DEL MAR, Calif. – A year ago, Midnight Storm was ambitiously tried in the $1 million Pacific Classic on dirt, finishing last of 10 in Del Mar’s richest race. He has not raced on the main track since and will not for the foreseeable future.
On Thursday, trainer Phil D’Amato said he plans to start Midnight Storm in the $200,000 Del Mar Mile on turf Aug. 21, a day after this year’s Pacific Classic.
Victor Carrasco, the leading rider at the Laurel Park summer meeting, will be sidelined this weekend as he continues to recover from a foot injury he sustained Sunday.
Carrasco, the Eclipse Award-winning apprentice rider of 2013, holds a one-win lead in the standings over Feargal Lynch coming into Friday's Laurel races. Carrasco was injured prior to the fourth race Sunday when he was unseated by his mount while heading from the paddock to the track.
DEL MAR, Calif. – Kafister has a way to go before catching trainer David Bernstein’s best claim, but with his 12th victory Wednesday at Del Mar, Kafister earned a right to try joining Grade 1 winner Unfurl the Flag as former claiming horses Bernstein turned into stakes winners.
Kafister earned a career-high 95 Beyer Speed Figure in winning an optional-claiming sprint at Del Mar on Wednesday in 1:14.73 for 6 1/2 furlongs. He also earned a berth in the $75,000 Pirate’s Bounty Stakes, a 5 1/2-furlong restricted stakes on Sept. 5, closing day of the summer meet.
The $1 million Florida Derby and the inaugural running of the $12 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational will highlight a record stakes schedule for the 2016-17 Gulfstream Park championship session, which opens Dec. 3.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Real-estate developer Peter Redekop has led a varied and colorful life in several countries. Redekop has been among the most successful horse owners in the Pacific Northwest for decades, but he has yet to reach one of his goals – win the Longacres Mile.
Redekop has a good chance to fill that hole on his résumé with Alert Bay in Sunday’s running of the Grade 3, $200,000 Longacres Mile at Emerald Downs.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Rain fell here Wednesday, and there was more expected Friday and maybe Saturday.
That was all trainer Chad Brown needed to keep Takeover Target in New York for Saturday’s $500,000 Fourstardave Handicap rather than shipping him to Chicago for Saturday’s Grade 1 Arlington Million.
Takeover Target was one of 10 horses entered in the Fourstardave, a one-mile turf race that was elevated to Grade 1 status for the first time this year.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – When Libby’s Tail dropped back to last and fanned five wide approaching the quarter pole in her career debut at Belmont Park on July 2, her cause appeared hopeless – even to her trainer, Rudy Rodriguez.
“I didn’t think she had a chance to win that race when she was last nearing the stretch like that,” said Rodriguez. “But then she got outside, ran huge, and put them all away.”
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. – Mark Casse swears he doesn’t know how many horses he trains.
“Three people have asked me this week how many horses we have, and at any given moment, I honestly don’t know,” Casse said. “I don’t ever count. I think it’s bad luck.”
