For the bulk of his five seasons on the racetrack, Heaven’s Runway ground out a steady living, racing seven to 10 times a year and earning between $80,000 and $100,000 a season. Not bad for a horse who won five of his first 39 starts, but distinctly blue collar.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – When last they met at Gulfstream Park, Eskenformoney was pulling a mild upset over favored Curlin’s Approval in the Grade 3 Rampart on Dec. 17.
Nine weeks later, they will meet again Saturday in the Grade 2, $200,000 Royal Delta at 1 1/16 miles. Curlin’s Approval once again will be favored – she was 1-2 in the Rampart when finishing three-quarters of a length behind Eskenformoney, a 5-1 shot – but there’s likely to be more support for Eskenformoney this time around.
Indiana Grand Racecourse will host 35 Thoroughbred stakes worth about $4.3 million during its 2017 racing season, the track announced in a press release Tuesday.
Indiana Grand’s 2016 Thoroughbred stakes schedule consisted of 36 stakes worth $4.4 million.
Things are going good at Golden Gate Fields for trainer Faith Taylor.
Last Saturday, Shari finished third for Taylor in the California Oaks at Golden Gate, earning coveted black type. On Sunday, she brought the undefeated stakes winner Llobo back to her Golden Gate Fields barn from her farm in nearby Clayton, Calif.
Taylor’s meet might get a lot better Saturday, when she sends More Power to Him in the Grade 3, $200,000 El Camino Real Derby.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Lookin At Lee, who in his last start was fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile on Nov. 5 at Santa Anita, was among a handful of probables for the Southwest Stakes to work at Oaklawn on Monday. The Southwest will be run here on Presidents Day next Monday.
Lookin At Lee went a half-mile in 50.20 seconds, with clockers getting his final quarter in 23.80 and catching him galloping out five-eighths in 1:02.60.
Tour de Force was one of six yearlings who sold for more than $1 million each at Keeneland’s yearling auction on Sept. 11, 2014. Watch a video of the horse in the sales ring, and you will see a poised and curious colt who is both gigantic and gorgeous.
Tour de Force’s great heft surely contributed to the fact that he made his career debut only in December, but the colt is a gentle giant, according to David Carroll, the Fair Grounds assistant to trainer Mark Casse, and a dream to ride.
The exciting Fair Grounds maiden winner Local Hero will make his next start Feb. 25 in the Risen Star Stakes, trainer Steve Asmussen said Monday.
Asmussen will have two runners in the Grade 2, $400,000 Risen Star, with Untrapped joining Local Hero in what is shaping up as a very solid edition of the local Louisiana Derby prep race.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Gun Runner was among a handful of horses putting in final works at Oaklawn Park on Monday for a rich holiday card on Presidents Day, breezing a bullet five furlongs in 59.80 seconds. Gun Runner is set to launch his season in the Grade 3, $500,000 Razorback Handicap, while some others drilling Monday were prepping for the Grade 3, $500,000 Southwest.
ARCADIA, Calif. – For the 50th year, the Santa Anita jockeys and a team of seventh and eighth graders from nearby Holy Angels School will meet in a charity basketball game at LaSalle High School in Pasadena, Calif., on Feb. 23.
The event benefits the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund, the Holy Angels athletic program, and the Eye on Jacob Foundation.
