Mon, 12/05/2016 - 11:44

Trainer Dini has strong Florida Oaks prospect in Dynatail

SV Photography
Dynatail earned a career-high 79 Beyer Speed Figure when she won a maiden race last Saturday.

Trainer Mike Dini unveiled a strong prospect for the Grade 3 Florida Oaks last Saturday, when Dynatail led from start to finish under jockey Ronnie Allen Jr. to win a $20,000 maiden special weight race by 2 1/4 lengths.

The performance atoned for the filly’s prior start Oct. 19 at the Meadowlands, where she appeared to be on her way to a front-running victory in a $25,000 maiden special weight race before bolting on the turn. Dini said Dynatail may have benefited from the addition of blinkers on Saturday.

Mon, 12/05/2016 - 11:39

Bennett targets second straight training title

SV Photography
Chance of Luck, ridden by Erick Rodriguez, holds off Dont Come Knockin to win the Inaugural Stakes by a neck Saturday.

OLDSMAR, Fla. – Gerald Bennett won the Tampa Bay Downs training title outright for the first time at the 2015-16 meet and has served notice that it will take a giant effort to unseat him at the current meet.

Bennett, 72, swept the two stakes for juveniles here last Saturday, with Chance of Luck taking the $60,000 Inaugural Stakes by a neck and R Angel Katelyn wiring the $89,000 Sandpiper Stakes by 3 1/2 lengths.

Mon, 12/05/2016 - 11:26

Mo Tom returns to New Orleans fresh and fit

Barbara D. Livingston
Mo Tom might return in the Mineshaft Handicap on Feb. 25

Mo Tom is back at Fair Grounds and has unfinished business in New Orleans.

The 3-year-old Mo Tom won the Lecomte Stakes in January, then finished a very troubled third in the Risen Star Stakes and a similarly unlucky fourth in the Louisiana Derby. Mo Tom almost certainly would have won the Risen Star had he found clear passage and at worst would have run second in the Louisiana Derby. Gun Runner, who most recently beat older horses in the Grade 1 Clark Handicap at Churchill Downs, won both of those races.

Sun, 12/04/2016 - 18:07

Brown will try to keep his three turf stars separated in 2017

Benoit & Associates
Trainer Chad Brown would prefer to keep Hollywood Derby winner Annals of Time away from stablemates Beach Patrol and Camnelot Kitten in future races.

A one-two finish by Annals of Time and Beach Patrol gave New York-based trainer Chad Brown a sweep of the exacta in Saturday’s $302,415 Hollywood Derby at Del Mar. The result helped Brown clarify his 2017 goals for his 4-year-old turf runners.

Annals of Time made his fourth start, and first in a Grade 1, in the Hollywood Derby at 1 1/8 miles on turf. Ridden by Javier Castellano, Annals of Time closed from fifth between horses in the final furlong to pass Beach Patrol and win by 1 1/2 lengths as a 5-1 shot.

Sun, 12/04/2016 - 17:56

Finest City begins prepping for Santa Monica

Debra A. Roma
Finest City, cutting back in distance and switching from turf to dirt, wins the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint under Mike Smith.

ARCADIA, Calif.- Finest City returned to serious training over the weekend, a month after her win in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Santa Anita on Nov. 5.

Saturday, Finest City worked a half-mile in 49.80 seconds at Santa Anita. Trainer Ian Kruljac said Finest City is scheduled to make her 2017 debut in the $200,000 Santa Monica Stakes for fillies and mares at seven furlongs on Jan. 21. The BC Filly and Mare Sprint was run at seven furlongs.

“She worked a nice half-mile,” Kruljac said.

Sun, 12/04/2016 - 17:43

Unique Bella will skip Starlet to await Santa Ynez

ARCADIA, Calif.- Unique Bella, a sharp maiden race winner at Del Mar on Nov. 26, breezed a half-mile mile in 46.60 seconds at Santa Anita on Saturday.

The easy workout did little to sway trainer Jerry Hollendorfer’s plans. He said Unique Bella will make her next start in the $200,000 Santa Ynez Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at seven furlongs at Santa Anita on Jan. 8 and not Saturday’s $300,000 Starlet Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at Los Alamitos.

Sun, 12/04/2016 - 14:57

Sunbean likely to run in Louisiana Champions Day Classic

Ann Switalski/Hodges Photography
Sunbean won the Louisiana Cup Turf Classic in August.

Entries for Saturday’s Louisiana Champions Day card at Fair Grounds were taken this past Friday, and Sunbean, one of the leading lights of Louisiana-bred racing, was cross-entered in the $100,000 Turf and the $150,000 Classic. But trainer Ron Faucheux said Saturday that Sunbean “more than likely” would wind up in the Classic, and that the Turf would be considered as an option only if the race were moved to the main track because of wet conditions.

Sun, 12/04/2016 - 14:43

Mo Tom returns to New Orleans fresh and fit

Barbara D. Livingston
Tom Amoss will try to win his first Super Derby with Mo Tom.

Mo Tom is back at Fair Grounds again, and has unfinished business in New Orleans.

The 3-year-old Mo Tom won the Lecomte Stakes in January, then finished a very troubled third in the Risen Star Stakes and a similarly unlucky fourth in the Louisiana Derby. Mo Tom almost certainly would have won the Risen Star had he found clear passage, and at worst would have run second in the Louisiana Derby. Gun Runner, who most recently beat older horses in the Grade 1 Clark Handicap at Churchill Downs, won both those races.

Sat, 12/03/2016 - 11:16

California Chrome works five furlongs for Winter Challenge

Barbara D. Livingston
California Chrome will have one prep before the Pegasus Cup thanks to a newly created stakes at Los Alamitos.

CYPRESS, Calif. – Two weeks before his final scheduled start in his home state, California Chrome worked five furlongs in 1:00.40 before dawn at Los Alamitos on Saturday.

Ridden by exercise rider Dihigi Gladney, California Chrome worked alone, going the first quarter-mile in 25 seconds and a half-mile in 48.60 seconds. He quickened noticeably in the stretch and galloped out six furlongs in 1:13.80, according to Los Alamitos clockers.

Fri, 12/02/2016 - 15:54

Forever Unbridled in light training

Barbara D. Livingston
The Apple Blossom at Oaklawn is one possible early 2017 target for Forever Unbridled.

Forever Unbridled, who somewhat quietly put together an excellent 2016 season, has taken up residence again in trainer Dallas Stewart’s Fair Grounds barn and is in light training as her connections plot a 2017 campaign for the soon-to-be 5-year-old.

Forever Unbridled made her first start this year Jan. 30 in the Houston Ladies Classic, but one thing Stewart already knows is that Forever Unbridled will be on a different schedule next year.