HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Tyler Gaffalione widened his lead over Edgard Zayas in the jockey standings to 46-38 with a pair of victories on Sunday’s card. Emisael Jaramillo also had a double on Mother’s Day to increase his lock on third place to 28-20 over Luca Panici. Miguel Vasquez rounds out the top five ahead of Wednesday’s card.
Marco Meneses also rode a pair of winners Sunday – Hold That Kitten and Bella Sunrise, both trained by Luis Duco.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Gun Runner, gearing up for the June 17 Stephen Foster Handicap, had his second breeze since returning from his runner-up finish behind Arrogate in the March 25 Dubai World Cup, going an easy half-mile Monday in 51 seconds at Churchill. The 4-year-old colt is owned by Winchell Thoroughbreds and Three Chimneys Farm.
“He looks so good when you let him stretch his legs a little bit,” said trainer Steve Asmussen. “He’s an amazingly impressive horse … I honestly believe he’s just getting better.”
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Trainer Greg Foley had such a rough winter at Fair Grounds in New Orleans that at one point, he suspected a spell had been cast on his barn.
“I thought somebody had turned Miss Rudolph loose on us or something,” Foley joked, referring to the old Richard Pryor bit.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Paradise Woods will be given a brief rest at a local farm after undergoing tests that showed she has no injuries following an 11th-place finish in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs on May 5.
Trainer Richard Mandella said Sunday that he has no race plans for Paradise Woods, who jumped to the fore of the 3-year-old filly division with an authoritative win in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Oaks on April 8.
“We’ll give her a chance to settle down for a little bit,” Mandella said. “I owe it to her after what she’s done.
ARCADIA, Calif. – There are stakes options from coast to coast this Saturday for the five-time stakes winner Kobe’s Back.
As of Sunday, owners Lee and Susan Searing were leaning toward staying at Santa Anita for the Grade 2 Kona Gold Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs instead of shipping to Pimlico for the Grade 3 Maryland Sprint Stakes at six furlongs.
The Kona Gold has a purse of $200,000; the Maryland Sprint is worth $150,000.
ARCADIA, Calif. – The 2-year-old filly Mondaymorningblues has accomplished enough in recent training to leave trainer Peter Miller hopeful that she can win her debut in a maiden special weight race at 4 1/2 furlongs in Thursday’s second race at Santa Anita.
Owned by Gary Barber, Mondaymorningblues was purchased for $70,000 at the Keeneland September yearling sale last year. Mondaymorningblues began workouts in late March and has had six recorded works at the San Luis Rey Downs training center in northern San Diego county, where Miller keeps the majority of his horses.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Catch a Glimpse, the 2015 Canadian Horse of the Year, has returned to Woodbine for the first time since her win in the Grade 2 Natalma Stakes as a 2-year-old in 2015 and is pointing toward the meet’s first stakes race on turf, the Grade 2, $175,000 Nassau Stakes over a mile May 27.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Following his 19th-place finish in the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 6, State of Honor has returned to Woodbine with an eye on the $1 million Queen’s Plate on July 2.
Trainer Mark Casse said State of Honor didn’t appear to handle the muddy surface at Churchill Downs in the Kentucky Derby.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – After two subpar efforts over the winter, King and His Court got his Queen’s Plate hopes back on track with a one-length victory over winterbook favorite Tiz a Slam in the $119,600 Wando Stakes on May 7.
As a result, King and His Court will proceed to the $125,000 Plate Trial over 1 1/8 miles on Tapeta on June 11. The race will serve as his final prep for the $1 million Queen’s Plate on July 2, trainer Mark Casse said.
