A full field of 12 3-year-olds seeking a spot in the Kentucky Derby is expected Saturday at Turfway Park in Florence, Ky., where the Grade 3, $500,000 Spiral Stakes will be run for the 46th time.
Kitten’s Cat, a Ken and Sarah Ramsey homebred, could be favored in the 1 1/8-mile Polytrack race after having competed exclusively in turf races. Another turf horse, Parlor, also could be among the favorites. He is exiting an impressive allowance victory at Tampa Bay Downs.
Purses for most overnight races at the Keeneland spring meet in Lexington, Ky., have increased substantially, thanks primarily to the influx of new revenue from Instant Racing machines that became operational last year at Keeneland’s partner track, The Red Mile.
Maiden special weight races for 3-year-olds are now worth $70,000, an increase of some 17 percent from previous levels. Maiden races for 2-year-olds are up to $60,000 from $50,000. Purses for the four allowance races in the condition book for opening day range from $72,000 to $76,000.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Trainer Todd Pletcher could be going for a stakes triple for 3-year-olds next month at Oaklawn Park. He said Sunday that Malagacy is a candidate for the track’s Arkansas Derby after winning the Rebel here Saturday.
The Grade 2, $900,000 Rebel was the second of Oaklawn’s three graded preps for the Kentucky Derby that Pletcher has won this meet, starting off with the Grade 3, $500,000 Southwest in February with One Liner. The Grade 1, $1 million Arkansas Derby will be run April 15.
OLDSMAR, Fla. – Jockey Victor Lebron was resting at home Sunday, one day after going down in a scary spill when his mount, Tether to Reality, crashed into the portable rail while on the lead in a turf race at Tampa Bay Downs.
Lebron took off his mounts Sunday, but agent Phil Wasiluk said the jockey plans to ride his four mounts on Wednesday’s nine-race card.
Tether to Reality sustained a “couple scratches” but was otherwise fine Sunday, according to trainer Joan Scott.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Unique Bella, alone at the top of the 3-year-old filly division, was alone in her workout Sunday morning at Santa Anita, where she cruised six furlongs in 1:11.20.
Prior to the workout, trainer Jerry Hollendorfer reiterated plans for Unique Bella that call for her to race in her division. “We’re not going in the Santa Anita Derby,” he said.
Unique Bella worked by herself under exercise rider Edgar Rodriguez minutes before 8 a.m. The workout was five furlongs in 59 seconds; her official workout time was six furlongs in 1:11.20.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - A handful of potential Florida Derby starters were in action at four different venues in south Florida on Saturday, including Gunnevera, Practical Joke, and Three Rules, the first three finishers two weeks ago in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream Park.
At Gulfstream Park West, Gunnevera turned in a very easy five-furlong breeze in 1:04.40 with regular exercise rider Edgard Zayas aboard. The work was the first for Gunnevera since his impressive 5 3/4-length triumph in the Fountain of Youth.
ARCADIA, Calif. – There is a pick six single-ticket jackpot carryover of $289,904.62 at Santa Anita on Saturday. There were eight perfect tickets Friday; the pick six paid $9,102. There were 186 tickets with five winners; the consolation payoff was $84.20.
There was $136,298 wagered into the Friday pick six; $88,419 was paid to winning bettors. There has not been a single-ticket jackpot winner for 13 racing days, since Feb. 20.
Saturday's pick six sequence begins with Race 5 at 2:30 p.m. Pacific.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Believe it or not, the inner-track meet comes to an end next weekend, highlighted by the $100,000 Cicada Stakes for 3-year-old fillies on Saturday.
Wilburnmoney, the 20-1 upset winner of the Franklin Square Stakes for New York-breds, is expected to start in the six-furlong race.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – El Areeb returned to the work tab in Maryland on Friday, and it looks like he’ll be returning to New York in three weeks for the Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial on April 8 at Aqueduct, according to trainer Cal Lynch.
“He’s got a couple of more works before we know for sure, but that’s the plan,” Lynch said Friday by phone from Laurel.
ARCADIA, Calif. – A large field of nine to 12 runners is expected for the Grade 2, $200,000 San Luis Rey Stakes next weekend, according to Santa Anita stakes coordinator Chris Merz.
The 1 1/2-mile turf race attracted 24 nominees, including early favorite Ashleyluvssugar, who worked five furlongs Friday in 1:01 for trainer Peter Eurton. The 6-year-old gelding, the winner of the 2015 San Luis Rey, has won nine races and $1,145,004 from 20 starts.
