OZONE PARK, N.Y. – That Aqueduct’s inner track has been kind to inside speed lately doesn’t just favor certain horses, it favors certain riders.
Kendrick Carmouche is known as an aggressive rider, and his style certainly has paid dividends this winter at Aqueduct. Last week, Carmouche won 7 races from 22 mounts, including three stakes, at Aqueduct. He has moved into a tie for third in the inner-track standings with 19 wins, five behind leader Irad Ortiz Jr.
ARCADIA, Calif. – The itinerary is set, one that covers the nation from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to suburban Los Angeles with Kruljac men.
On Saturday, when Finest City starts in the $200,000 Santa Monica Stakes at Santa Anita, trainer Ian Kruljac will saddle the mare in her first start since an upset win in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint in November.
Across the nation, his father, Eric, will be overdressed, by his standards, appearing on behalf of his son and client Tyler Seltzer at the Eclipse Awards at Gulfstream Park in Florida.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Breaking Lucky turned in his final prep for the $12 million Pegasus World Cup on Wednesday at Palm Beach Downs, working five furlongs in 1:00.40 under exercise rider Christian Rivera. The work came 10 days out from the Pegasus World Cup, to be run here Jan. 28.
“Everything was perfect, just what the doctor ordered,” said trainer Reade Baker. “I told the rider to go between 1:00 and 1:01, and he hit it right on the head. He went his final quarter in 23 and 3 and galloped out in 1:13 and 3.”
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – The send-off for You Bought Her won’t be nearly as big as the one California Chrome will receive a week from Saturday at Gulfstream Park, but it’ll be a sentimental farewell for trainer David Hinsley nonetheless.
You Bought Her, a 7-year-old mare with $505,945 in career earnings, is expected to make her 48th and final start here Saturday in the Sunshine Millions Distaff before going to the breeding shed with – you guessed it – California Chrome.
Claudio Gonzalez has won a lot of races since he began training four years ago. He has won three Laurel Park meet training titles and led the standings last year at Timonium. Gonzalez was second in victories on the Maryland Jockey Club circuit of Laurel and Pimlico in 2015 and 2014.
Ricardo Santana Jr., the winner of the last four riding titles at Oaklawn, will have his first mounts of the meet Friday, including on probable favorite Torrent in the featured eighth race. Santana missed the first week of the season while serving a suspension for a local riding infraction from 2016.
It’s that hopeful time of the year again for trainers with talented 3-year-olds. Dreams of derbies dance in the heads of owners, trainers, and jockeys. It’s a time for optimism but also a time for assessment.
On Saturday, eight 3-year-olds will continue the evaluation process in the $100,000 California Derby at 1 1/16 miles. Those who pass this test can go on to the Grade 3, $200,000 El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate, which is worth 17 Kentucky Derby qualifying points on a 10-4-2-1 basis.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Uncontested emerged from his Monday romp in the $150,000 Smarty Jones in good order, and on Tuesday trainer Wayne Catalano said the horse is being pointed for the second race in Oaklawn’s series for 3-year-olds, the Southwest.
The Southwest, a Grade 3 race worth $500,000, will be run Feb. 20.
Jockey Gerry Olguin turned 44 on Sunday, but the celebration really began when he rode two winners here that day to reach the 2,000-victory mark.
Olguin, who has made Woodbine his home base since 2000, will retire on Jan. 29. He had plenty of time to savor win No. 2,000, which came on favored Dumont in the ninth race. Dumont pulled away in the lane to a 3 1/2-length victory in the $12,500 maiden claimer.
“It felt so good,” said Olguin. “I’d been wanting to get it. It was a personal goal of mine.
NEW ORLEANS – After toying with the idea of running their promising 4-year-old December Seven on Saturday in the Louisiana Stakes, owner Samantha Siegel and trainer Paul McGee decided not to enter the colt and will wait for the Grade 3 Mineshaft here Feb. 25.
December Seven has won 3 of 5 starts, is 3 for 4 in two-turn races, has won consecutive allowances-race starts in blowout fashion, and cruised to a four-length win in his most recent start Dec. 29 at Fair Grounds.
