Wed, 09/21/2016 - 10:40

Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint: Downhill turf course presents challenge

Barbara Weidl/Equi-Photo
Lady Shipman wins the Turf Amazon at Parx on Sept. 5.

Mongolian Saturday and Lady Shipman are among the most well-traveled horses in training. Mongolian Saturday has taken his show on the road to compete overseas; Lady Shipman has won 12 of 17 starts over the last two years while competing at 10 different tracks.

Wed, 09/21/2016 - 10:30

Breeders' Cup Filly-Mare Sprint: Cotillion critical for Cathryn Sophia, Carina Mia

Barbara D. Livingston
The 3-year-old Carina Mia will face older females in the Grade 1 Ballerina at Saratoga on Aug. 27.

The Grade 1 Cotillion on Saturday at Parx should prove critical for the top two challengers to Songbird in determining which Breeders’ Cup race they will run in.

Cathryn Sophia and Carina Mia both have shown themselves to be highly effective at shorter distances, and depending on what transpires in the 1 1/16-mile Cotillion, their connections might wind up opting for the seven-furlong distance of the $1 million BC Filly and Mare Sprint on Nov. 5 at Santa Anita.

Wed, 09/21/2016 - 10:10

Breeders' Cup Distaff to be battle of champions

Emily Shields
Stellar Wind (left), in her stretch drive win over Beholder, will have just one more race before the Breeders' Cup Distaff this fall.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Breeders’ Cup history will be made before the extraordinarily deep Distaff field even crosses the Santa Anita finish line on Friday, Nov. 4.

Three Eclipse Award winners from 2015, each in top form, are aiming for the Distaff – Songbird, Beholder, and Stellar Wind. If all three start, it will be the first time in the 33-year history of the Breeders’ Cup that the Distaff field includes more than two current champions.

Tue, 09/20/2016 - 12:33

More surgery for injured jockey Laurent Beaucamp

Jockey Laurent Beaucamp, who was severely injured in a Sept. 5 spill at Monmouth Park, remains in critical but stable condition in the Level 2 trauma wing of the Jersey Shore Medical Center in Neptune City, N.J., where he continues to undergo varying surgeries to repair his numerous injuries.

On Tuesday, Beaucamp was having a plate and screws inserted into his broken left arm. On Monday, doctors "plated" the left side of his rib cage, according to a source close to the situation.

Tue, 09/20/2016 - 10:10

Russell Road, West Virginia-bred earner of $2 million, retired at 10

Barbara D. Livingston
Ten-year-old Russell Road will try to capture his fourth Confucius Say victory Saturday at Charles Town.

Russell Road surpassed $2 million in earnings with his second-place finish in the Northern Panhandle Stakes at Mountaineer Park on Aug. 6, but he came out of the race with an injury and has been retired at age 10.

Mon, 09/19/2016 - 15:26

Diodoro to unleash trio in Oklahoma Derby

Hodges Photography / Amanda Hodges Weir
Texas Chrome's next scheduled race is the Grade 3, $400,000 Oklahoma Derby.

Trainer Robertino Diodoro will attack the Grade 3, $400,000 Oklahoma Derby with three starters on Sunday: Inside Straight, Solve, and Way Striking. The horses will be part of an anticipated field of nine or 10 for the richest race of the meet at Remington Park.

“They’re all training well going into it,” Diodoro said Monday.

Mon, 09/19/2016 - 15:10

Tepin likely to start once at Keeneland before Breeders' Cup

Michael Burns
Tepin won her eighth straight race in the Woodbine Mile on Saturday.

Tepin came out of her half-length win Saturday in the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile a little tired but in good condition and was headed by van Monday to Saratoga, where she will be stabled briefly before shipping to Keeneland, trainer Mark Casse said.

Mon, 09/19/2016 - 14:40

Canterbury's handle figures rise but not enough

Canterbury Park concluded its 69-day race meet Sunday with gains in total and out-of-state handle, but the track’s grand experiment with a lowered takeout rate this year produced results that disappointed track officials.

Mon, 09/19/2016 - 14:21

Dortmund works five furlongs in possible Awesome Again prep

Emily Shields
Dortmund (inside) could again face California Chrome (left) in the Awesome Again Stakes on Oct. 1.

Dortmund, who finished behind California Chrome in two major races at the Del Mar summer meeting, worked five furlongs in 59.80 seconds at Santa Anita on Monday for yet another potential encounter against his rival.

Dortmund could run in the $300,000 Awesome Again Stakes at Santa Anita on Oct. 1, a leading prep for the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita on Nov. 5. California Chrome will be favored in the Awesome Again.

Mon, 09/19/2016 - 14:20

On Leave possible for Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup

Joe Labozzetta/NYRA
On Leave, ridden by Jose Ortiz, cruises to a front-running 2 3/4-length victory in the 1 1/8-mile Sands Point.

ELMONT, N.Y. – On Leave, the front-running 2 3/4-length winner of Saturday’s Grade 2 Sands Point here, is “penciled in” to make her next start in the Grade 1, $500,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland on Oct. 15, trainer Shug McGaughey said Monday.

“I’m going to watch,” McGaughey said. “If I don’t like everything I see or I think it’s too close, then I just won’t run.”

On Leave won her fourth consecutive race in the Sands Point, running 1 1/8 miles in 1:47.82 and earning a 94 Beyer Speed Figure.