Phlash Phelps’s impressive repeat victory in the Maryland Million Turf at Laurel Park on Oct. 22 has earned him a trip to New York, according to his trainer, Rodney Jenkins.
Phlash Phelps came into the Maryland Million Turf off troubled trips in his prior two starts, the Grade 2 Commonwealth Turf Cup and the Find Stakes for statebreds at Laurel. Jockey Victor Carrasco took no chances in the Maryland Million Turf, giving up ground while four wide on both turns of the one-mile race.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Forever Unbridled loomed boldly in midstretch of the Breeders’ Cup Distaff for a fleeting moment last weekend at Santa Anita. The epic duel between Beholder and Songbird would have been foiled if she had surged past them.
“It did look like she might do it there for a second, didn’t it?” said Dallas Stewart, who trains Forever Unbridled for owner-breeder Charles Fipke.
But Forever Unbridled could do no better than third, beaten 1 1/4 lengths by the top two.
Los Alamitos will run four stakes during its eight-day winter meeting in December, including two Grade 1 races for 2-year-olds.
The Los Alamitos CashCall Futurity and the Starlet Stakes, both Grade 1, $300,000 races at 1 1/16 miles, will highlight the Dec. 10 program. The Los Alamitos Futurity had a purse of $350,000-guaranteed in 2015.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Toowindytohaulrox, the winner of two turf stakes in the last year in Southern California, was euthanized on Monday as a result of an injury suffered during a workout at Santa Anita, trainer Phil D’Amato said.
“He took a bad step breezing in the middle of the turn,” D’Amato said. “It was a little misstep and two strides later my rider pulled him up.
“It was too late. He had a catastrophic injury.”
ARCADIA, Calif. – Free Rose and Blackjackcat, second and third in the Grade 2 Twilight Derby at Santa Anita last Friday, are likely to run in the $300,000 Hollywood Derby at Del Mar on Dec. 3, their trainers said.
Free Rose was beaten a half-length by Frank Conversation after setting the pace to the stretch of the Twilight Derby.
“He came out of it all right,” trainer Richard Baltas said.
ARCADIA, Calif. – One of the Southern California-based horses who ran in the Breeders’ Cup Turf last Saturday might race again this year, while another probably won’t.
Ashleyluvssugar, who finished fifth, will be pointed for a 2017 campaign. Texas Ryano, who finished sixth, will be considered for the $200,000 Hollywood Turf Cup on Nov. 24 at Del Mar, said trainer Carla Gaines. Texas Ryano closed from last in a field of 12 to finish 6 3/4 lengths behind race winner Highland Reel in the BC Turf.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens will ride at Oaklawn Park in 2017.
Stevens said on Sunday that he plans to ride the Del Mar autumn meeting that begins on Friday and will relocate to Oaklawn Park before the track starts its three-month meeting on Jan. 13.
Stevens said he plans to return to California for major stakes next year, but said day-to-day opportunities in California have left him discouraged.
“I’m going to Oaklawn,” he said. "It's more money, more opportunities and more horses. I don’t have a lot of business.”
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Trainer Kelly Breen said that Tempted winner Miss Sky Warrior will be considered for a return trip to New York for the Grade 2 Demoiselle at Aqueduct on Nov. 26.
Breen said that if Miss Sky Warrior comes out of the Tempted well, he would like to run her once more this year in either the Demoiselle or the Golden Rod at Churchill Downs the same day. The Demoiselle is at 1 1/8 miles, while the Golden Rod is at 1 1/16 miles.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Tom Albertrani is looking ahead to the pair of 2-year-old stakes at the end of the month at Aqueduct, but he might not be running the juveniles who gave him a win and a second in the opening round of 2-year-old stakes at the meet.
Hemsworth won last Friday’s Grade 2 Nashua Stakes here by 9 1/2 lengths, but Albertrani said Monday he is inclined to skip the Grade 2 Remsen on Nov. 26 with that colt and instead run the maiden Newman.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Arrogate may not be the only late-blooming 3-year-old son of Unbridled’s Song to keep tabs on in 2017.
Hot Seat, another 3-year-old son of Unbridled’s Song, has won his first two starts by a combined 20 1/2 lengths ahead of his stakes debut in Saturday’s Grade 3, $150,000 Discovery Stakes at Aqueduct.
