HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – The vast majority of racing fans and experts are conceding the top two spots in the $12 million Pegasus World Cup to the two favorites, California Chrome and Arrogate. Third place looks like the best that any of the other 10 starters can manage, or so it seems.
If given to him right now, would Todd Pletcher accept a third from either of his Pegasus pair, Keen Ice or Neolithic?
“Naahh,” said Pletcher. “You always want to win.”
Luis Ocasio, who was named the leading apprentice rider in North America at the Eclipse Awards dinner at Gulfstream Park last Saturday, is the third Mid-Atlantic rider in the last five years to win the award. He follows in the footsteps of Victor Carrasco, a top rider in Maryland who won in 2013, and Jose Montano, the leading rider at Charles Town each of the past five years who won in 2012.
Page McKenney came out of his comeback victory at Laurel Park last Saturday in good shape and is scheduled to make his next start in one of two Maryland races on Feb. 18, the Grade 3, $250,000 General George or the $75,000 John B. Campbell.
Page McKenney won the seven-furlong General George last year, despite the distance being a little short for him. He won the Campbell at 1 1/8 miles in 2015. Both races will be run on the Grade 2 Barbara Fritchie undercard at Laurel.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Time and Motion, last seen finishing sixth in the Matriarch Stakes on Dec. 4 at Del Mar, has returned to trainer Jimmy Toner at Palm Meadows after a brief freshening.
“She’s been tack-walking for about a week,” Toner said Wednesday.
Toner said he decided to give Time and Motion a break following the Matriarch rather than remain in California for the American Oaks on Dec. 31 at Santa Anita, because Time and Motion “didn’t ship well” to California and backed off her feed.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – McCraken, winner of the Kentucky Jockey Club and unbeaten in three starts at age 2, moved closer to his 3-year-old debut with a five-furlong work in 1:00.45 on Wednesday morning at Palm Meadows.
The time was the best of the morning among 10 at the distance.
Ian Wilkes, the trainer of McCraken, said he wants to have three races for McCraken this spring prior to the Kentucky Derby on May 6. The first of those three is scheduled to be the $250,000 Sam Davis Stakes on Feb. 11 at Tampa Bay Downs.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Tom Durkin has been to Gulfstream Park many times before, only in a different role. As arguably the greatest race-caller to ever look through a pair of binoculars, he called three runnings of the Breeders’ Cup (1989, 1992, and 1999) at Gulfstream and also was the regular announcer here for five years (1995-99).
Durkin will return Saturday as a part-owner in Breaking Lucky, one of the 12 starters in the inaugural running of the $12 million Pegasus Cup. Durkin is one of seven partners in an ownership group assembled by West Point Throughbreds.
Emerald Downs will run 30 stakes worth $1,685,000 in purses during its 2017 racing season, which runs from April 8 through Sept. 17.
Most of the stakes are scheduled in the latter half of the 70-day meet, with 13 stakes in August, including the 82nd running of the Grade 3, $200,000 Longacres Mile on Sunday, Aug. 13. The Longacres Mile tops a four-stakes card that includes the $65,000 Emerald Distaff for fillies and mares and a pair of $25,000 sprints, the Pete Pedersen Memorial and the King County.
Emerald Downs has announced it will offer $475,000 in incentives for horsemen during its upcoming 70-day meet, which runs April 8 through Sept. 17.
The incentives include:
* A trainer participation program, which includes an early-bird move-in bonus from February-May; reduced start-up costs (first eight bags of bedding per stall provided); and lower fees on both dorm rentals and mechanical hot-walkers. Also, trainers can recover a portion of their stall costs based on a stall efficiency factor and conservation of utilities.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Bavaro, a winner sprinting in both of his starts, finalized preparations for his two-turn debut when he breezed five furlongs in 1:00.69 over the Belmont Park training track Sunday. Bavaro is scheduled to start in Saturday’s $100,000 Gander Stakes for New York-bred 3-year-olds at a mile and 70 yards.
Gary Sciacca, who trains Bavaro for Hall of Fame football coach Bill Parcells, said Bavaro is showing signs of maturing in the morning.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Mo Town, the Grade 2 Remsen winner, is ahead of schedule in his training for his 3-year-old debut, which trainer Tony Dutrow said is still likely to be in the Grade 3, $300,000 Gotham at Aqueduct on March 4. However, Dutrow said Sunday that he will keep an eye on other races around that same time, such as the Risen Star at Fair Grounds on Feb. 25 and the Fountain of Youth on March 4 at Gulfstream Park.
“He’s probably going to end up in the Gotham,” said Dutrow, who mentioned the Gotham the day after the Remsen as Mo Town’s likely 3-year-old debut.
