Sun, 02/26/2017 - 17:19

Return to Breeders' Cup isn't on Ambitious Brew's agenda

Shigeki Kikkawa
The five furlongs of this fall's Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint is probably too short for Ambitious Brew, according to trainer Marty Jones.

ARCADIA, Calif.- Ambitious Brew won his first start of 2017 in Saturday’s $92,000 Sensational Star Stakes for California-breds on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita, his first start since a 13th in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint here last November.

The same race is unlikely to figure in 2017 plans for Ambitious Brew, trainer Marty Jones said in the winner’s circle.

The BC Turf Sprint will be run at five furlongs on turf at Del Mar on Nov. 4, a distance Jones thinks may be too short for the 7-year-old Ambitious Brew.

Sun, 02/26/2017 - 17:11

Bettys Bambino unlikely to race again

Shigeki Kikkawa
Bettys Bambino will try to win the 6 1/2-furlong Sensational Star for the second time on Saturday.

ARCADIA, Calif.- Bettys Bambino, the multiple stakes winner who finished last of three in Saturday’s $92,000 Sensational Star Stakes, has likely run his last race.

Trainer Peter Eurton said on Sunday that Bettys Bambino emerged from the race with a “strained suspensory,” and will need at least eight months off. He said the partners that own Bettys Bambino will most likely retire the 7-year-old.

“He could come back,” he said. “It will be a long time. I think we’ll get on the same page.”

Sun, 02/26/2017 - 15:34

American Anthem works swift five furlongs prepping for Rebel

Benoit & Associates
Gormley, left, and American Anthem battle in the Sham Stakes on Saturday at Santa Anita.

ARCADIA, Calif.- American Anthem, one of trainer Bob Baffert’s top contenders for the Triple Crown, worked five furlongs in 58.98 seconds at Santa Anita on Sunday prior to the first race.

There was no early morning training on the main track at Santa Anita on Sunday because of pre-dawn rain. American Anthem was one of four horses to have workouts at 11:45 a.m.

 American Anthem is a candidate for the Grade 2 Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park on March 18.

Sun, 02/26/2017 - 14:08

Stellar Wind among three stakes horses Sadler may ship to Oaklawn

Barbara D. Livingston
No race has yet been picked out for Stellar Wind's first start of 2017.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Stellar Wind is one of three top Santa Anita-based runners trained by John Sadler and owned by Hronis Racing being considered for graded stakes in April at Oaklawn Park.

 Stellar Wind will target the Grade 1 Apple Blossom on April 15, Accelerate could run in the Santa Anita Handicap March 11 but more likely will wait for the Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap on April 16; Moe Candy is aiming to the Grade 3 Count Fleet for sprinters on April 10.

 “I don’t want it to sound like I’m taking everything to Oaklawn, but I am,” Sadler said.

Sun, 02/26/2017 - 12:31

Bejarano, Stevens expected back this weekend at Santa Anita

Barbara D. Livingston
Jockey Gary Stevens expects to begin exercising horses in early March as he returns from hip-replacement surgery.

ARCADIA, Calif. – The jockey colony at Santa Anita will get a lot deeper this week. Rafael Bejarano is expected to return Friday; Hall of Fame rider Gary Stevens is tentatively scheduled to return next Sunday.

Bejarano, who has won the last four riding titles at the Santa Anita winter-spring meet, has not ridden since he bruised a bone in a Feb. 11 spill on the turf course.

Stevens has not ridden since Dec. 10; he underwent hip-replacement surgery in late December and recently began working horses regularly at Santa Anita.

Sun, 02/26/2017 - 12:21

Made You Look will make dirt debut in Fountain of Youth

Barbara D. Livingston
Made You Look and jockey Javier Castellano win the Grade 3 Dania Beach Stakes by 2 1/2 lengths Saturday.

Made You Look, a multiple graded stakes winner on turf, will make his dirt debut in this Saturday’s Grade 2, $400,000 Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park, trainer Todd Pletcher said Sunday.

“The horse has trained really well on dirt, he’s got a dirt pedigree, at some point we wanted to test it,” said Pletcher, who trains Made You Look for Let’s Go Stable and Three Chimneys Farm. “He’s doing real well at the moment. Now’s the time. There are no real easy spots. We figured since he’s here, we’ll stay home and give it a try.”

Sun, 02/26/2017 - 12:14

Practical Joke tunes up for Fountain of Youth with half-mile breeze

Debra A. Roma
Practical Joke will make his first start since finishing third in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile in Saturday's Hopeful Stakes.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla.  - Practical Joke turned in his final prep for this Saturday’s Grade 2 Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park  on Sunday morning at the Palm Meadows Training Center, where he breezed an easy half-mile in 48.19 seconds in company with stablemate Shagaf.

According to Daily Racing Form clocker Mike Vesce, Practical Joke went his opening quarter-mile in 24.80, galloped out five furlongs in 1:00.60, and pulled up three-quarters of a mile in 1:14.

Sat, 02/25/2017 - 11:54

Motion pleased with Irish War Cry's lone work for Fountain of Youth

Barbara D. Livingston
Prior to winning the Holy Bull, Irish War Cry had won two straight starts in Maryland.

Trainer Graham Motion said he "couldn't be happier" with Irish War Cry’s final work for next Saturday's Fountain of Youth Stakes after his undefeated 3-year-old breezed five furlongs in 1:01.80 and galloped out six panels in 1:13.40 on Saturday morning at Palm Meadows.

Fri, 02/24/2017 - 15:58

Stallion Heiress possible for Lacombe Memorial

Amanda Hodges Weir/Hodges Photography
Stallion Heiress, winning the Joseph E. "Spanky" Broussard Memorial, may stretch out to a route for her next start.

The exciting 3-year-old filly Stallion Heiress will stick to turf racing for now and could make her next start March 11 in the $50,000 Allen Lacombe Memorial, a 1 1/16-mile grass race at Fair Grounds, trainer Mike Stidham said.

Stallion Heiress won her career debut at this meet, a turf sprint, by four lengths, and on Feb. 11 in the $50,000 Joseph E. “Spanky” Broussard Memorial over about one mile on grass, she scored a front-running victory by nearly eight lengths. In the slightly longer term, Stidham said he is eyeing the Appalachian Stakes on April 13 at Keeneland.

Fri, 02/24/2017 - 15:46

Plans uncertain for Saint's Fan

Lou Hodges Jr./Hodges Photography
The Louisiana Derby and Crescent City Derby for statebreds are two next-race options for Saint's Fan.

Saint’s Fan could make his next start in the $1 million Louisiana Derby here on April 1. Or he could make his next start at Keeneland in April. Or be pointed for the $75,000 Crescent City Derby for Louisiana-breds, another April 1 race at Fair Grounds.

The point is that Dallas Stewart, who bred, owns, and trains Saint’s Fan, isn’t in a rush to decide exactly where to run his horse, who worked a half-mile in 50.20 seconds here Friday.