ELMONT, N.Y. – Sporting Chance and Free Drop Billy, separated by a neck in an eventful finish to Monday’s Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes at Saratoga, are likely to go their separate ways for their next start, with the goal being a potential rematch in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Del Mar on Nov. 4.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Martin Panza is still a big proponent of the big-day concept, stacking a large number of stakes on a single card. But when it comes to the fall, the New York Racing Association’s vice president of racing operations isn’t so sure it works as well as other times of the year. So, for the upcoming Belmont Park fall meet, which begins Friday, Panza has spread the wealth when it comes to the placement of several of the meet’s major events.
Faypien, second in the Grade 1 Test Stakes at Saratoga on Aug. 5, will be a heavy favorite to win her third stakes in Saturday’s $75,000 Beverly Lewis Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Los Alamitos.
As of Wednesday morning, Faypien was the most accomplished filly among the probable starters for the Lewis, which is run at 6 1/2 furlongs. Trained by Bob Baffert, Faypien won the Grade 2 Summertime Oaks at Santa Anita on June 17 in her graded stakes debut. Faypien has been in training with Baffert’s stable at Los Alamitos.
Blackjackcat, the winner of the Grade 2 Del Mar Mile on turf on Aug. 20, may be sent to Keeneland for the Grade 1 Shadwell Mile on Oct. 8 to solidify his chances of a start in the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Del Mar on Nov. 4.
The Del Mar Mile was Blackjackcat’s first graded stakes win, and trainer Mark Glatt thinks the 4-year-old gelding will need to accomplish more to secure a berth in the BC Mile.
Irap and Pavel may give owners Paul and Zillah Reddam and trainer Doug O’Neill a formidable duo in the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby at Parx Racing on Sept. 23.
O’Neill said on Wednesday that Pavel is being pointed for the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby at 1 1/8 miles, and that Irap’s participation depends on the outcome of a workout on Saturday. Both colts are currently stabled at Parx.
“Irap is due to work on Saturday,” O’Neill said. “If he works as well as we hope, then it’s possible Irap would start next in the Penn Derby.
Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla., has canceled the four live racing cards scheduled for Thursday through Sunday due to weather forecasts predicting that Hurricane Irma will hit south Florida, the track announced Wednesday.
Hurricane Irma, which on Wednesday was being called the strongest Atlantic Ocean storm ever recorded, with winds of 185 mph, is not expected to make landfall until Sunday, but the impact of the storm, including heavy rainfall and powerful winds, could be felt as early as Friday, according to weather services.
Ellis Park set another record for all-sources handle this summer, when nearly $38.4 million was wagered during the meet, which ended Monday.
Officials at the western Kentucky track reported Tuesday that gross wagering was up 18 percent over its meet in 2016, when the previous record was set. Technically, the 2017 meet consisted of 31 days, but one card (Aug. 6) was canceled after three races and another (Sept. 1) was canceled after just one race. There were 256 races run this summer versus 259 in 2016. For the 29 full cards this year, average daily handle was $1.3 million.
Jorge Navarro, who long ago locked up his fifth consecutive Monmouth Park training title, went 3 for 7 over the holiday weekend, equaling the meet record of 59 wins that he set in 2016.
Navarro also set a record for wins on a Monmouth card July 23, when he sent out five winners. Sharp Azteca, whom he trains, set a track record for 1 1/16 miles when he won the Monmouth Cup on Haskell Day in 1:40.19.
Laurel Park will begin its premier meet Friday on an up note following an extended summer season during which average daily handle increased 25.5 percent to $2.72 million.
Expanded to 33 days this year, the summer season closed Aug. 20 to make way for the Maryland State Fair meet at Timonium, which concluded its seven-day run on Labor Day. The down time gave the Laurel turf course time to mend and allowed the track crew to resurface the dirt track.
DEL MAR, Calif. – Richard Baltas was beaming Tuesday morning over winning his first training title at Del Mar, one he had to share with Phil D’Amato, who won the final race of the meet to pull into a tie with Baltas at the top of the standings with 18 wins each.
“It’s not like it’s a little meet,” Baltas said. “The Del Mar summer meet – everybody’s watching. I’m happy. We work really hard. Congratulations go out to my staff. They work their butts off.”
