Wed, 03/08/2017 - 13:06

Recruiting Ready returns home to Laurel for far softer spot Friday

Barbara D. Livingston
Recruiting Ready, after competing in a series of stakes, will try to clear his first allowance condition in Friday's seventh race at Laurel Park.

There will be an early sign of spring this week when the Sagamore Farm of Under Armour founder Kevin Plank ships six horses from Florida to their home base in Maryland. Over the next month, other snowbirds will be heading back to the Mid-Atlantic, which could use an infusion of new blood.

Wed, 03/08/2017 - 12:50

A. P. Indian prepping for season's debut in Keeneland's Commonwealth Stakes

Barbara D. Livingston
A. P. Indian is scheduled to breeze again this weekend at Tampa Bay Downs.

Trainer Arnaud Delacour said A. P. Indian is scheduled to breeze again here at Tampa Bay Downs this weekend as the 7-year-old gelding gears up for his seasonal debut next month in the Commonwealth Stakes at Keeneland. A. P. Indian was a 2016 Eclipse Award finalist in the sprint division.

Delacour said another of his stable stars, Divining Rod, is back under tack at WinStar Farm in Kentucky after a minor setback interrupted his training at Tampa. The 5-year-old Divining Rod is expected to return to action within a few months.

Wed, 03/08/2017 - 11:56

Wild Shot gets one more chance in Tampa Bay Derby

Tom Keyser
Wild Shot, fourth in the Sam F. Davis, will try to give trainer Rusty Arnold his first Kentucky Derby horse in 25 years.

OLDSMAR, Fla. – This year marks not only the 25th anniversary of trainer Rusty Arnold having his second and most recent starter in the Kentucky Derby but also the 35th anniversary of his first.

There would be no better way to celebrate than having another Derby starter.

“It’s the plan we’ve had since last fall,” said Arnold, who on Saturday will be looking to take a big step in that direction when Wild Shot runs in the Grade 2, $350,000 Tampa Bay Derby at Tampa Bay Downs.

Wed, 03/08/2017 - 10:56

Mo Town between Wood Memorial, Florida Derby

Barbara D. Livingston
Remsen winner Mo Town is a work ahead of schedule for a likely start in the Gotham, trainer Tony Dutrow said.

Mo Town, who finished fifth as the favorite in the Grade 2 Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds on Feb. 25, returned to the work tab Wednesday at Payson Park in Florida, breezing a half-mile in 49.60 seconds.

Trainer Tony Dutrow said he is considering the Grade 1, $1 million Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park on April 1 or the Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct on April 8 for the colt’s next start.

:: ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY: Prep races, point standings, replays, and analysis

Mon, 03/06/2017 - 15:51

Petrov likely to start in Rebel Stakes

Coady Photography
Petrov (second from right) led into the turn before being overtaken by One Liner in the Southwest Stakes last out.

Southwest Stakes runner-up Petrov emerged from a Saturday workout in good order, and there’s a “90 percent” chance he’ll make his next start in the Grade 2, $900,000 Rebel on March 18, trainer Ron Moquett said Monday. Petrov worked five-eighths in company, covering the distance in 59.60 seconds and galloping out strongly in his first breeze since the Southwest.

“This was kind of a maintenance breeze and letting him kind of tell me where he’s at,” Moquett said. “He was very happy and did it all the right way.”

Moquett said Jose Ortiz will have the mount in the Rebel.

Mon, 03/06/2017 - 15:20

Valadorna points to Ashland Stakes at Keeneland

Hodges Photography
Valadorna will likely next race in the Rachel Alexandra Stakes on Feb. 25.

Trainer Mark Casse suggested just after Valadorna had finished third in the Rachel Alexandra Stakes that the 3-year-old filly could bypass the Fair Grounds Oaks and race instead in the Ashland Stakes at Keeneland. On Sunday, Casse confirmed that was the plan.

“She came out of that race very good, has come back and trained well,” Casse said. “We’re still working shipping arrangements and keeping an eye on the weather. We’ll probably go 10 days, two weeks before the race.”

Mon, 03/06/2017 - 15:16

Farrell's next start will be in Fair Grounds Oaks

Amanda Hodges Weir/Hodges Photography
Farell, ridden by Channing Hill, captures the Grade 2 Rachel Alexandra for 3-year-old fillies.

Farrell, one of the top 3-year-old fillies in North America, will make her next start in the Fair Grounds Oaks on April 1, trainer Wayne Catalano said Sunday.

Farrell easily won the Golden Rod at Churchill to cap her 2-year-old season and has won the Silverbulletday and Rachel Alexandra stakes this winter at Fair Grounds. Catalano said the day after the Feb. 25 Rachel Alexandra that he would consider training Farrell up to the Kentucky Oaks, but the decision has been made to race her again at Fair Grounds.

Mon, 03/06/2017 - 15:16

Elate enters Honeybee Stakes fitter

Tom Keyser
Elate finishes second in the Suncoast Stakes on Feb. 11 in her second career start.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – The promising 3-year-old filly Elate is scheduled to run Saturday at Oaklawn Park in the Grade 3, $200,000 Honeybee, according to trainer Bill Mott. She will be invading from Florida, and her flight was to arrive Tuesday.

Elate enters the Honeybee off a runner-up finish to Tapa Tapa Tapa in the Suncoast Stakes on Feb. 11 at Tampa Bay Downs. She was beaten three lengths in her first start since winning her career debut at Aqueduct by 12 1/2 lengths on Nov. 26.

Mon, 03/06/2017 - 14:16

Green Gratto vs. All Star Red again in Tom Fool

Viola Jasko/NYRA
Green Gratto (inside) beats All Star Red (2) by a head in January's Toboggan Stakes.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Green Gratto beat All Star Red by a head in the Grade 3 Toboggan Stakes on Jan. 16. Those two will get a rematch in Saturday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Tom Fool Handicap at Aqueduct.

Green Gratto, a 7-year-old New Jersey-bred son of Here’s Zealous, will be making his 52nd career start in the Tom Fool, a race in which he finished third in 2015. He won the Toboggan on the lead under Kendrick Carmouche. All Star Red, a 5-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Five Star Day, has not won since taking a second-level allowance last April over Aqueduct’s main track.

Mon, 03/06/2017 - 14:16

Isabelle sparks great weekend for Mott

Michael Amoruso
Isabelle and jockey Kendrick Carmouche win the Heavenly Prize Invitational by 12 lengths.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott had a terrific weekend, winning six races at three tracks.

Shortly before Suffused won the Grade 3 The Very One at Gulfstream, Isabelle galloped to a 12-length victory in Aqueduct’s $150,000 Heavenly Prize Invitational.

Left by herself on the lead under Kendrick Carmouche, Isabelle was never threatened and earned a career-best 102 Beyer Speed Figure for the performance. The 6-year-old mare now has two stakes wins and a second in three starts since stretching out in distance.