Mon, 02/27/2017 - 12:58

Mind Your Biscuits targets Dubai Golden Shaheen

Leslie Martin/Coglianese Photos
Mind Your Biscuits (outside) finishes second by a neck to Unified in the Gulfstream Park Sprint on Saturday.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Mind Your Biscuits is scheduled to leave with other American prospects for the Dubai World Cup Carnival on a transatlantic flight out of Fort Lauderdale International Airport on March 14, trainer Chad Summers said following the colt’s narrow loss to Unified in the Grade 3 Gulfstream Park Sprint here Saturday.

Mind Your Biscuits closed stoutly while earning a 101 Beyer Speed Figure, his fourth straight triple-digit mark. The New York-bred colt runs next in the $2 million Golden Shaheen on March 25 at Meydan in Dubai.

Mon, 02/27/2017 - 12:50

Talented Blue Buff among 16 horses transferred from Orseno

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – The eye-catching victory by Blue Buff in his career debut Saturday at Gulfstream Park resulted in short-lived joy for trainer Joe Orseno.

The next day, all 16 of the horses trained by Orseno for the DJ Stable of Leonard Green – including Blue Buff – were moved a couple of barns down at Palm Meadows and into the shed row of John Servis.

“The DJ folks told me they wanted to make a change,” said Orseno. “This is a tough one, I’ll tell you. What an unbelievably difficult business this can be. I’m numb.”

Mon, 02/27/2017 - 12:43

McCraken works for Tampa Bay Derby

Tom Keyser
McCraken is back in training following this victory in the Sam F. Davis on Feb. 11 at Tampa Bay Downs.

McCraken had his first workout since his latest victory when breezing a half-mile in company in 48.80 seconds Monday at his winter base at the Palm Meadows training center in Boynton Beach, Fla.

With regular rider Brian Hernandez Jr. in from New Orleans, McCraken worked alongside his Ian Wilkes-trained stablemate Fifth Title, a 4-year-old maiden.

“I got him galloping out in 1:12 flat, then another eighth in 13 and 1,” said Wilkes. “I’m very pleased with the horse. All’s good.”

Mon, 02/27/2017 - 12:31

Highland Sky targets Pan American after winning return

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – A long layoff, a bad post, an eventful trip – in the end, none of that mattered to Highland Sky, who made an impressive return from a 7 1/2-month vacation with a game three-quarter-length triumph over a strong optional-claiming/allowance field here last Saturday.

Mon, 02/27/2017 - 12:16

No Dozing fires bullet workout for Tampa Bay Derby

Barbara D. Livingston
A. P. Indian is prepping for his 2017 debut in the Grade 3 Commonwealth at Keeneland in April.

OLDSMAR, Fla. – It was anything but a lazy Sunday for No Dozing, who turned in a bullet workout at Tampa Bay Downs to remain under consideration for the Grade 2, $350,000 Tampa Bay Derby here on March 11. No Dozing breezed half a mile in 47.80 seconds, the fastest of 62 works at the distance here that morning, as he tries to bounce back from a disappointing 3-year-old debut.

Mon, 02/27/2017 - 12:06

Irish War Cry likely to face about nine rivals in Fountain of Youth

Barbara D. Livingston
Irish War Cry worked Saturday for the first time since winning the Grade 2 Holy Bull on Feb. 4.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – A field of up to 10 3-year-olds is taking shape for the second of three major Kentucky Derby preps to be run this winter at Gulfstream Park, the Grade 2, $400,000 Fountain of Youth on Saturday.

Mon, 02/27/2017 - 11:50

Rich Fountain of Youth card loaded with stakes

Barbara D. Livingston
Tequilita (inside) beats Pretty City Dancer by half a length in the Grade 2 Forward Gal. They meet again in the Davona Dale.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – The importance of an American horse race is now partly measured by the number of supporting stakes that surround it that day. So, yes, the Fountain of Youth here Saturday at Gulfstream Park will be a big one: Eight other stakes, all but one of them graded, will accompany the key Kentucky Derby prep on a 13-race card.

Here follows a rundown of those races, all of which were to be drawn Wednesday:

Mon, 02/27/2017 - 11:30

Grade 1 winner Abel Tasman flying under radar ahead of Santa Ysabel

Barbara D. Livingston
Abel Tasman enters Saturday's Grade 3 Santa Ysabel on a three-race winning streak that includes the Grade 1 Starlet.

ARCADIA, Calif. – It seems like all 3-year-old fillies not named Unique Bella have been forgotten in recent months in Southern California.

Abel Tasman fits that profile. She has not raced since winning the Grade 1 Starlet Stakes at Los Alamitos in December and will be overlooked to some extent in Saturday’s Grade 3 Santa Ysabel Stakes at Santa Anita. Unique Bella will be a heavy favorite in the $100,000 race at 1 1/16 miles.

Sun, 02/26/2017 - 19:55

Farrell may skip Fair Grounds Oaks, train up to Kentucky Oaks

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

Farrell came out of her win Saturday in the Grade 2, $200,000 Rachel Alexandra Stakes in good shape, but trainer Wayne Catalano is not committing to running back in the Fair Grounds Oaks here April 1.

Sun, 02/26/2017 - 19:42

Untrapped will target Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn

Churchill Downs/Coady Photography
Untrapped is a tepid 9-2 favorite in the Lecomte.

Untrapped, the Risen Star runner-up, is headed to Oaklawn Park for the Rebel Stakes on March 18, but the third- and fourth-place Risen Star finishers, Local Hero and Guest Suite, are likely runners in the Louisiana Derby, trainers Steve Asmussen and Neil Howard said Sunday.

Mo Town, who was fifth as the favorite in the Risen Star, flies back to trainer Tony Dutrow's base at Payson Park on Tuesday.