the first 13 days of racing at both meetings.
The Delaware Racing Commission on Wednesday approved the dates for Delaware Park's upcoming 81-day season.
The meet, which has the same number of days as in 2017, will open May 30 and continue through Oct. 20, with racing on Saturdays, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. First post will be 1:15 p.m.
The meet will peak on July 14 when the Grade 2 Delaware Handicap is held. Songbird won last year's Del Cap by a hard-earned length over Martini Glass for owner Rick Porter, trainer Jerry Hollendorfer, and jockey Mike Smith.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – It’s hard not to root for Manchurian High in Saturday’s $150,000 Sunshine Millions Turf.
Not only is the 10-year-old Manchurian High the oldest horse in the field, he’s also a two-time winner of the event and seeks his third win in a unique manner – off a five-length maiden victory over the hurdles in Charleston, S.C., two months earlier.
