SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Sporting Chance, a solid maiden winner here on July 22, worked four furlongs in 48.68 seconds Wednesday morning over the Oklahoma track in preparation for a start in Monday’s Grade 1, $350,000 Hopeful Stakes.
Under exercise rider Arielle Witkowski, Sporting Chance went his first quarter in 24.48 seconds and his second quarter in 24.20 as he drew five lengths clear of workmate Nanoosh.
DEL MAR, Calif. – The Del Mar summer meeting is all but certain to show an increase in all-sources handle when the season concludes Monday.
Through Sunday, the 30th day of the 36-day season, all-sources handle, including ontrack, satellite and account-wagering sources, had improved 7.8 percent over the 2016 season, according to Josh Rubinstein, Del Mar’s chief operating officer.
Rubinstein said the ontrack handle showed an increase of 1.8 percent, while ontrack attendance was down less than 1 percent.
Retama Park near San Antonio opens on Friday night with a new general manager, a new tote board, and an uptick in nominations to its signature races, the El Joven and La Senorita. The 22-night season will run through Nov. 11.
Bill Belcher became the new general manager of Retama on Aug. 1, said James Leatherman, the track’s longtime racing secretary. The new digital tote board was put in place after straight-line winds hit the old tote board in February.
“The way it’s formatted, it’s like a big TV,” said Leatherman. “There’s digital graphics, so it’s pretty neat.”
DEL MAR, Calif. – Barleysugar, who runs in Saturday’s Grade 2 John Mabee Stakes on turf at Del Mar, has matured this season, trainer Ed Freeman said.
Last year, the Irish-bred Barleysugar won her American debut in the Sandy Blue Handicap but lost her next four starts, including a close third in the Grade 3 Autumn Miss Stakes last October at Santa Anita.
This year, Barleysugar was sixth in an optional claimer at Santa Anita in March and did not start again until she won an optional claimer at a mile on turf here Aug. 12.
DEL MAR, Calif. – Zapperkat, who was disqualified from first to second in Sunday’s Grade 3 Torrey Pines Stakes at Del Mar, has run her last race.
Trainer Richard Baltas said Wednesday that Zapperkat emerged from the Torrey Pines with a knee injury. The 3-year-old filly underwent a knee operation last year that led to a lengthy layoff.
Delaware Park and the Delaware Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association have agreed to terms for an 81-day meet in 2018, the same number of dates as this year.
The one-year contract extension stipulates that the track will open for training March 1 and remain open until Dec. 31. Racing dates and a stakes schedule are expected to be announced in January after being submitted to the Delaware Racing Commission. This year’s Delaware meet began June 3 and continues through Oct. 21.
Favorite Tale will make his second start since winning the Fabulous Strike Stakes at Penn National in November 2015 in the $100,000 Banjo Picker on Saturday at Parx. The Banjo Picker is one of five stakes for Pennsylvania-breds on the card.
The Fabulous Strike came on the heels of Favorite Tale’s gallant third-place finish from post 14 in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Keeneland. The top two finishers were Runhappy and Private Zone.
Fresh off its annual three-week August break during the Saratoga meet, Parx Racing jumps into the most important part of its schedule Saturday.
Although still more than three weeks off, the fields for the newly promoted Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby and the Grade 1 Cotillion are beginning to take shape. The $1 million races will be held Sept. 23 and are supported by three other stakes, including the Grade 3, $300,000 Gallant Bob, a six-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds.
DEL MAR, Calif. – A Labor Day weekend of stakes runners at Del Mar may be the catalyst for an excellent fall for trainer Keith Desormeaux.
Desormeaux, known for winning the 2016 Preakness Stakes with Exaggerator, has yet to win a stakes race this year. He won the Grade 1 American Oaks with Decked Out at Santa Anita on New Year’s Eve, but is winless in 22 stakes tries in 2017.
The streak could easily end this weekend, when Desormeaux has runners in five of the six stakes worth $100,000 or more at Del Mar.
DEL MAR, Calif. – When a horse is sold at auction for a giant number, the expectations are high. Jeff Mullins is hoping that Tatters to Riches is, truly, one in a million.
Tatters to Riches – a Union Rags colt purchased at auction for $1 million in April – has raced just once, and his debut victory on July 29, coupled with the sterling works he has put in here at Del Mar in recent weeks, has made him one of the leading contenders for the Grade 1, $300,000 Del Mar Futurity on closing day Monday.
