ARCADIA, Calif. – Forgive Dan Blacker if he’s a bit bleary-eyed this weekend at Santa Anita.
On Wednesday, his wife, Christina, a commentator on TVG, had the couple’s third daughter, Eliza, who is expected home this weekend.
Sunday, Blacker starts Tonahutu in an optional claimer at a mile on turf. There are positive signs Tonahutu can win her second start in this country, after a tough nose loss at Del Mar in an optional claimer Sept. 2.
Ransom the Moon secured a berth in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Del Mar on Nov. 4 with a win in the Grade 1 Bing Crosby Stakes at that track in July.
On Oct. 7, Ransom the Moon can solidify his status among the nation’s sprinters when he has a final prep race for the BC Sprint in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Sprint Championship at six furlongs. The $300,000 Santa Anita Sprint Championship is the final Grade 1 prep race for Breeders’ Cup races at Santa Anita’s autumn meeting.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The probability of Miss Temple City trying for a repeat win in the Grade 1 Shadwell Turf Mile is just one of numerous compelling story lines that await fans when Keeneland opens its 17-day fall meet Friday.
The New York Islanders of the National Hockey League have submitted a bid to build a stadium on land near Belmont Park, one of three plans reportedly submitted for the property under a state-issued request for proposals.
Despite brutal weather in the Pacific Northwest last spring, the mutuel handle at the 2017 Emerald Downs meet that ended last Sunday held its own compared to last year.
According to numbers released by Emerald officials, the all-sources total handle of $69,581,303 for 72 days was a small increase over the $68,259,384 wagered over 70 days in 2016. The $966,406 daily average was down slightly from $975,134 last year.
Ontrack total handle of $11,321,695 was up marginally from $11,710,658 in 2016.
The Grade 2 Bayakoa Stakes will be run at the Los Alamitos winter meeting in December, but at a cost.
Overnight purses will be reduced to finance the $200,000 race for fillies and mares, Jack Liebau of Los Alamitos and Greg Avioli of the Thoroughbred Owners of California said on Thursday.
A Pennsylvania Racing Commission ruling dated Sept. 22 has ordered the purse of the $200,000 Pennsylvania Governor's Cup at Penn National on June 3 redistributed after a split sample from the winner, Richard's Boy, confirmed the presence of methamphetamine in his system.
Bold Thunder finished first by a head over Richard's Boy in the five-furlong turf sprint but was disqualified and placed second for ducking out and bothering Richard's Boy in midstretch. Richard's Boy was awarded the victory and earned $114,800.
Dortmund will be scratched from the Grade 1 Awesome Again Stakes on Saturday at Santa Anita, trainer Art Sherman said Thursday.
The Awesome Again was scheduled to be Dortmund's first race since April 1. He was announced as retired after that race, then put back in training. Dortmund is owned by Kaleem Shah.
"I got to talking it over with Kaleem, and we decided it's an awful lot to ask him to go a mile and an eighth after a long layoff," Sherman said. "I'd like to get an easier spot to come back in."
ARCADIA, Calif. – Santa Anita has enacted a raceday scratch time for its 19-day autumn meeting that begins on Friday, eliminating an early withdrawal stage the day before racing.
Previously, horses could be withdrawn the morning before raceday for reasons such as illness or injury. Another set of scratches were then announced on race morning, often for the same reasons. The new policy of a single scratch time is similar to what is in place at other tracks, according to the track’s vice president of racing, Rick Hammerle.
ELMONT N.Y. – El Deal will be a heavy favorite in Saturday’s Grade 1, $350,000 Vosburgh Stakes, but the presence of so much speed in the field prompted trainer Kiaran McLaughlin to enter the New York-bred Celtic Chaos in the race. McLaughlin also has Takaful, one of the speed horses in the seven-horse field.
Celtic Chaos is 3 for 5 at Belmont Park, including a last-to-first victory in a field of 12 in the Affirmed Success Stakes here in April. This will be the 21st start for Celtic Chaos and his first against open company.
