Mon, 10/24/2016 - 15:00

Are You Kidding Me seeks Autumn Stakes repeat

Michael Burns
Are You Kidding Me won last year's Autumn Stakes, helping propel him to Canada's champion older male title.

Are You Kidding Me won last year’s Grade 2, $200,000 Autumn Stakes on his way to becoming Canada’s champion older male of 2015, and a repeat win in the Autumn on Nov. 6 at Woodbine would bolster his case for another Sovereign Award.

Are You Kidding Me, a 6-year-old trained by Roger Attfield, most recently won the Grade 3 Durham Cup on Sept. 24. Prior to that, he finished second in back-to-back starts in the Grade 2 Sky Classic Stakes and the Grade 3 Seagram Cup and won the Grade 2 Eclipse Stakes on May 28.

Mon, 10/24/2016 - 14:45

Vella likes Channel Maker’s chances in BC Juvenile Turf

Michael Burns
Channel Maker wins the Vandal Stakes at Woodbine on Sunday.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Trainer Daniel Vella will return to the Breeders’ Cup for the first time since 2010 when he sends out Channel Maker in the Juvenile Turf on Nov. 4 at Santa Anita.

“We’re going to go to the big dance and see just how good he is,” Vella said. “We had a bit of a troubled trip last time, and I think we’re competitive, so we’re going.”

Mon, 10/24/2016 - 13:26

Effinex ‘holding his form' for Breeders' Cup Classic

Barbara D. Livingston
Effinex, ridden by Mike Smith, wins the Suburban Handicap for the second time.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Effinex, the runner-up to American Pharoah in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Classic, worked five furlongs in 1:00.46 over the Belmont Park training track Monday in preparation for this year’s $6 million BC Classic on Nov. 5 at Santa Anita.

Under exercise rider Kelvin Pahal, Efffinex went his first three furlongs in 36.29 seconds, which prompted trainer Jimmy Jerkens, watching from the eighth pole, to raise his hand to have Pahal slow the horse down. He got his final quarter in 24.17 seconds and galloped out six furlongs in 1:13.91.

Mon, 10/24/2016 - 13:20

Keen Ice among nine Breeders' Cup pre-entrants for Pletcher

Barbara D. Livingston
Keen Ice, who has only one start in seven months, went six furlongs in 1:12.84 on Sunday at Belmont Park, working in company with Tommy Macho.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Trainer Todd Pletcher said on Monday that he pre-entered nine in the Breeders’ Cup, including Keen Ice, who will start in the Classic on Nov. 5 at Santa Anita.

Keen Ice, who beat American Pharoah in the 2015 Travers, is coming off a third-place finish in an allowance race at Belmont on Oct. 7, his first start since running eighth behind California Chrome in the Dubai World Cup.

Mon, 10/24/2016 - 13:16

Flintshire, Lady Eli among dozen Brown pre-entrants

Barbara D. Livingston
Flintshire will face just three rivals in Saturday's Joe Hirsch Turf Classic.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Led by top turf runners Flintshire and Lady Eli and dual Grade 1 dirt winner Practical Joke, trainer Chad Brown said he pre-entered 12 horses on Monday for the Breeders’ Cup races Nov. 4-5 at Santa Anita.

If all 12 get to run, it will equal the number of starters Brown had last year, when he won the Filly and Mare Sprint with Wavell Avenue and the Filly and Mare Turf with Stephanie’s Kitten. Wavell Avenue is among Brown’s pre-entrants this year in the Filly and Mare Sprint.

Mon, 10/24/2016 - 13:06

Lightstream possible for La Brea Stakes

Coady Photography
Julien Leparoux rides Lightstream to a 1 1/4-length victory in the Raven Run.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Lightstream was transported Monday from Keeneland to Belmont Park and rejoined trainer Brian Lynch, who said he will consider the Grade 1 La Brea in December after initially saying the filly was finished racing this year.

“I’ve had second thoughts on her break,” Lynch said.

The La Brea is a seven-furlong race Dec. 26 at Santa Anita.

Mon, 10/24/2016 - 12:19

Belvoir Bay among 11 nominated for Autumn Miss

BENOIT PHOTO
Belvoir Bay and jockey Noberto Arroyo Jr. win the Torrey Pines Stakes.

Belvoir Bay, winner of the Unzip Me Stakes for 3-year-old fillies on the hillside turf course Oct. 1, is one of 11 3-year-old fillies nominated for Saturday’s $100,000 Autumn Miss Stakes at a mile on turf at Santa Anita.

The Grade 3 Autumn Miss Stakes is the only graded stakes on the upcoming weekend. Sunday’s main race is the $70,000 Lure Stakes at a mile on turf, which drew 24 nominations.

Nominees for the Autumn Miss Stakes include the stakes winners Barleysugar, Dreamarcher, Great Page and Lookout Sister.

Mon, 10/24/2016 - 12:12

Jockeys Elliott, Gonzalez to begin three-day suspensions at Santa Anita

Jockeys Stewart Elliott and Santiago Gonzalez will serve three-day suspensions at Santa Anita in coming days after losing appeals of suspensions issued at Del Mar earlier this year.

Elliott and Gonzalez are suspended Saturday and Sunday, and on Thursday, Nov. 3. They were given three-day suspensions for causing interference in separate races Aug. 13. The cases were heard by the California Horse Racing Board, which recently rejected the appeals.

Mon, 10/24/2016 - 12:07

Mastery possible for Bob Hope Stakes next month

Shigeki Kikkawa
Mastery wins his maiden debut by 4 1/4 lengths Saturday.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Mastery, the easy winner of a maiden race for 2-year-olds in his debut at Santa Anita on Saturday, will make his stakes debut at Del Mar next month.

Trainer Bob Baffert said Sunday that he is considering the $100,000 Bob Hope Stakes at seven furlongs Nov. 19 for Mastery.

Mastery ($2.60) led throughout a maiden race at six furlongs. He held an advantage of as much as 1 1/2 lengths through the opening half-mile before pulling away to win by 4 1/4 lengths over 7-2 Sheer Flattery.

Mon, 10/24/2016 - 11:20

Vella targets Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf with Channel Maker

Michael Burns
Channel Maker wins the Vandal Stakes at Woodbine on Sunday.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Trainer Daniel Vella will return to the Breeders’ Cup for the first time since 2010 when he sends out Channel Maker in the Juvenile Turf on Nov. 4 at Santa Anita.

“We’re going to go to the big dance and see just how good he is,” Vella said. “We had a bit of a troubled trip last time, and I think we’re competitive, so we’re going.”