Wed, 01/17/2018 - 11:46

Ortiz, Jimenez, Medina escape injury in spills

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Jose Ortiz left the paddock aboard a mare named Zeven with a smile on his face prior to the ninth race Monday. And for good reason: Moments earlier, Ortiz had escaped injury despite having been thrown hard to the track when his mount, Double Cabernet, broke down at the top of the stretch.

“I am okay, thank God,” Ortiz said.

Two other jockeys, Carlos Jimenez and apprentice Aby Medina, also were dislodged from their mounts in the incident, and they, too, were uninjured.

Double Cabernet, trained by Peter Walder, had to be euthanized.

Wed, 01/17/2018 - 11:46

Special filly Heavenhasmynikki headed for stakes

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Heavenhasmynikki will run next in a stakes race after staying unbeaten by winning her second career start here Monday in a first-level allowance sprint.

Heavenhasmynikki is owned by the Loooch Racing Stable of Ron Paolucci and named for his daughter Nicole, who died in January 2016 at age 21.

“The filly means everything to me,” Paolucci said after Heavenhasmynikki came through a rail opening in earning a 75 Beyer Speed Figure in the six-furlong race. “We’ve got more than 100 horses, and she’s definitely in the top three. She’s very special.”

Mon, 01/15/2018 - 15:26

Horsemen hope for end to Belmont Park quarantine

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – New York racing officials and horsemen are hopeful that a quarantine placed on a Belmont Park barn Jan. 10 will be lifted later this week.

A horse trained by Linda Rice tested positive for the equine herpesvirus (EHV-1) on Jan. 9. That unraced 3-year-old male had a temperature for several days before being sent to the Cornell Ruffian Equine Hospital across the street from the Belmont barn area. The horse did not show any neurological signs of the virus.

Mon, 01/15/2018 - 15:16

Jazil draws six; Robb fails to fill

Barbara D. Livingston
Turco Bravo, entered in Saturday's Jazil Stakes, has run in two of the last three renewals of the race.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – There is a void of older male stakes horses on the grounds, evidenced by the fact only six horses were entered Monday for Saturday’s $100,000 Jazil Stakes and the Alex M. Robb, a race for New York-breds, has not been able to fill for two straight days.

The 9-year-old Turco Bravo, a horse who has won stakes at Belmont, Saratoga, and over Aqueduct’s now defunct inner track, is making a third attempt at the Jazil.

Mon, 01/15/2018 - 14:46

Sporting Chance drills at Oaklawn

Debra A. Roma
Sporting Chance wins the Hopeful Stakes at Saratoga in September.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Sporting Chance, the most accomplished young horse at Oaklawn, on Monday had his second work since winning the Grade 1 Hopeful in September at Saratoga.

Jockey Gary Stevens, who was up for the horse’s three-eighths work Jan. 9, was again in the saddle for trainer D. Wayne Lukas.

Sporting Chance went a half-mile in 47.60 seconds Monday. The track was fast on a sunny morning, with temperatures in the 30s. Oaklawn clockers caught Sporting Chance’s final quarter in 23 seconds and carried him galloping out five-eighths in 1:00.40.

Mon, 01/15/2018 - 14:46

Farrell's win, Dreaming of Anna's death make bittersweet weekend

Coady Photography
Farrell held off Ever So Clever to win the Pippin Stakes by three-quarters of a length on Saturday at Oaklawn Park.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – It was a bittersweet opening weekend for trainer Wayne Catalano at Oaklawn. He sent out stable star Farrell to win her 4-year-old debut in the $125,000 Pippin Stakes on Saturday, but later learned of the passing of champion Dreaming of Anna, whom he trained for breeder-owner Frank Calabrese.

Catalano said Dreaming of Anna, the champion 2-year-old filly of 2006, died in Kentucky. She was 14.

“We’re very sad,” Catalano said. “Mr. Calabrese and I had a lot of fun with her.”

Mon, 01/15/2018 - 14:36

Sonneteer to return to Oaklawn for Razorback

Coady Photography
Sonneteer, winner of the Fifth Season Stakes at Oaklawn on Jan. 12, is set to return for the Razorback Handicap.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Sonneteer, upset winner of the Fifth Season Stakes at Oaklawn Park in Arkansas last Friday, was scheduled to return to trainer Keith Desormeaux’s base at Santa Anita on Monday, but only for a limited time.

Desormeaux said Sonneteer is likely to return to Oaklawn Park for the Grade 3 Razorback Handicap at 1 1/16 miles on Feb. 19. The $500,000 Razorback Handicap is a prep for the track’s leading race for older horses – the Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap, a $750,000 race at 1 1/8 miles on April 14.

“He seems like he really likes it there,” Desormeaux said.

Mon, 01/15/2018 - 14:26

San Marcos among options for Itsinthepost

Benoit & Associates
The San Marcos Stakes on Feb. 3 is one option for Itsinthepost's next start.

ARCADIA, Calif. – There is no urgency to planning a late winter campaign for Itsinthepost, winner of the Grade 2 San Gabriel Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on turf Jan. 6 at Santa Anita.

A closer who is best in turf races at 1 1/8 miles to 1 1/2 miles, Itsinthepost has won four Grade 2 stakes in the last year. He was seventh in the Breeders’ Cup Turf on Nov. 4 at Del Mar.

Itsinthepost worked a half-mile in 49.40 seconds on the infield training track Monday.

Trainer Jeff Mullins said Itsinthepost’s weight remains fairly steady after his races.

Mon, 01/15/2018 - 14:26

Collected impresses in seven-furlong drill

Barbara D. Livingston
Collected is set to make his next start in the $16 Million Pegasus World Cup.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Collected, the 5-year-old multiple stakes-winning millionaire, worked seven furlongs in 1:24.20 on Monday at Santa Anita under jockey Mike Smith, an exercise that helped soften the disappointment of a third-place finish as a heavy favorite in the Grade 2 San Antonio Stakes on Dec. 26.

Smith, trainer Bob Baffert, and owner Peter Fluor were left hoping the workout will propel Collected to an upset win in the $16 million Pegasus World Cup at 1 1/8 miles Jan. 27 at Gulfstream Park.

Mon, 01/15/2018 - 14:16

Bullet work for Unique Bella

Shigeki Kikkawa
La Brea winner Unique Bella worked five furlongs at Santa Anita on Monday.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Unique Bella, a finalist for Eclipse Awards for outstanding 3-year-old filly and female sprinter of 2017, worked five furlongs in 59 seconds Monday at Santa Anita, the fastest of 39 recorded works at the distance.

The winner of the Grade 1 La Brea Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at seven furlongs Dec. 26, Unique Bella is being prepared for the Grade 2 Santa Maria Stakes at 1 1/16 miles Feb. 10 where she figures to be a heavy favorite.

“She seems very happy,” trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said.