HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – After opening the season with a pair of one-sided graded-stakes wins, Curlin’s Approval turned in a pair of disappointing performances, both as the odds-on favorite, in the Inside Information and Matron stakes.
But if her work here Tuesday is any indication, Curlin’s Approval is ready to bounce back in a big way when she returns home for the Grade 2 Princess Rooney on Summit of Speed Day here July 1.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Trainer Buff Bradley said Divisidero is being pointed to the Aug. 12 Arlington Million after exiting his last start in excellent fashion.
“He really couldn’t be doing any better,” said Bradley. “Ever since he got back to Kentucky [in late March], he’s been really happy.”
Thursday’s opening day of racing at the Oak Tree at Pleasanton meet at the Alameda County Fair has been canceled because of the record heat wave that has hit the area.
An excessive heat warning was issued for Wednesday and Thursday, when temperatures are projected to reach 106 and 108 degrees.
“This is a record heat wave,” said Larry Swartzlander, California Authority of Racing Fairs executive director. “There is a difference of 20 to 30 degrees for the horses coming here from Golden Gate Fields. We decided to cancel in the best interest of the horses.”
ELMONT, N.Y. – Mike Hushion, respected as a horse trainer but admired for being a better person, will retire from the game after 42 years of training when the Belmont Park spring-summer meet ends on July 16.
Hushion, 68, has trained horses on the New York Racing Association circuit since 1975 after working six years for the late Hall of Fame trainer Allen Jerkens. Through Sunday, Hushion had recorded 1,424 career victories, and his horses had earned $51,978,605.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Delta Bluesman is coming back to south Florida to defend his title a week from Saturday in the Grade 3 Smile Sprint.
Trainer Jorge Navarro said Monday he’s looking forward to “returning home” with Delta Bluesman, who drew off to a 3 3/4-length victory over Limousine Liberal in the 2016 Smile Sprint. Although the race was dropped from Grade 2 to Grade 3 status this year, the Smile Sprint remains a Win and You’re In event for the Breeders’ Cup Sprint.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Time and Motion, the Grade 1-winning turf filly who was scratched from the New York Stakes due to a low white blood cell count, returned to the work tab Monday, breezing three furlongs in 36.55 seconds over the Belmont Park turf course.
If all continues to go well, Time and Motion could start in the Grade 3, $100,000 Modesty Handicap at Arlington Park on July 8. The Modesty is the local prep for the Grade 1, $600,000 Beverly D. on Aug. 12. Both races are at 1 3/16 miles.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Perhaps overshadowed by Timeline’s performance in the Grade 3 Pegasus, the 4-year-old filly War Flag on Sunday displayed an impressive turn of foot, rallying from last in an eight-horse field to win a third-level allowance race at Monmouth Park by a half-length against males. It was her first start in this country.
ELMONT, N.Y. – The undefeated 3-year-old Timeline appears to have escaped significant injury after being stepped on during Sunday’s Grade 3, $100,000 Pegasus at Monmouth Park, a race he won by 3 1/2 lengths under Javier Castellano.
“The horse looks okay,” trainer Chad Brown said Monday. “He’s got a cut on his hock and on his right hind leg through the bandage, and he sprung his shoe pretty good. We got it off him after the race. He seems like he’s going to be fine.”
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Gun Runner is scheduled to leave Churchill Downs for Saratoga next Monday, with the next start for the superstar colt most likely to come in the Grade 1 Whitney on Aug. 5 at the upstate New York track.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Woodbine’s racing office announced a new turf endurance series last Friday.
The four-race series will begin July 22 at 1 3/8 miles, followed by races at 1 1/2 miles on Aug. 19, 1 5/8 miles on Sept. 23, and 2 1/4 miles on Oct. 22. Horses will accumulate points based on their finishing position in the races, and the horse with the most points at the end of the series will be named the Woodbine Turf Endurance Series Champion and receive a $15,000 bonus.
