Sun, 12/03/2017 - 15:36

Sharp Azteca will likely run next in Pegasus World Cup

Ronnie Betor
Sharp Azteca ran off to a 5 1/4-length win under Javier Castellano in Saturday's Grade 1 Cigar Mile at Aqueduct.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - After dominating Saturday’s Grade 1 Cigar Mile at Aqueduct, Sharp Azteca will return to south Florida this week and will most likely make his next start in the $16 million Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 27, trainer Jorge Navarro said Sunday.

“It’s 95 percent yes, we’re going in the Pegasus,” Navarro said by phone from south Florida. “The horse will tell me where he’s at once he gets here. I’m sure he’s going to be all right. I’m going to have enough time to get him ready.”

Sun, 12/03/2017 - 14:32

Gun Runner drills easy half-mile for Pegasus World Cup

Lou Hodges Jr./Hodges Photography
Gun Runner works Sunday under exercise rider Angel Garcia.

Gun Runner began the serious preparation for the last start of his tremendous career when he worked an easy half-mile in 51.40 seconds on Sunday morning at Fair Grounds.

The work was Gun Runner’s first since he won the Breeders’ Cup Classic on Nov. 4 at Del Mar, and the first drill in preparation for his career finale Jan. 27 in the Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park.

“It was traditional Gun Runner,” trainer Steve Asmussen said. “He was traveling well. He moves easy. All is well with him.”

Fri, 12/01/2017 - 15:26

Brown targeting early Santa Anita stakes

Chelsea Durand/NYRA
Rymska, a winner last out in Aqueduct's Winter Memories Stakes, is bound for the Grade 1 American Oaks on Dec. 30 at Santa Anita.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Trainer Chad Brown swept the final two graded stakes run at the Del Mar fall meeting, which concluded on Nov. 26. Now, he is eyeing several graded events at Santa Anita when that Southern California track opens its meeting on Dec. 26.

Fri, 12/01/2017 - 15:16

Dubai Bob will look to wire turf sprint

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Sunday’s main event at Gulfstream Park will offer a $50,000 purse and be decided at five furlongs on turf under first-level allowance and optional-claiming conditions. A field of 11 plus one entrant for the main track only were entered, led by Dubai Bob, a winner of two of his last three starts for the partnership of Averill Racing and Matties Racing, the same group that owns the world-record-holding turf sprinter Pay the Price.

Fri, 12/01/2017 - 15:10

Cloud Computing back with Brown

Debra A. Roma
Preakness winner Cloud Computing, sidelined following the Travers in August, has rejoined Chad Brown's stable.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Cloud Computing, the Preakness winner who was sidelined following the Travers in August with a chip in an ankle, has recently rejoined trainer Chad Brown’s stable at the Palm Meadows training center in Florida.

Brown said that Cloud Computing has started walking under tack and that he has no timetable for when he would like to bring him back in 2018.

“Just happy to have him back,” Brown said.

Fri, 12/01/2017 - 15:10

Contenders work for Clasico Internacional del Caribe program

Courtesy of Gulfstream Park
Justiciero likely will be favored in the $300,000 Clasico del Caribe.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – The main track closes for training at 9:45 each morning at Gulfstream Park, but it wasn’t until after 11 a.m. that the final horse left the course Friday, the last of seven late-morning workers for next Saturday’s Clasico Internacional del Caribe program. The Clasico Internacional del Caribe is a series of five stakes races worth $600,000 in total to be hosted for the first time outside of the Caribbean or Latin America.

Fri, 12/01/2017 - 15:06

West Point, others buy maiden winner Septimius Severus

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – The 2-year-old Septimius Severus, who won his career debut by a nose at Aqueduct on Nov. 24, has been purchased privately by West Point Thoroughbreds, Dean and Patti Reeves, and Randy Hill. He has been transferred to trainer George Weaver.

Fri, 12/01/2017 - 14:40

Estrella Damm, Strykr Force streak into Southwest Juvenile Championship

Coady Photography
Strykr Force wins the La Fiesta Futurity in September.

Zia Park does not close out its meet until Dec. 12, but the final stakes of the season will be run Sunday. The Grade 1, $200,000 Southwest Juvenile Championship for Quarter Horses highlights the program, which also includes races for Thoroughbreds.

Estrella Damm and Strykr Force each will be attempting to win their fourth straight race when they meet in the Southwest Juvenile. They are part of a field of 10 for the 440-yard stakes, which also drew graded stakes winners Carris Cartel and Suenos Dineros.

Fri, 12/01/2017 - 14:36

Proud and Fearless considered for Houston Ladies Classic

Coady Photography
Sandy's Surprise, shown winning last month's Zia Park Oaks, might start in the Houston Ladies Classic.

Trainer Larry Jones has won two runnings of the richest Thoroughbred stakes in Texas, the $400,000 Houston Ladies Classic at Sam Houston, and could be chasing a third victory come Jan. 28.

Proud and Fearless will be considered for the race, Jones said Thursday. She finished a troubled fourth as the favorite in the $300,000 Zia Park Oaks on Nov. 22. The Zia Oaks was that meet’s richest for Thoroughbreds. Proud and Fearless was always in contention in the 1 1/16-mile stakes and was making her bid in the stretch under Brian Pedroza when a rival suddenly thwarted her momentum.

Fri, 12/01/2017 - 14:20

Baffert has strong pair for CashCall Futurity

CYPRESS, Calif. – McKinzie, an exciting maiden race winner at Santa Anita in October in his debut, and Solomini, second in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Del Mar last month, give trainer Bob Baffert an ultra-strong team for the Grade 1 Los Alamitos CashCall Futurity on Dec. 9.