OZONE PARK, N.Y. – A quarantine of a barn at Belmont Park will remain in place as a horse who tested positive for the equine herpesvirus (EHV-1) on Jan. 9, re-tested positive for the virus this week, the New York Racing Association announced on Friday.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Oaklawn is collecting memorabilia from the riding career of Larry Snyder after the retired jockey and his wife, Jeanette, lost their home in a Tuesday fire in Arkansas, said track spokeswoman Jennifer Hoyt. The Snyders were out of town.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – David Cohen’s comeback from a layoff of more than three years has been exceptional. Based at Oaklawn Park for the first time, Cohen is tied atop the standings after a week of racing and has had more mounts than any of his peers in a deep jockeys’ room.
Cohen had won four races from 27 mounts through Friday, placing him in a five-way tie with Gary Stevens, Jon Court, David Cabrera, and C.J. McMahon. His mounts have earned $163,548, and he has several strong chances on the card Sunday. Racing was canceled Thursday and Friday.
ARCADIA, Calif. – The final Saturday of January will be a showcase for California-breds at Santa Anita. Four stakes for statebreds will be run that day.
The most high-profile stakes will be the $150,000 California Cup Sprint at six furlongs, featuring the Grade 1 runners Edwards Going Left and Masochistic.
Edwards Going Left was second in the Grade 1 Malibu Stakes for 3-year-olds at seven furlongs Dec. 26. Masochistic, 8, won the Grade 1 Triple Bend Stakes at seven furlongs at Santa Anita in 2015.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Giant Expectations is bound for Gulfstream Park and the $16 million Pegasus World Cup on Jan. 27 following a fast workout at Santa Anita on Friday.
Clockers timed Giant Expectations in 58 seconds for five furlongs. Trainer Peter Eurton timed Giant Expectations in 46.60 seconds for the first half-mile and in 59 seconds for five furlongs.
“It was a little quicker than what I was looking for,” Eurton said.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Gun Runner settled in perfectly Thursday night at Gulfstream Park and was sent through an easy gallop Friday as final preparations begin for the likely 2017 Horse of the Year to make the last start of his brilliant career next Saturday in the $16 million Pegasus World Cup.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – A pair of allowances (races 5 and 10) for older horses will serve as the nominal features on an 11-race Sunday card at Gulfstream Park, which begins at noon Eastern. As usual, the most compelling storyline of the day involves the Rainbow 6 sequence, which runs from races 6 to 11.
Entering Friday action, the Rainbow 6 jackpot had swelled to $2,571,483, with Dec. 7 being the last time a solo winning ticket had emptied the pool. A mandatory pool dispersal is set for next Sunday, Jan. 28.
Extravagant Kid in 26-1 upset
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Three spills in a span of three racing days at Gulfstream have left two jockeys sidelined with injuries.
Richard Mitchell was hospitalized with facial injuries sustained when his mount, Perfect State, clipped heels and fell, throwing the rider to the turf in the final turn of the 10th race Thursday. Two other jockeys were thrown from their mounts but were not seriously hurt, nor were any of the three horses, according to track officials.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Champagne Room, the champion 2-year-old filly of 2016, is sidelined with a foot injury and may be retired to be bred, trainer Peter Eurton said Thursday.
Eurton said Champagne Room faces a 90-day rest caused by a hairline fracture in a foot and that the filly’s owners are debating whether to keep her in training.
“They’re considering some offers for her,” Eurton said. “If we did decide to keep her in training, she won’t race again until July.”
Eurton said the foot injury was detected earlier this week.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – The $100,000 Busanda Stakes for 3-year-old fillies, a race that offered qualifying points to the May 4 Kentucky Oaks, drew only four entrants and was not carded for Sunday as scheduled.
Andrew Byrnes, the stakes coordinator for the New York Racing Association, said the 1 1/8-mile race will be put up again for Thursday and entries will be taken on Sunday.
Five of the nine fillies nominated to the Busanda are also nominated to the Ruthless, a seven-furlong race for 3-year-old fillies scheduled for Jan. 28.
