OZONE PARK, N.Y. – All-sources handle at the New York Racing Association in 2024 was $2,088,905,480, a decrease of 5.3 percent from the 2023 figure of $2,204,653,635, according to figures provided Friday by the New York Racing Association.
Rated by Merit was the undisputed local juvenile champion here in 2024 and owned the fastest Beyer Speed Figure, a 99, turned in by any 2-year-old in North America last year. But just when the undefeated and untested son of Battalion Runner will make his much-anticipated 3-year-old debut remains up in the air at this time.
Mi Hermano Ramon, who has developed into a leading turf stakes horse in California in recent starts, is likely to stay at Santa Anita this winter rather than be sent to Gulfstream Park for the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Turf on Jan. 25, trainer Mark Glatt said on Friday.
Glatt said the Grade 1 Frank Kilroe Mile at Santa Anita, a $300,000 turf race on March 1, has greater appeal because of the timing.
Out of necessity, Clovisconnection will have his first start of 2025 in the $125,000 California Cup Sprint at Santa Anita on Jan. 11.
Trained by Blaine Wright for owners and breeders Bill and Judy Hedrick, Clovisconnection has won 11 of 17 starts, but has raced primarily at tracks in Northern California and at Emerald Downs in Washington state.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Jenkin won the featured $175,000 Year’s End Stakes on the all 2-year-old card Dec. 29 at Oaklawn for her second win at the meet. She won a maiden race at the same one-mile distance Dec. 6.
The starts were her first two races at two turns, and for the Year’s End effort Jenkin earned a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 77. Trainer Lindsay Schultz was pleased with the race Jenkin ran in the Year’s End.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – American Promise earned one of the top 10 Beyer Speed Figures put up by a 2-year-old in 2024 in his last start and could be headed for a race in the 3-year-old Kentucky Derby prep series at Oaklawn Park.
Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas said Thursday that American Promise is under serious consideration for the Grade 3, $1 million Southwest Stakes on Jan. 25, which offers points for the Kentucky Derby.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Stonewall Star, the 2 1/2-length winner of the $100,000 Bay Ridge Stakes for New York-bred females on Dec. 27, could make her next start in the $150,000 Interborough Stakes on Jan. 18, trainer Horacio De Paz said Friday.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – The New York-bred 3-year-old Sand Devil may have earned himself a shot in a Kentucky Derby qualifying points race after winning a first-level statebred allowance race by 12 1/2 lengths Thursday at Aqueduct.
Trainer Linda Rice said she would consider a race like the $250,000 Withers Stakes, going 1 1/8 miles on Feb. 1, for Sand Devil, a son of Violence out of the Mineshaft mare Mineralogist, a three-time New York-bred stakes winner.
“To go from a mile to a mile and an eighth that fast, it’s a lot, but I’ve taken a few chances here and there,” Rice said.
Skinner breezed a half-mile in 47.80 seconds on Dec. 31 at Fair Grounds, fastest among 67 works at the distance and his first drill since joining the stable of trainer Cherie DeVaux.
“He looked great. He shipped in to us in great order and worked really well,” DeVaux said.
Five-year-old Skinner finished third in the 2023 Santa Anita Derby and came to Louisville later that month a stealth contender for the Kentucky Derby, but got sick after shipping and was scratched from the Derby the day before the race.
After his sprint debut in August at Ellis Park and his second start, the Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland, it became apparent that the Godolphin homebred colt East Avenue possessed elite talent. That was obvious from the outside. From the inside, those that worked daily with the colt collected ample evidence suggesting East Avenue was a horse who breathed different air.
Then East Avenue fell on his nose leaving the starting gate as the heavy favorite to win the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile on Nov. 1 at Del Mar.
