Fair Grounds Racecourse on Tuesday announced its stakes schedule for the New Orleans track’s 2016-2017 racing season, a 60-race program (including overnight stakes) worth a total of $6.79 million.
The 2015–2016 season had 53 stakes worth $6.43 million, but the changes this year are marginal, with the schedule very similar to last year’s.
Connect, winner of the Grade 2, $1.25 million Pennsylvania Derby at Parx on Sept. 24, will likely make his next start in the Grade 1, $500,000 Cigar Mile at Aqueduct on Nov. 26, trainer Chad Brown said.
Brown said the Breeders' Cup Classic is not a race he and owner Paul Pompa Jr. are focused on. Brown said the BC Dirt Mile is a possibility as is the Grade 1 Clark at Churchill Downs on Nov. 25, but the Cigar Mile appears to be Brown's preference.
Ibaka, who has won his last four races, runs next on the Oklahoma Classics program Oct. 21 at Remington Park, said trainer Bret Calhoun. Ibaka won the $50,000 Red Earth on the Oklahoma Derby card in his most recent start Sept. 25.
“He’s a very honest horse,” Calhoun said. “He brings it every time.”
Ibaka, who has won stakes on dirt and turf during his streak, will be nominated to the $175,000 Oklahoma Classics Classic at 1 1/16 miles on the main track as well as the $130,000 Turf and $130,000 Sprint.
Louisiana Downs stakes winner Majestic Gale is one good month away from getting a shot at the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.
The winner of the Happy Ticket on Sept. 10 on the Super Derby card at Louisiana Downs, she is now being pointed for the Grade 3, $150,000 Jessamine on Oct. 12 at Keeneland, according to trainer Joe Sharp.
“She’s doing great,” Sharp said. “She’s here in Kentucky. We’re looking at the Jessamine and then, hopefully, if everything stays well, the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.”
Pretty City Dancer will skip Friday’s Grade 1 Alcibiades at Keeneland after coming out of her most recent workout at Saratoga with a minor injury, according to trainer Mark Casse.
Pretty City Dancer rallied to get up for a dead-heat win with Sweet Loretta in the Grade 1 Spinaway on Sept. 3 at Saratoga. Prior to that seven-furlong race, she had won consecutive starts at Churchill Downs. She won the six-furlong Debutante by 3 1/4 lengths and a five-furlong Churchill maiden race by 2 3/4 lengths.
MIAMI – The grandstand is gone, but live racing will return to the old Calder Race Course when the 40-day Gulfstream Park West meet opens Wednesday and continues through Nov. 27. Racing will be conducted Wednesdays through Sundays, with additional programs this coming Monday and on Tuesday, Nov. 8.
Officials from The Stronach Group, which leases the facility from Churchill Downs Inc. for the two-month session, are stressing that amenities will be lacking and are urging local patrons to wager on the Gulfstream Park West races from their parent track at Gulfstream Park.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Trainer Chad Brown will have two runners in the Grade 1, $500,000 Champagne on Saturday in Hopeful winner Practical Joke and Favorable Outcome.
Those two horses worked in company Sunday, going five furlongs in 1:01.71 over the Belmont Park training track. The two got their final quarter in 24.81 seconds and galloped out five furlongs in 1:15.19 over a track labeled “good.”
ELMONT, N.Y. – Though trainer Chad Brown doesn’t believe Lady Eli is particularly fond of soft turf, she definitely seemed to handle it well Monday at Belmont Park, where she worked a half-mile in 48.26 seconds in preparation for Saturday’s Grade 1, $500,000 Flower Bowl.
Lady Eli worked outside of Beach Patrol and got her final three furlongs in 35.51 seconds.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Shaman Ghost, the winner of the Grade 1 Woodward Stakes at Saratoga on Sept. 3, will skip Saturday’s Grade 1, $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park and just train up to the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic on Nov. 5 at Santa Anita, trainer Jimmy Jerkens said Sunday.
Owned by Frank Stronach, Shaman Ghost won the Woodward with eight weeks between races. By skipping the Gold Cup, Shaman Ghost will have nine weeks between the Woodward and the Breeders’ Cup.
