HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Sticksstatelydude, among the dozen or so handicap horses under consideration for a slot in the $12 million Pegasus World Cup on Jan. 28, has been stopped on and will be sidelined indefinitely, trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said Thursday.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Trainer Jorge Navarro was looking forward to getting both X Y Jet and Delta Bluesman back to action at Gulfstream Park on Monday in the Grade 3 Mr. Prospector. But he’s going to have to wait at least several days longer than planned after the race died with only five horses in the entry box, three of them from Navarro’s barn, when entries closed late Wednesday morning.
According to stakes coordinator Mike Costanzo, plans are for the Mr. Prospector to be re-carded sometime during New Year’s weekend. The six-furlong fixture attracted only 14 nominations.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Arrogate, winner of the Breeders’ Cup Classic in his last start on Nov. 5, worked seven furlongs on Wednesday morning at Santa Anita, but trainer Bob Baffert said he had not decided whether to run Arrogate in the San Pasqual Stakes here on Jan. 1, or simply await the Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream on Jan. 28.
Baffert may have hinted at his plans, though, when he said, “I’m not going to rush him.”
“He’d have one more work before the San Pasqual,” Baffert said. “I can either run here or wait. He needed this work today.”
The wind was whistling through his cell phone before dawn Wednesday, but Jason Barkley was impervious to the cold.
“It gets pretty bone-chilling at times,” said Barkley, who is overseeing the Wesley Ward stable at Turfway Park in northern Kentucky, near Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport. “The wind comes across the track in the morning and over from the airport at night. There’s not a whole lot of hiding from it. But we’re winning, and that’s what matters.”
On Saturday, for the first time since 2012, there will be racing on Christmas Eve. Those wishing to make a wager or two before the holiday begins in earnest can play a Laurel Park card, which begins at noon Eastern.
Because Laurel is the only track open Christmas Eve, the track’s Saturday past performances will be included in all Friday editions of Daily Racing Form. Of course, they will also be available online.
There hasn’t been any racing on Christmas Eve the past three years. Parx was scheduled to race in 2013 but canceled due to poor track conditions.
Derby fever? Trainer Mike Stidham has no symptoms whatsoever, even after 2-year-old Proforma scored his second straight eye-catching victory, capturing the $50,000 Sugar Bowl by three lengths Saturday at Fair Grounds.
Proforma ran six furlongs in 1:10.72 on a track not producing fast times while beating favored Running Mate by three lengths. Proforma got an 85 Beyer Speed Figure after his second-start maiden win last out at Churchill had produced an 83.
Trainer Brad Cox had entrants in four stakes races this past Saturday at Fair Grounds and emerged with three winners. Not a bad afternoon.
“We had a great day,” Cox said Monday. “A little disappointed with Dazzling Gem, but otherwise the horses ran really well.”
ARCADIA, Calif. – The pacesetter for the Grade 1 La Brea Stakes has a new rider and the local turf division has a promising new shooter who will make his California debut in the Grade 2 Mathis Brothers Mile. Both races are Dec. 26, opening day at Santa Anita.
Mike Smith is the new rider for Enola Gray, the California-bred filly expected to set the pace in the seven-furlong La Brea. Trainer Phil D’Amato confirmed the change Monday morning at Santa Anita, where Enola Gray worked five furlongs in 1:00.
Trainer Brian Lynch reports that his Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf winner Oscar Performance is about ready to resume training for his 3-year-old campaign.
Oscar Performance capped his juvenile season with a 1 1/4-length victory in the Juvenile Turf, the last in a three-race winning streak that also included an easy six-length triumph in the Grade 3 Pilgrim at Belmont Park.
“He’ll have had 60 days off and looks sassy and happy and ready to get back under tack, for sure,” Lynch said.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Jorge Navarro racked up the frequent flyer miles this weekend. The second-leading trainer at the championship meet behind Todd Pletcher, Navarro journeyed to Santa Anita on Sunday to oversee Sharp Azteca’s work Monday morning for next week’s Grade 1 Malibu there. He then wheeled right around and flew back home to be on hand Tuesday at Gulfstream Park West, where both X Y Jet and Delta Bluesman were scheduled to breeze for the Grade 3 Mr. Prospector here. Like the Malibu, the Mr. Prospector will be run Monday.
