Fri, 02/24/2017 - 11:06

Classic Empire, Tepin keeping options open

Barbara D. Livingston
Tepin's next race may be the Jenny Wiley Stakes at Keeneland on April 15.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Classic Empire and Tepin are tentatively scheduled to breeze at the Palm Meadows training center in Boynton Beach, Fla., sometime in the middle of the coming week, trainer Mark Casse said Friday.

“Except for one day this week when the track was really wet, they’ve both trained every day, and trained well,” Casse said. “We’re pleased with how they’re both doing.”

Fri, 02/24/2017 - 10:56

Twelve coworkers team up to hit Rainbow 6

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – A dozen guys at the track for a company outing Thursday accomplished what hard-core and professional handicappers had been unable to do for the previous eight days: They took down the entire Rainbow 6 jackpot to the tune of $324,179.

The 12 lucky players, who work for Jim Beam and Southern Wine and Spirits out of Deerfield, Ill., put up $20 apiece to play the winning ticket, which was put together by Art Friedman, a member of the group and a regular horseplayer who resides in Jacksonville, Fla.

Fri, 02/24/2017 - 10:46

Small field for Sunday's allowance feature

NEW ORLEANS – The feature on a nine-race Sunday card at Fair Grounds is race 7, a second-level turf-sprint allowance restricted to fillies and mares and also open to $40,000 claimers. There are just seven in the main body of the field, with Cced entered for the main track only.

Fri, 02/24/2017 - 10:40

Stall won't put blinkers on Forevamo – yet

Coady Photography
Forevamo will likely next race in another allowance, trainer Al Stall said.

NEW ORLEANS – Forevamo did everything right in his Feb. 17 comeback from a six-month layoff – except win.

Pressing the pace in a two-turn, second-level dirt allowance, Forevamo roared up to the lead at the top of the stretch, then waited on rivals and was nipped on the wire by Egyptian.

“Believe me, he wasn’t tired,” trainer Al Stall said Thursday. “He was kicking and squealing back at the barn an hour later. He almost dropped his rider this morning.”

Fri, 02/24/2017 - 10:30

Fish Trappe Road points to Hot Springs Stakes at Oaklawn

Barbara D. Livingston
Dwyer Stakes winner Fish Trappe Road is expected to make his 4-year-old debut in Oaklawn's Hot Spring Stakes.

NEW ORLEANS – Fish Trappe Road, who turned into one of the better 3-year-old dirt milers in the country last year, is nearing his 4-year-old debut, trainer Bret Calhoun said.

Last seen finishing third going 1 1/8 miles around two turns in the Oklahoma Derby on Sept. 25, Fish Trappe Road is working steadily at the Evangeline Downs Training Center. He posted a bullet five-furlong workout in 1:00.80 on Feb. 18 and is expected to race March 11 at Oaklawn Park in the $125,000 Hot Springs Stakes over six furlongs.

Thu, 02/23/2017 - 15:48

Hot City Girl pointing to Correction Stakes

Joe Labozzetta/NYRA
Owner Sheila Rosenblum must decide whether Hot City Girl should continue racing or become a broodmare after winning the Broadway under Manny Franco.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Hot City Girl, who won last Saturday’s Broadway Stakes, will get at least one more race and will point to the $125,000 Correction Stakes at Aqueduct on March 18, trainer Linda Rice said Thursday.

Rice said owner Sheila Rosenblum has not committed to racing Hot City Girl the entire year and is taking it one race at a time.

Thu, 02/23/2017 - 14:50

Stallwalkin' Dude still targeting Dubai Golden Shaheen

Adam Coglianese/NYRA
Stallwalkin' Dude was being considered for the Palos Verdes at Santa Anita on Saturday, but stayed home.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Stallwalkin’ Dude, second as the favorite in the Grade 3 General George last Saturday at Laurel Park, is still being pointed to the $2 million Dubai Golden Shaheen on March 25, trainer David Jacobson said Thursday.

Jacobson said Stallwalkin’ Dude came out of the General George “excellent,” and Jacobson is doing all the preparatory paperwork and blood work to ship Stallwalkin’ Dude to Dubai on March 14.

Thu, 02/23/2017 - 12:50

Contreras moving tack to Oaklawn Park

Barbara D. Livingston
Luis Contreras plans to depart California after riding Saturday's program at Santa Anita.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Jockey Luis Contreras will leave Santa Anita after Saturday’s program.

Contreras is scheduled to begin riding at Oaklawn Park after Saturday and will remain there through the end of that track’s meeting in mid-April, according to his agent, Craig O’Bryan. Contreras will ride the rest of the year at Woodbine in Canada, where he has been among the leading riders in recent years.

Through Monday, Contreras was tied for 10th in the jockey standings at Santa Anita with nine wins.

Thu, 02/23/2017 - 12:46

Drefong won't travel to Dubai for Golden Shaheen

Barbara D. Livingston
Drefong, working out at Santa Anita Park on Feb. 10, will await a spot closer to home for his 2017 debut.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Drefong, the champion sprinter of 2016, will not be sent to Dubai for the $2 million Golden Shaheen for sprinters on March 25, trainer Bob Baffert said on Thursday.

Drefong has not raced since winning the Breeders’ Cup Sprint here last November and is only in light training, Baffert said.

“I’m not going to take him,” Baffert said. “I’m not breezing him, just training him.”

Thu, 02/23/2017 - 12:46

Finest City will stretch out to 1 1/8 miles for Santa Margarita

Benoit & Associates
Trainer Ian Kruljac said he is confident that Finest City can handle the distance of the $400,000 Santa Margarita.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Finest City, the champion female sprinter of 2016, is scheduled to start in the longest dirt race of her career in the Grade 1 Santa Margarita Stakes at 1 1/8 miles at Santa Anita on March 18.

On Thursday at Santa Anita, Finest City worked six furlongs in 1:13.40. Following the workout, trainer Ian Kruljac confirmed race plans for Finest City, who won the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint here in November and her only start this year in the Grade 2 Santa Monica Stakes for fillies and mares at seven furlongs Jan. 21.