Girvin impressed trainer Joe Sharp enough winning his career debut Dec. 16 at Fair Grounds that he plans to give the colt his second start in the Grade 3 Lecomte Stakes on Jan. 21.
Girvin, by Tale of Ekati out of Catch the Moon, by Malibu Moon, showed excellent early speed in his debut, and after a race-long battle edged another talented first-timer, Excitations, by a head. He ran six furlongs in 1:10.32, earning an 87 Beyer, the best figure for a 2-year-old during 2016 at Fair Grounds.
Paul McGee not only got his 1,000th career win on Thursday at Fair Grounds, he got it for a longtime client, Samantha Siegel’s Jay Em Ess Racing. And not only did the win come for Jay Em Ess, it came with a colt who might turn out to be a serious stakes horse, December Seven.
December Seven won a second-level allowance race by four lengths, this third win from five starts. December Seven lost his career debut sprinting, but had serious trouble while finishing third at Keeneland in October, and otherwise has been perfect in his two-turn races.
Two summers ago, Danzatrice hinted at very high-level ability, and she flashed the same talent winning the $50,000 Tiffany Lass Stakes last Monday at Fair Grounds. Danzatrice won the two-turn dirt race by more than seven lengths over Grade 1 winner Include Betty, and her strong mile and 70-yard time of 1:42.45 produced a career-best 93 Beyer Speed Figure.
The eye-catching performance has earned Danzatrice a shot at one of the better older females in the country, I’m a Chatterbox, in the Grade 3, $400,000 Houston Ladies Classic, trainer Steve Asmussen said Thursday.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Trainer Julio Canani, who was suspended for 13 months through November for financial improprieties related to the sale of horses in the late 2000s, has taken steps to reopen a stable, according to California Horse Racing Board officials.
Canani was recently refused a trainer’s license by the racing board, a decision the trainer has yet to appeal.
The denial was based on the terms of Canani’s 2015 suspension, which stated he must participate in a fitness for license hearing before possibly being reinstated.
Albin Jimenez is returning to ride regularly at Turfway Park, where he has dominated the jockey standings in recent years.
Jimenez has abandoned his winter experiment at Tampa Bay Downs, where he won with just six of his 49 mounts since late November. In his absence, Abel Lezcano held a clear lead atop the Turfway jockey standings as the holiday meet neared its conclusion Saturday night.
ARCADIA, Calif. – A maiden claimer with a memorable name is certain to draw attention at Santa Anita this winter.
Princess Leia, who was fifth in her debut at Los Alamitos last month, is nearing her second start. She is trained by Rafael Becerra, who claimed her for Craig Martin for $30,000 from her debut Dec. 11. The filly was bred by George and Charles Bolton.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Miss Sugars has found a home as a turf miler in Southern California.
After encountering traffic and obstacles in two stakes losses in October and November, Miss Sugars had a trouble-free trip in Thursday’s $84,225 Blue Norther Stakes at a mile on turf for 2-year-old fillies at Santa Anita.
The win gives owners Red Barons Barn and Rancho Temescal and trainer Jeff Mullins clear goals for her for 2017.
“It puts an exclamation point on what we thought she’d be,” Mullins said in the winner’s circle. “We weren’t sure if she was a route horse.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Always a Suspect and Cape Lookout, both entered in Saturday’s $100,000 Marylander Stakes for 2-year-olds going seven furlongs at Laurel, also were entered for Sunday’s $100,000 Lost in the Fog Stakes for 3-year-olds going six furlongs at Aqueduct.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – In a span of three weeks at Aqueduct, trainer Bill Mott sent out a pair of good-looking 2-year-old filly maiden winners. While Mott took the ultra-impressive Elate to south Florida with him, the Hall of Fame trainer left the well-bred Lockdown in New York for the time being.
Lockdown, a full sister to the multiple Grade 1 stakes winner Close Hatches, worked a half-mile in 50.60 seconds Thursday morning over the Belmont Park training track. She is being pointed to the $100,000 Busanda Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Aqueduct on Jan. 15.
