HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Practical Joke turned in his final prep for this Saturday’s Grade 2 Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park on Sunday morning at the Palm Meadows Training Center, where he breezed an easy half-mile in 48.19 seconds in company with stablemate Shagaf.
According to Daily Racing Form clocker Mike Vesce, Practical Joke went his opening quarter-mile in 24.80, galloped out five furlongs in 1:00.60, and pulled up three-quarters of a mile in 1:14.
Trainer Graham Motion said he "couldn't be happier" with Irish War Cry’s final work for next Saturday's Fountain of Youth Stakes after his undefeated 3-year-old breezed five furlongs in 1:01.80 and galloped out six panels in 1:13.40 on Saturday morning at Palm Meadows.
The exciting 3-year-old filly Stallion Heiress will stick to turf racing for now and could make her next start March 11 in the $50,000 Allen Lacombe Memorial, a 1 1/16-mile grass race at Fair Grounds, trainer Mike Stidham said.
Stallion Heiress won her career debut at this meet, a turf sprint, by four lengths, and on Feb. 11 in the $50,000 Joseph E. “Spanky” Broussard Memorial over about one mile on grass, she scored a front-running victory by nearly eight lengths. In the slightly longer term, Stidham said he is eyeing the Appalachian Stakes on April 13 at Keeneland.
Saint’s Fan could make his next start in the $1 million Louisiana Derby here on April 1. Or he could make his next start at Keeneland in April. Or be pointed for the $75,000 Crescent City Derby for Louisiana-breds, another April 1 race at Fair Grounds.
The point is that Dallas Stewart, who bred, owns, and trains Saint’s Fan, isn’t in a rush to decide exactly where to run his horse, who worked a half-mile in 50.20 seconds here Friday.
True Timber set the pace after stumbling badly at the break in the Grade 3 Withers, a race in which he ultimately finished second to El Areeb.
Judging by the way he breezed Friday at Belmont Park, True Timber will not be part of the pace when he meets El Areeb again in next Saturday’s Grade 3, $300,000 Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – The only thing hotter than the weather this winter in New York is trainer Joe Parker.
Parker, a career 6 percent-winning trainer, is winning at a 38 percent clip in 2017 after Kate is a Ten won Friday’s fourth race at Aqueduct. Parker, who has now won with six of his last seven starters, has 10 wins from 26 starters in 2017. His previous single-year high was seven wins in 2009. He is 11 for 34 at Aqueduct’s inner-track meet that began Dec. 7, tying for fifth in the trainer standings.
NEW ORLEANS – Plans for the three horses who as of Friday afternoon were going to scratch from Saturday’s Risen Star Stakes are in various states of certainty.
So Conflated, who didn’t ship to Fair Grounds from Santa Anita for trainer Doug O’Neill, is being rerouted to next Saturday’s Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct, O’Neill confirmed via text message.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Imahit, a past Oklahoma-bred of the year and an earner of more than $500,000, has been retired, his breeder, owner and trainer, C.R. Trout, said Thursday.
The horse last raced at Oaklawn on Feb. 17, finishing off the board in an optional-claiming sprint won by Yockey’s Warrior. Imahit, an 8-year-old gelding, will head to Trout’s farm in Edmond, Okla.
“He’s part of the family,” Trout said.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Shotgun Kowboy was a powerful allowance winner between the running of the Razorback Handicap and Southwest Stakes last Monday at Oaklawn, and he could return to stakes company for his next start, trainer C.R. Trout said Thursday.
Trout said the horse, who has won both of his starts at this meet, is possible for the $250,000 Essex on March 18.
Shotgun Kowboy earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 95 for his 3 3/4-length win Monday.
“I thought it was the best race he ever ran,” Trout said. “I was very proud of him.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Underpressure is quietly building a nice 3-year-old résumé. The horse based at Oaklawn has gone 3 for 4 in his career and became a stakes winner this month in the $100,000 Louisiana Premier Night Prince at Delta Downs.
