Wed, 10/04/2017 - 16:00

Servis, Guillot each take two shots at Champagne

Barbara D. Livingston
Firenze Fire paid $27.00 in winning the Sanford Stakes at Saratoga on Saturday.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Trainers Jason Servis and Eric Guillot each entered two horses in a field of 12 for Saturday’s Grade 1, $500,000 Champagne that lacks a clear favorite. Servis entered Firenze Fire and Full of Run, while Guillot entered Stronger and the maiden Master Manipulator.

Wed, 10/04/2017 - 15:56

Pavel can gain elite status fashionably late in Jockey Club Gold Cup

Bill Denver/Equi-Photo
Pavel wins the Grade 3 Smarty Jones Stakes at Parx Racing last month.

ELMONT, N.Y. – To say that Pavel has come a long way in a short period of time understates the cliché.

On July 1, Pavel won a 6 1/2-furlong maiden race at Santa Anita. Four weeks later, he was swapping punches with the Kentucky Derby and Preakness winners in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy at Saratoga. Now, after a visually impressive victory in the Grade 3 Smarty Jones Stakes at Parx on Labor Day, Pavel is meeting older horses in Saturday’s Grade 1, $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park.

Wed, 10/04/2017 - 15:56

Lady Aurelia stays sharp in drill

Keeneland/Coady Photography
The 3-year-old Lady Aurelia faces older females in the Giant's Causeway on Saturday.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Lady Aurelia has logged thousands of frequent flyer miles already. From that standpoint, a flight to California later this month for the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint will be a breeze for the Keeneland-based European champion.

For now, though, the 3-year-old filly continues to train at her home base, with Wesley Ward focusing on her mental preparations as much as physical. In company, Lady Aurelia breezed five furlongs Tuesday morning on the turf.

Wed, 10/04/2017 - 15:50

Honorable Duty pointing to Fayette Stakes

Coady Photography
Honorable Duty led at every call en route to a 4 3/4-length victory in Saturday's Grade 3 Lukas Classic at Churchill Downs.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Honorable Duty came out of his 4 3/4-length victory in the Lukas Classic last weekend at Churchill in fine shape and soon will move over to Keeneland to train for the closing-day feature, the Grade 2 Fayette on Oct. 28.

“He gave us another big effort,” said trainer Brendan Walsh. “I’m very happy with him.”

Wed, 10/04/2017 - 15:50

Bar of Gold expected for Spinster

Barbara D. Livingston
Bar of Gold paid $13 in winning the Yaddo Stakes at Saratoga on Friday.

The Grade 1 Spinster got a top contender for its 62nd running Sunday when trainer John Kimmel sent the standout New York-bred mare Bar of Gold to Keeneland early in the week along with his Alcibiades starter Pacific Gale. Most recently second in the Presque Isle Masters at 6 1/2 furlongs on Tapeta, Bar of Gold has become a model of versatility when competing effectively over a variety of surfaces at different distances.

Wed, 10/04/2017 - 15:46

FallStars Saturday card saves best for last

Coady Photography
Miss Temple City wins the Shadwell Turf Mile last year, one of her two Grade 1 wins beating males on turf in 2016.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Easily the richest program of the 17-day meet will be held Saturday at Keeneland when the fall showcase, the $1 million Shadwell Turf Mile, and four other graded stakes are part of a sensational 10-race card.

Miss Temple City once again will take on male rivals when part of a capacity field of 14 in the Shadwell, one of three Grade 1 events on a program that starts at 1:05 p.m. Eastern. Miss Temple City made track history in 2016 by sweeping the Maker’s 46 Mile and Shadwell.

Here is a rundown of the FallStars Weekend events for Saturday:

Wed, 10/04/2017 - 15:46

Gato Del Oro a possibility for Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile

Gato Del Oro, who ran the two best races of his career at Del Mar before shipping to Remington Park and finishing third in last month’s Oklahoma Derby, is a candidate for the Grade 1, $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, trainer Richard Baltas said Wednesday. The race is Nov. 3 at Del Mar.

“Right now, we’re pointing for that, hoping he’ll draw in,” Baltas said.

Wed, 10/04/2017 - 15:46

Breeders' Cup Mile: Mondialiste, Suedois worth watching at Keeneland

Barbara D. Livingston
English shipper Suedois is under consideration for a start in the BC Mile depending on his performance in Saturday's Shadwell Turf Mile.

Mondialiste might be an Irish-bred, England-based horse, but his two most important wins, in the 2015 Woodbine Mile and the 2016 Arlington Million, have come in North America. The overseas strategy has worked out so well that Mondialiste’s trainer, David O’Meara, has not just Mondialiste in Kentucky this week for the Grade 1 Shadwell Turf Mile, but also a second horse for the race, Suedois.

The two English shippers are among 14 entered in the Shadwell, a Win and You’re In race for the Breeders’ Cup Mile, as well as the last major North American prep for the race.

Wed, 10/04/2017 - 15:40

Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint: Holding Gold has been a puzzle

Keeneland/Coady Photography
Holding Gold earned his first triple-digit Beyer winning the Shakertown Stakes in April at Keeneland.

There’s a saying around the barn of trainer Mark Casse that some horses have too much talent not to be good at something. The trick is figuring out their niche.

Solving that puzzle helped take Holding Gold from a listed stakes-level horse in 2016 to a contender for this year’s Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint.

The 4-year-old Lonhro gelding ran well for Casse and owner Charlotte Weber of Live Oak Plantation last year, winning the Quick Call Stakes at Saratoga, but the trainer was left at the end of his campaign still trying to fully figure him out.

Wed, 10/04/2017 - 15:36

Breeders' Cup Turf: Itsinthepost has earned his shot

Shigeki Kikkawa
Itsinthepost (No. 1) narrowly beats Prime Attraction in the John Henry Turf Championship.

A growing collection of wins in Grade 2 turf marathons this year has put Itsinthepost on course for the $4 million Breeders’ Cup Turf at Del Mar on Nov. 4 – and the greatest test of his career.

Sunday, Itisinthepost won the Grade 2 John Henry Turf Championship, displaying a turn of foot that has defined his recent races. Itsinthepost closed from fourth to win by a head over Prime Attraction.

“I’ve been around a long time,” said owner Jed Cohen. “You don’t see many as confident as he is. He gives you his all every time.”