HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Driven by Thunder, reclaimed by the Repole Stable and trainer Todd Pletcher for $25,000 out of his New York finale at Aqueduct on Nov. 30, could return quick dividends when put back on grass against Florida-breds in Friday’s $44,000 feature here. The 7 1/2-furlong optional claimer concludes the 10-race card.
:: CLOCKER REPORT: Get workout grades and comments for the Gulfstream Park Championship meet
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Trainer Chad Brown said that Stellar Wind remains on track to run in the $16 million Pegasus World Cup on Jan. 27 at Gulfstream Park.
Stellar Wind was purchased by Coolmore at the Keeneland November breeding stock sale with the intention of being retired and bred to American Pharoah this season. But Coolmore had a change of heart shortly thereafter, sending the champion 3-year-old filly of 2015 to Brown at Palm Meadows to prepare for the Pegasus.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Trainer Chad Brown said that even he was impressed with the way his promising 3-year-old Mask won his career debut, drawing away by 3 1/2 lengths over the highly regarded Navistar last fall at Belmont Park. Brown was so impressed, in fact, that he plans to have Mask step up to stakes company for his second start, in the $100,000 Mucho Macho Man Stakes here Saturday.
There is an eight-race card scheduled for Friday at Aqueduct, but with a high of 16 degrees and wind chills forecast for below zero, it is unlikely to be run.
If by chance there is racing, the feature is a first-level allowance for 4-year-olds and up going a mile. The race would mark the first start against winners for Backyard Heaven, who on Dec. 10 won a one-mile maiden race by five lengths in his second start. The son of Tizway ran a mile in 1:38.31 and earned a 97 Beyer Speed Figure.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – There was a slight reprieve Wednesday morning from the brutal cold that has enveloped the New York area for more than a week. With temperatures in the low 20s and just a gentle breeze, horsemen were able to have a fairly normal training day.
Between Belmont Park and Aqueduct, 170 horses put in workouts Wednesday morning, the calm before a snowstorm scheduled to arrive late Wednesday and impact Thursday training. The snow is to be followed by the coldest temperatures of the winter on Friday and Saturday.
Among the 161 horses to work Wednesday morning at Belmont was Come Dancing, a 4-year-old filly who returned from a 13-month layoff to win an allowance on Dec. 14 by 6 1/2 lengths. Come Dancing worked a half-mile in 50.36 seconds.
Come Dancing was on the track around 8:30 a.m., but the workout was pushed back until after 9 a.m. when the outriders alerted horsemen of a problem spot at the three-furlong pole of the training track. The scheduled 9 a.m. renovation break was moved up by 30 minutes for the maintenance staff to work on the area.
C Z Rocket took the first loss of his career finishing a fading sixth in the Grade 1 Malibu Stakes on Dec. 26 at Santa Anita, but the colt at least came out of the race without injury, trainer Al Stall said.
“He’s back here at Fair Grounds,” Stall said. “He’s okay. I don’t know what happened. He just came up a little empty.”
C Z Rocket won his first three starts, including his Saratoga debut, by open lengths and was a well-backed 5-2 shot in the Malibu. He raced wide and close to the pace but had no spark in the homestretch.
Most years the Lecomte Stakes is a relatively quiet point of departure toward the Risen Star Stakes in February and the Louisiana Derby at the end of the Fair Grounds meeting.
Not this year.
The first 3-year-old dirt-route stakes of the Fair Grounds season, the Lecomte already appeared to be coming up with a good field, and now comes news that Instilled Regard will ship from California next week to start in the race, part of the Jan. 13 Road to the Derby Kickoff card at Fair Grounds.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Jockey Martin Pedroza and valet Max Corrales may face sanctions for fighting in the jockeys’ room at Santa Anita last Friday.
Santa Anita steward Scott Chaney said the California Horse Racing Board has launched an investigation into the incident, which could lead to a formal complaint and a hearing. A fine or suspension may be levied, pending the results of the hearing.
On Monday, Pedroza met informally with the stewards to discuss the situation. Pedroza said the argument stemmed from his desire for certain valets to saddle his horses.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Collected and West Coast, who were second and third in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Del Mar in November, worked at Santa Anita on Wednesday in advance of the $16 million Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 27.
Collected, who finished third in the Grade 2 San Antonio Stakes at Santa Anita on Dec. 26, worked five furlongs in 59 seconds in company with stablemate Cat Burglar, who was timed in 59.60 seconds.
