Wed, 10/04/2017 - 15:36

Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf: Pressure is on One Fast Broad in Surfer Girl Stakes

To be assured a start in the Breeders’ Cup, One Fast Broad is in a virtual must-win situation in Monday’s $100,000 Surfer Girl Stakes at Santa Anita.

A victory or a narrow loss are the only results that owner-trainer Mick Ruis says will convince him to start One Fast Broad in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf on Nov. 3 at Del Mar.

“If she wins, for sure we’ll put her in there,” he said. “We’ll see if she runs second. She’s got to be first or second to think about it.”

Wed, 10/04/2017 - 15:36

Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf: Roaring Lion likely to be heard from

Michael Amoruso
Seabhac held off Voting Control by a half-length to win the Grade 3 Pilgrim on Saturday at Belmont Park.

On Sunday, trainer John Gosden was the talk of the racing world after Enable, the 3-year-old filly he trains for Khalid Abdullah, won the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. Enable, judging from her trainer’s remarks, won’t be coming to Del Mar for the Breeders’ Cup, but a Gosden winner last Saturday in England, Roaring Lion, might well be among the favorites for the BC Juvenile Turf.

Wed, 10/04/2017 - 15:20

Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf: Two key preps in First Lady, Flower Bowl

Lauren King/Coglianese Photos
Dickinson, ridden for the first time by Paco Lopez, wins the Grade 3 Suwannee River by 1 1/4 lengths.

The final two Win and You’re In qualifiers for the Nov. 4 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf are this weekend, with Keeneland staging the Grade 1 First Lady on Saturday and Belmont following on Sunday with the Grade 1 Flower Bowl.

Wed, 10/04/2017 - 15:06

Belford has three possible for Best of Ohio Endurance

Coady Photography
Strike Your Light is among three horses owned by Steve Belford nominated to the Best of Ohio Endurance.

Ohio native Steve Belford is a prominent owner and breeder in his home state and is set to showcase his operation when the Best of Ohio program is contested Saturday at Belterra Park. The operator of Ohio-based Maccabee Farm, he has three homebreds nominated for the $150,000 Best of Ohio Endurance, where reigning statebred horse of the year Mo Dont No is expected to be favored.

All three of Belford’s nominees, including stakes winner Strike Your Light, are trained by Tom Drury Jr. The Saturday card includes five stakes for Ohio-registered horses, worth a total of $750,000.

Wed, 10/04/2017 - 14:50

Breeders' Cup Distaff: Competition emerges for Stellar Wind

Barbara D. Livingston
Elate is the 4-1 second choice in the Breeders' Cup Distaff after romping in the Beldame at Belmont Park.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Stellar Wind remains favored for the Breeders’ Cup Distaff, but not by much. In fact, the Distaff, to be run Nov. 3 at Del Mar, became a lot more competitive following decisive victories Sept. 30 by resurgent 3-year-olds Elate and Paradise Woods.

Elate powered to an 8 1/4-length score in the Grade 1 Beldame at Belmont Park, her second straight Grade 1 romp. Her early Distaff odds subsequently were trimmed by Daily Racing Form. Elate is 4-1 second choice; Stellar Wind is 7-2.

Wed, 10/04/2017 - 14:46

Om targets Breeders' Cup Mile

Barbara D. Livingston
Om will be pointed toward the Breeders' Cup Mile.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Om, second by a nose in the 2016 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint and third in the Grade 3 Eddie D Stakes at Santa Anita on Sept. 29, will be pointed to the Breeders’ Cup Mile on turf Nov. 4 at Del Mar, trainer Dan Hendricks said.

Hendricks said he consulted with owner K.B. Sareen last weekend to discuss plans.

“He said I can go for the BC Mile,” Hendricks said. “We’ll look at it in a few weeks.”

Wed, 10/04/2017 - 14:46

Giant Expectations's Breeders' Cup plans are fluid

Benoit & Associates
Giant Expectations may race in the Santa Anita Sprint Championship on Oct. 7.

ARCADIA, Calif. – By late Saturday afternoon, the 4-year-old colt Giant Expectations could have a new race goal for the Breeders’ Cup.

Giant Expectations starts in Saturday’s Grade 1 Santa Anita Sprint Championship, and although he is using the race as a prep for the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, trainer Peter Eurton said he would consider switching him to the Sprint if he were to win.

Wed, 10/04/2017 - 14:26

Sire Stakes winners Soutache, Starship Bonita to take it easy

Lauren King/Coglianese Photos
Soutache has three wins in four starts as a 2-year-old.

MIAMI – Hopefully everybody got a good look at Florida Sire Series winners Soutache and Starship Bonita on Saturday, because it’s not likely either will be seen again for a while.

Trainer Ralph Nicks said Soutache has already been sent home to GoldMark Farm, where he’ll be given plenty of time off following his victory in the $400,000 In Reality Stakes.

Wed, 10/04/2017 - 14:20

Navarro agrees not to enter horses at Delaware meet

Jorge Navarro, the trainer who has been dogged by controversy for the past several years, has agreed not to enter any horses at Delaware Park for the remainder of the track’s meet this year, the state racing commission’s top official said Wednesday.

John Wayne, the administrator for racing for the Delaware State Racing Commission, said Navarro agreed to the proposal during a sit-down interview at the commission’s offices Wednesday morning.

Wed, 10/04/2017 - 13:56

Breeders' Cup Classic: Keen Ice keeps dancing every dance

Barbara D. Livingston
Keen Ice had lost 10 consecutive starts since August 2015.

For more than three years now, Keen Ice has plied his trade across the country and in Dubai, his 23 starts taking place at 11 different tracks. And while he’s only won three of those starts, there are only a few from his crop still racing at the highest level in the sport.