Mon, 12/19/2016 - 12:10

Richies Sweetheart retired after ninth-place finish in Lightning City Stakes

SV Photography
Richies Sweetheart won the 2015 Lightning City Stakes, but was retired after finishing ninth this year.

OLDSMAR, Fla. – If Richies Sweetheart gets off to as fast a start as a broodmare as she did in most of her races, then trainer Larry Rivelli will have a lot to look forward to with her babies.

Richies Sweetheart scored one of the biggest victories of her career in the 2015 Lightning City Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs, but in last Saturday’s edition of the five-furlong turf sprint, her career came to a close. She briefly flashed the speed that made her a four-time stakes winner but then faded to finish ninth of 12. It was her fourth straight loss.

Fri, 12/16/2016 - 14:00

Breeders' Cup boosts handle at California tracks

CYPRESS, Calif. – Boosted by the Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita on Nov. 4-5, handle at California tracks soared in November and showed an increase for the year through the end of November, according to data presented at Thursday’s California Horse Racing Board meeting.

Fri, 12/16/2016 - 13:56

CHRB fines trainer Miyadi for altercation with Solis

CYPRESS, Calif. – Trainer Steve Miyadi was fined $750 on Thursday for his action in a physical altercation with jockey and California Horse Racing Board commissioner Alex Solis in September at Santa Anita.

The stewards cited Miyadi for disorderly conduct in the incident, which led to the trainer being briefly detained by Arcadia, Calif., police. The stewards suspended Miyadi for four days, but credited him with time served when he was summarily suspended by the racing board in the days after the incident.

Fri, 12/16/2016 - 13:50

Gomez remembered as life of the jockeys' room

Barbara D. Livingston
Garrett Gomez has yet to receive approval from the stewards to resume riding in races and working horses.

In a free moment Thursday, Los Alamitos steward Luis Jauregui watched a replay of the 2010 Breeders’ Cup Classic at Churchill Downs, in which Blame gave Zenyatta the only loss of her career. Jauregui was not focused as much on the horses as he was on Garrett Gomez, who rode Blame.

“I remember there was a pack in front of him and he was on the rail,” Jauregui recalled. “He rode a perfect race. He pushed out turning for home. He gathered his horse and finished strong.

“He showed great timing. He was the only guy who could say he beat Zenyatta.”

Fri, 12/16/2016 - 13:23

Stall mulls three next-race options for Yockey's Warrior

Amanda Hodges Weir/Hodges Photography
Yockey's Warrior, with Miguel Mena aboard, wins the Thanksgiving Handicap by 2 1/4 lengths Thursday.

Yockey’s Warrior, the sharp winner of the Thanksgiving Handicap at Fair Grounds in his most recent start, had an easy half-mile workout last Sunday as his connections plot a course for early 2017.

Trainer Al Stall, who owns part of Yockey’s Warrior, said there are three possible spots: the Duncan Kenner on Jan. 21 at Fair Grounds, the Palos Verdes at Santa Anita, or the King Cotton at Oaklawn.

“We’re very happy with how he is right now,” Stall said Thursday. “You know a horse is doing well when they almost get run over by a loose horse, and that happened this morning.”

Fri, 12/16/2016 - 13:17

2017 plans for Gun Runner uncertain

Churchill Downs/Coady Photography
Gun Runner earned his first Grade 1 win in last Friday's Clark Handicap.

Gun Runner, who won his first Grade 1 race Nov. 25 in the Clark Handicap at Churchill Downs, is in steady training at Fair Grounds, trainer Steve Asmussen said, but his connections have not settled on a winter racing schedule, though Gun Runner is definitely slated to remain in training at age 4.

“We just gave him a little freshening off winning the Clark before deciding what to do with him next,” Asmussen said.

Fri, 12/16/2016 - 13:00

Sticksstatelydude more likely for Poseidon than Pegasus

Chelsea Durand/NYRA
Joel Rosaro, who chose to ride Sticksstatelydude rather than Governor Malibu in the Discovery, guides the 3-year-old to a 1 1/4-length victory.

Sticksstatelydude, who closed out his 3-year-old campaign with an impressive victory over Neolithic in the Grade 3 Discovery last month at Aqueduct, is being pointed for a race here on Jan. 28. Whether that race is the $12 million Pegasus or $400,000 Poseidon is still to be determined.

Sticksstatelydude worked Friday for the first time since shipping to Palm Meadows, going four furlongs in 49.59 seconds before galloping out in 1:03, according to Daily Racing Form.

Fri, 12/16/2016 - 12:00

I'm a Chatterbox targets Houston Ladies Classic

Coady Photography
I'm a Chatterbox works five furlongs in 59 seconds Saturday.

I’m a Chatterbox, one of the best dirt mares in training, is galloping at Fair Grounds toward a start in the Grade 3, $400,000 Houston Ladies Classic on Jan. 29 at Sam Houston Race Park, according to trainer Larry Jones.

“I expect her to show up on the work tab this weekend,” Jones said Thursday.

Fri, 12/16/2016 - 07:58

Euclyn Prentice Jr. in hunt for apprentice Eclipse

Overshadowed, as usual, by virtually all other categories, the race for outstanding apprentice is getting minimal buzz as voting gets under way for the 2016 Eclipse Awards.

Luis Ocasio, based in Pennsylvania, has to be considered the favorite as the national leader in wins and earnings, but Euclyn Prentice Jr., who has ridden mostly in Kentucky and Ohio, might attract a few votes.

Thu, 12/15/2016 - 14:56

Gravesend helps send track into winter break

Chelsea Durand/NYRA
Stallwalkin' Dude, ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., wins the Bold Ruler Handicap by 1 1/2 lengths.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Racing on this circuit will take a 10-day hiatus at the conclusion of Sunday’s card. But getaway day will not be a quick one.

Following the cancellation of Thursday’s card due to high winds and cold, there will be an 11-race program on Sunday commencing at 11:20 a.m. Eastern. The card will include the $100,000 Gravesend and the $150,000 Fifth Avenue division of the New York Stallion Stakes for juvenile fillies.