Fri, 10/21/2016 - 15:14

Stellar Wind has solid work ahead of BC Distaff

Shigeki Kikkawa
Stellar Wind, 5, under Victor Espinoza, beats Beholder to win the Zenyatta Stakes at Santa Anita Park on Oct. 1.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Stellar Wind, last year’s champion 3-year-old filly, had a talented exercise partner Friday when she worked five furlongs in 1:00.40 at Santa Anita in advance of the Breeders’ Cup Distaff on Nov. 4.
Stellar Wind worked with Hard Aces, the winner of the Grade 1 Gold Cup at Santa Anita in 2015. Hard Aces served as a pacemaker for Stellar Wind, who will face the toughest assignment of her career in the BC Distaff against three-time champion Beholder and Songbird, the undefeated champion 2-year-old filly of 2015.

Fri, 10/21/2016 - 15:10

Mind Your Biscuits working up a storm for Breeders' Cup Sprint

Barbara D. Livingston
Mind Your Biscuits, ridden by Joel Rosario, gives trainer Robert Falcone Jr., his first graded stakes victory in the Grade 2 Amsterdam.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Mind Your Biscuits keeps giving signals that he could be a live longshot in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint.

Six days after working a solid five furlongs, Mind Your Biscuits worked a strong half-mile in 47.17 seconds Friday over the Belmont Park main track.

:: Breeders’ Cup Challenge: Results, replays, charts, and more

Fri, 10/21/2016 - 15:10

Keen Ice in the picture for Breeders' Cup Classic

Barbara D. Livingston
Keen Ice worked for the first time in five months Friday.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Keen Ice, who upset Triple Crown winner American Pharoah in the 2015 Travers, is being considered for the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita on Nov. 5, his connections said Friday.

Fri, 10/21/2016 - 12:36

Kasaqui will end year in Fayette Stakes

Four-Footed Fotos
Kasaqui won the Grade 3 Arlington Handicap in July.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Kasaqui, an Argentine-bred gray, was unknown when he pulled a 30-1 upset in the April 17 finale at Keeneland, defeating eventual graded stakes winner Can’thelpbelieving in a second-level turf allowance. A highly eventful and productive year followed that will end when Keeneland closes its 17-day fall meet next Saturday with the Grade 2, $200,000 Fayette Stakes.

Thu, 10/20/2016 - 12:26

Beholder, Songbird sharp in latest works for Breeders' Cup Distaff

Barbara D. Livingston
Songbird, shown after winning the Cotillion, worked six furlongs in 1:12.80 Thursday at Santa Anita.

ARCADIA, Calif. – The champion females Beholder and Songbird are approaching their first meeting in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Santa Anita on Nov. 4 in excellent form – and on the same exercise schedule.

On Thursday at Santa Anita, Beholder and Songbird recorded quick workouts about an hour apart. Songbird worked at dawn, going six furlongs in 1:12.80. Beholder worked five furlongs in 59.20 seconds shortly after the start of the 7:45 a.m. training session.

Thu, 10/20/2016 - 12:06

Coasted bests stablemate in Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf drill

Debra A. Roma
Coasted has already won twice on turf at the Miss Grillo's distance of 1 1/16 miles.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Coasted, the winner of the P.G. Johnson Stakes at Saratoga and third as the favorite in the Miss Grillo at Belmont, worked five furlongs in 1:01.73 over the Belmont Park training track Thursday. Trained by Leah Gyarmati, Coasted is being pointed to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf on Nov. 4 at Santa Anita.

:: Breeders’ Cup Challenge: Results, replays, charts, and more

Thu, 10/20/2016 - 12:06

Prat picks up mount on Effinex for Breeders' Cup Classic

Barbara D. Livingston
Effinex has only four opponents in the Jockey Club Gold Cup on Saturday.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Trainer Jimmy Jerkens and stable manager Russell Cohen confirmed that Flavien Prat will ride Effinex in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Prat, the second-leading rider at the Santa Anita meet with 11 wins from 50 mounts, replaces Mike Smith, who is riding Travers winner Arrogate.

Prat tied Rafael Bejarano for leading rider at Del Mar.

:: Breeders’ Cup Challenge: Results, replays, charts, and more

Thu, 10/20/2016 - 12:00

Shaman Ghost goes long in Breeders' Cup Classic work

Emily Shields
Shaman Ghost, ridden by Joel Rosario, wins the Brooklyn Invitational by 4 1/4 lengths Saturday.

ELMONT, N.Y. – One day later than planned, Shaman Ghost got in his long-distance workout for the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic, breezing seven furlongs in 1:28.47 over the Belmont Park training track Thursday.

:: Breeders’ Cup Challenge: Results, replays, charts, and more

Wed, 10/19/2016 - 15:50

Boys are all here for the Mohawk Stakes

Barbara D. Livingston
King Kreesa (No. 2) edges Kharafa for the win in the West Point Stakes on Friday.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Lubash, Kharafa, and King Kreesa are the last three winners of the Mohawk Stakes, and they reunite at Belmont Park in Saturday’s renewal of the $200,000 stakes, which drew a field of nine 3-year-olds and up going 1 1/16 miles on the turf.

Kharafa won the Ashley T. Cole last month, while King Kreesa won the West Point earlier in the year. All the major players in the statebred male turf division are in this field, including Tapitation, who won the Kingston here in May.

Wed, 10/19/2016 - 15:46

Hot City Girl tries to keep Iroquois in the family

Barbara D. Livingston
Jose Ortiz collects one of his four wins on the card aboard Hot City Girl in the Union Avenue.

ELMONT, N.Y. – La Verdad won the $150,000 Iroquois in back-to-back years for owner Sheila Rosenblum and trainer Linda Rice. On Saturday at Belmont Park, Hot City Girl will try to step in for her retired older sister when she heads a field of six entered in the Iroquois at 6 1/2 furlongs.

Hot City Girl, also owned by Rosenblum and trained by Rice, is coming off a 1 3/4-length victory in the Union Avenue Stakes at Saratoga. Prior to that, she finished third behind Haveyougoneaway and Quezon in the Dancing Renee.