Mon, 08/21/2017 - 13:00

Classy Tune targets Raven Run Stakes

DEL MAR, Calif. – Classy Tune, the 5 1/2-length winner of an allowance race for 3-year-old fillies Sunday, likely will be pointed to the Grade 2, $250,000 Raven Run Stakes on Oct. 21 at Keeneland for her stakes debut, trainer Simon Callaghan said Monday.

Classy Tune, by Maclean’s Music, has won her last two starts, both at Del Mar.

“She deserves a shot at a stakes after that performance,” Callaghan said. “We’ll probably go to the Raven Run.”

Callaghan’s best 3-year-old filly, Test winner American Gal, worked a half-mile in 48.80 seconds Monday at Del Mar.

Mon, 08/21/2017 - 13:00

Zatter, St. Patrick's Day may meet again in Del Mar Futurity

DEL MAR, Calif. – Zatter and St. Patrick’s Day, who ran one-two in their debuts in a strong six-furlong race for maiden 2-year-olds on Sunday, both are under serious consideration for the Grade 1, $300,000 Del Mar Futurity going seven furlongs on closing day, Sept. 4, trainer Bob Baffert said Monday.

Zatter, by Midnight Lute, is owned by the Zayat Stables of Ahmed and Justin Zayat, who owned American Pharaoh, the 2015 Triple Crown winner who is the older full brother of St. Patrick’s Day.

Mon, 08/21/2017 - 12:56

Jockey Garcia grateful for Pacific Classic score

Emily Shields
Collected held off stablemate Arrogate to post a half-length victory in the Grade 1 Pacific Classic on Saturday at Del Mar.

DEL MAR, Calif. – The victory by Collected in the Pacific Classic on Saturday was a welcomed one for jockey Martin Garcia, who has had limited action at this meet in part because of a back injury sustained this spring.

Garcia has ridden in just 27 races at this meet at Del Mar, and the win by Collected was only his second victory. But the $600,000 first prize, of which he gets 10 percent, propelled Garcia all the way to ninth in earnings among his peers this summer at Del Mar.

Mon, 08/21/2017 - 12:20

With Cloud Computing in, Travers to feature all three Triple Crown race winners

Barbara D. Livingston
Cloud Computing breezes last Saturday for the Grade 1 Travers Stakes.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer Chad Brown officially came down off the fence on Monday and said Preakness winner Cloud Computing will run in Saturday’s Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers Stakes at Saratoga.

Mon, 08/21/2017 - 12:06

Comebacking Silent Bird to face tough field in Pat O'Brien Stakes

Barbara D. Livingston
Silent Bird could return from a five-month break this Saturday in Del Mar's Pat O'Brien Stakes.

DEL MAR, Calif. – Trainer Mark Glatt is certain Silent Bird belongs in graded stakes, and even though the 5-year-old has not raced in five months, Glatt is looking to Saturday’s Grade 2 Pat O’Brien Stakes at Del Mar to provide proof.

Silent Bird won five consecutive races, from January 2016 to January of this year, before finishing fourth in his graded stakes debut in the Grade 1 Triple Bend Stakes at seven furlongs at Santa Anita on March 11.

Mon, 08/21/2017 - 11:26

Santa Anita, without Breeders' Cup, offers six fewer stakes

Santa Anita will offer 21 stakes for its 19-day autumn meeting from Sept. 29-Oct. 29, six fewer than during the 2016 meet, which included the Breeders’ Cup.

This year, the Breeders’ Cup is at Del Mar on Nov. 3-4. Six stakes typically run at Santa Anita during a Breeders’ Cup meeting have been transferred to Del Mar.

The most significant change is that Santa Anita has eliminated the Grade 2 City of Hope Mile. The City of Hope Mile was run with a purse of $200,000 in past years as a prep for the Breeders’ Cup Mile.

Mon, 08/21/2017 - 11:26

Mr Havercamp to make stakes debut at Saratoga

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Mr Havercamp remained unbeaten in his second start when he won an allowance over 1 1/16 miles on turf by 8 1/2 lengths at Woodbine on Aug. 13. Now, with two wins by a combined 12 lengths, Mr Havercamp will make his stakes debut in his next start, trainer Catherine Day Phillips said.

While the $125,000 Vice Regent Stakes over a mile on the Woodbine turf for Ontario-sired 3-year olds on Sept. 23 would be a logical local target, Day Phillips said she had a spot at Saratoga in mind – the Grade 3, $300,000 Saranac Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on turf on Sept. 2.

Mon, 08/21/2017 - 11:20

Listenlindalisten makes it two consecutive stakes scores

Michael Burns
Listenlindalisten wins the Eternal Search Stakes last week at Woodbine.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – The Mark Casse-trained Listenlindalisten doubled up last week by taking the Eternal Search Stakes over 1 1/16 miles on Woodbine’s Tapeta. Two weeks prior, Listenlindalisten had recorded her first stakes score in the Passing Mood Stakes, a race originally scheduled for turf but moved to the Tapeta following heavy rain.

Casse said he was confident Listenlindalisten could handle the short comeback.

Mon, 08/21/2017 - 11:20

Conquest Panthera likely to run in Woodbine Mile

Michael Burns
Conquest Panthera, left, wins the Play the King Stakes on Saturday at Woodbine.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Trainer Mark Casse recorded his meet-leading ninth stakes win of the season Saturday when Conquest Panthera got by pacesetter Dowse’s Beach in the final strides to win the Grade 2 Play the King Stakes. Casse will likely run two horses in next month’s Grade 1, $800,000 Woodbine Mile, including World Approval, who won the Grade 1 Fourstardave Handicap at Saratoga on Aug. 12.

Sun, 08/20/2017 - 16:42

Del Mar maiden winner Moonshine Memories targeting Chandelier Stakes

Shigeki Kikkawa
Debut maiden winner Moonshine Memories will point for Santa Anita's Chandelier Stakes.

DEL MAR, Calif. – Moonshine Memories will go from a maiden race win in her debut at Del Mar on Saturday to the Grade 1 Chandelier Stakes at Santa Anita on Sept. 30, trainer Simon Callaghan said on Sunday.

Moonshine Memories, a filly by Malibu Moon, led throughout a six-furlong race for 2-year-old fillies on Saturday, winning by a length over favored Tyfosha. Callaghan said the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante at seven furlongs on Sept. 2 will arrive too soon.

“I think we’ll wait for the Chandelier,” Callaghan said. “I was nervous if we had her ready. I think she’s a good filly.”