Mon, 11/25/2024 - 14:09

Glatt well clear in trainer standings coming into closing week

Benoit Photo

Mark Glatt has 12 wins at the Del Mar fall meet, five more than Phil D'Amato. Glatt runs Mi Hermano Ramon in the Seabiscuit Handicap on Saturday.

DEL MAR, Calif. – Boosted by an outstanding opening weekend in late October and early November, trainer Mark Glatt is on the verge of his first training title in slightly more than a year at Del Mar this fall.

Through Sunday, the 13th day of the 16-day season that ends Sunday, Glatt leads all trainers with 12 wins from 30 starters, an impressive 40 percent win rate. Phil D’Amato is second with seven wins from 51 runners.

“Anytime you’re the No. 1 that’s a good thing,” Glatt said between races Sunday. “It’s a credit to my owners and a credit to my team.

Mon, 11/25/2024 - 12:33

Quickick likely for winter rest, with next start in March

By Marcus Hersh

Justin N. Lane

Quickick, third in the BC Juvenile Fillies, will likely make her next start in March.

Quickick, the 2-year-old filly who rallied steadily from last to finish third last out in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, likely won’t make her return to the races until sometime in March.

Tom Amoss, who trains Quickick for Gregory Tramontin, said Quickick has been turned out for a winter rest and won’t return to serious training until Jan. 1.

Mon, 11/25/2024 - 12:30

Baffert makes Churchill Downs return with $3.2M Barnes

By Marcus Hersh

Barbara D. Livingston

Trainer Bob Baffert will return to Churchill Downs for the first time since 2021 on Wednesday with his maiden Barnes, a $3.2 million purchase by Zedan Racing.

Seven fillies and mares in a second-level allowance with an $80,000 claiming option contest the featured ninth race Wednesday at Churchill Downs, all well and good, but, in the end, will be a secondary storyline on this card since a horse named Barnes contests race 7.

Mon, 11/25/2024 - 11:45

Leonard off to a solid start; will have first stakes ride in Ed Brown

By Nicole Russo

Coady Media

Killian Leonard was aboard Wisconsin Gal when she won her maiden earlier this month at Churchill Downs.

Killian Leonard came from Europe to begin riding in Kentucky this fall. After a good start, he has the opportunity to ride his first stakes race in this country on closing weekend at Churchill Downs, and then plans to base his tack at Turfway Park when the circuit moves to that track on Dec. 4.

Sat, 11/23/2024 - 14:25

Gaffalione still off mounts; remains day to day

By Marcus Hersh

Barbara D. Livingston

After a spill last week, jockey Tyler Gaffalione still remains off his mounts.

Jockey Tyler Gaffalione was off his mounts again Saturday at Churchill Downs as he continues recovering from a fall last weekend.

Gaffalione went down in the third race on Nov. 16 at Churchill when his mount, Shadow Coast, was squeezed between horses and knocked off stride just after the start.

Gaffalione’s agent, Matt Muzikar, reported on Saturday that he suffered no serious injuries in the accident, and Shadow Coast, after being caught by an outrider, walked off the course.

Fri, 11/22/2024 - 18:43

Three jockeys sent to hospital in five-horse spill

By Ron Gierkink

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – A dramatic five-horse spill in Friday’s first race at Woodbine sent jockeys Edgar Zenteno, Justin Stein, and Da-Sean Gaskin to hospital.

Zenteno’s mount, No Layups, appeared to clip heels with the front-running favorite Whiskey N Ice in the five-furlong dash and went down on the turn. The incident triggered a chain reaction of horses dislodging their riders. All five horses were eventually corralled and appeared to escape injury.

Woodbine’s communications department posted an update on all three riders.

Fri, 11/22/2024 - 14:56

Saturday and Sunday cards canceled due to racing surface concerns

By Matt Hegarty

Barbara D. Livingston

Several hours after Laurel Park management canceled it's Friday card, it also scrapped its Saturday and Sunday programs. The Saturday card included three stakes races.

Laurel Park in Maryland has canceled its Saturday and Sunday race cards in the wake of jockeys expressing concern over the condition of the main track prior to Friday’s card.

The decision to cancel the entire weekend came several hours after management canceled Friday’s nine-race card. Just minutes before post time on Friday, riders and management had met to discuss the riders’ concerns, which were precipitated by a catastrophic injury during training hours earlier in the day, according to Herbie Rivera Jr., the Jockeys’ Guild representative for Laurel’s riders.

Fri, 11/22/2024 - 13:59

Full Serrano to Pincay Stakes as prep for Pegasus World Cup or Saudi Cup

By Steve Andersen

Debra A. Roma

Off an upset score in the Breeders' Cup Mile, Full Serrano will start next in the Laffit Pincay Stakes, a prep for the Pegasus World Cup or Saudi Cup.

Full Serrano, the upset winner of the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Del Mar on Nov. 2, will have his first start of the winter in the Grade 2 Laffit Pincay Jr. Stakes at Santa Anita on Dec. 26, a prep race for a scheduled start outside of California in early 2025.

The $200,000 Pincay Stakes was previously run as the San Antonio Stakes, and honors the legendary Hall of Fame rider. The Pincay Stakes is one of six stakes on the opening day of Santa Anita’s winter-spring meeting.

Fri, 11/22/2024 - 13:55

Vives to ride winter in New York

By David Grening

Michael Burns

Sofia Vives, the Sovereign Award-winning apprentice rider in Canada for 2023, will ride this winter at Aqueduct in New York.

Sofia Vives, the Sovereign Award-winning apprentice rider in Canada for 2023 and a finalist for the Eclipse Award as North America’s top apprentice as well, will ride at Aqueduct this winter.

Vives got a jump start on her New York experiment on Thursday, when she won with her first Aqueduct mount, guiding Ariana Rye to a 2 1/4-length victory in a starter allowance for trainer Robert Falcone Jr.

Fri, 11/22/2024 - 13:55

Toxic Gray back at home for the winter

By David Grening

Barbara D. Livingston

Toxic Gray is likely to start next in either a second-level allowance or Gravesend at Aqueduct.

Coming out of a loss in a maiden $40,000 claiming race at Tampa in December 2022, it appeared a bit fluky when Toxic Gray upset the heavily favored first-time starter Everso Mischievous in a maiden race at Aqueduct in February 2023.

Toxic Gray took a circuitous route back to Aqueduct but recent results indicate he could have a bright future here this winter.

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