Jockey Mike Luzzi, a mainstay on the New York Racing Association circuit for more than two decades, will be moving his tack to Oaklawn Park this winter and start riding there when that meet opens on Jan. 12.
Luzzi, 48, was listed to ride one horse at Aqueduct on Thursday, but has already taken off that mount as he plans to start the drive from Long Island to Oaklawn that day and begin getting on horses over the weekend.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – It might have been a surprise to most of the experts when Luis Saez unseated five-time reigning Gulfstream Park riding champion Javier Castellano to win the 2016-17 Championship meet jockey title. But it certainly will not come as a surprise to anyone if Saez repeats the feat this winter, especially with the defending champ having gotten off to a red-hot start with 24 victories over the first 14 days of the session.
Gulfstream Park has reached an agreement with the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association and the Florida Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association that will assure $2.5 million in purse money for registered Florida-breds in 2018, $1 million of which is being earmarked for overnight races at Gulfstream and Gulfstream Park West.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Santiamen kept his record perfect and may have earned himself a stakes opportunity by outfinishing stablemate Empire Power to capture Thursday’s $50,000 main event for Cairoli Racing Stable and trainer Antonio Sano.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Trainer Todd Pletcher said that Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming shipped back into his barn on Wednesday and galloped for the first time at Palm Beach Downs on Thursday. Always Dreaming has not started since finishing ninth in the Grade 1 Travers in August.
“He looks great,” said Pletcher. “He put on a lot of weight. He’s really filled out and seems to have made a very good transition from the beginning of his 3-year-old season to the end. And he’s back now at a place we know he likes to train at.”
ARCADIA, Calif. – Bolt d’Oro has been taking it fairly easy since the Breeders’ Cup, but soon he and the rest of the 3-year-old class of 2018 at Santa Anita will begin their serious preparations toward the May 5 Kentucky Derby, which locally based horses have won four times in the last six years, with California Chrome, Nyquist, I’ll Have Another, and, of course, Triple Crown winner American Pharoah.
The California Horse Racing Board on Friday released a list of horses known or believed to have perished in the Dec. 7 Lilac fire that swept through the San Luis Rey Downs training center in San Diego County.
In all, 46 horses are believed to have died, with 43 having been identified and three more still unknown. As previously reported, Scott Hansen suffered the worst losses among San Luis Rey trainers with 15 horses killed in the tragedy.
Issued with a Sacramento dateline, the CHRB released the following statement:
ARCADIA, Calif. – Unique Bella, who disappointed last time out in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Del Mar, will be looking to re-establish her position among the local 3-year-old fillies when she competes Tuesday in the Grade 1, $300,000 La Brea Stakes.
Unique Bella had her final prep for the La Brea here at Santa Anita on Thursday morning, covering a half-mile in 48.60 seconds.
ARCADIA, Calif. – The Grade 1 Malibu Stakes will have a pacesetter after all.
City of Light, a lightly raced speedster who posted two bullet works this month at Santa Anita, has jumped into the seven-furlong Malibu, which will be run Dec. 26, opening day of the Santa Anita winter meet. Post positions were to be drawn Thursday.
Even though he is eligible to a first-level allowance, City of Light is a threat to wire a Malibu field that is otherwise short on pace. The $300,000 Malibu, for 3-year-olds, has been won by the pacesetter four times in the past nine years.
Classic Rock returned from a 5 1/2-month layoff to capture Wednesday’s $51,000 optional-claiming feature at Gulfstream Park, setting the pace before pulling away to an impressive victory under leading rider Luis Saez. The win was the fourth in eight career starts for the son of Maclean’s Music, who is trained by Kathy Ritvo for owners Dean and Patti Reeves.
Classic Rock, winner of the Roar Stakes here in April, ran without blinkers for the first time since his 2-year-old debut.
