Tue, 08/09/2016 - 10:05

New stakes on Pegasus World Cup card gives stakeholders options

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Gulfstream Park in Florida will hold a $400,000 race on Jan. 28 on the undercard of the $12 million Pegasus World Cup and allow stakeholders to pre-enter two horses in the Pegasus, officials of The Stronach Group, which owns Gulfstream, said on Monday night. One horse would be allowed to run in the Pegasus and the other in the secondary stakes, the Poseidon Stakes.

Mon, 08/08/2016 - 16:12

Bling On the Music rerouted to Gold Rush Futurity

Dustin Orona Photography
Bling On the Music is coming of an 8 1/2-length win in the Texas Thoroughbred Futurity.

The undefeated Bling On the Music, who had been targeting the Spinaway Stakes at Saratoga, will instead head to Colorado for the $100,000 Gold Rush Futurity, trainer J.R. Caldwell said. The six-furlong race for 2-year-olds is Sunday at Arapahoe Park.

Bling On the Music is based at Remington, and travel considerations were one reason to pass on the trip to New York, said Caldwell. Bling On the Music has won both of her starts, her most recent an 8 1/2-length romp in the $93,000 fillies’ division of the Texas Thoroughbred Futurity at Lone Star Park.

Mon, 08/08/2016 - 16:00

Stidham might send three in Beverly D.

Taylor Ejdys/Equi-Photo
The 4-year-old filly Zipessa, winner of the Dr. James Penny Memorial on Monday at Parx, could be among the horses Mike Stidham takes to Saratoga.

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. – These days, the Chad Brown barn overflows with turf talent to the extent that Brown often has multiple runners in graded turf stakes. But while Brown has just one horse, the likely favorite, Sea Calisi, for the Beverly D. Stakes, Arlington-based trainer Mike Stidham made like Brown and pre-entered three horses – Marypop, Zipessa, and Secret Someone.

Mon, 08/08/2016 - 15:56

Arlington Million custom made for Tryster

Andrew Watkins/Dubai Racing Club
Tryster, owned by Godolphin, will put his powerful late punch on display in the Dubai Turf on Saturday.

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. – If you don’t follow the Dubai World Cup Carnival or the English winter all-weather circuit, Tryster could be the best horse you’ve barely heard of. The Ireland-bred, England-based horse made his first trip to North America last week. He should be right at home here and could even be the favorite Saturday in the Arlington Million.

Mon, 08/08/2016 - 15:26

Unified done for the year

Barbara D. Livingston
Peter Pan Stakes winner Unified could run in the Pegasus Stakes his next start.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The multiple-graded-stakes-winning 3-year-old Unified will not race again this year and has been sent to Centennial Farms in Middleburg, Va., for a break, trainer Jimmy Jerkens said.

“Nothing really glaring, just a lot of little things,” Jerkens said when asked why Unified is out for the season. “Hard races and hard training. He’ll be all right though.”

Unified, a son of Candy Ride, began his career at Gulfstream Park in February with a three-length victory while running six furlongs in 1:08.95.

Mon, 08/08/2016 - 15:06

Lukas sending Dial Me in Adirondack

Coady Photography
Dial Me, owned by the Churchill Downs Racing Club, wins a maiden race on Saturday at Ellis Park.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer D. Wayne Lukas has won six runnings of the Adirondack Stakes, including four straight in the mid-1980s. So, it’s only appropriate that when the Adirondack is run for the 100th time on Saturday, Lukas will be represented.

Lukas will send out Dial Me, a daughter of Dialed In who won a six-furlong maiden race at Ellis Park on July 23. Dialed In is owned by the Churchill Downs Racing Club, a group of racing fans who each put up a $500 membership fee to get involved in horse ownership.

Mon, 08/08/2016 - 14:56

Fourstardave suits Grand Arch

Barbara D. Livingston
Grand Arch will try to win the Fourstardave for the second year in a row.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Saturday’s Grade 1 Fourstardave may not have Tepin or Ironicus, but it will have its defending champion in Grand Arch, who will head a field of six to eight for the one-mile turf race.

Mon, 08/08/2016 - 14:56

Cupid keeping his bags packed

Coady Photography
Rafael Bejarano rides Cupid to victory in the West Virginia Derby at Mountaineer on Saturday.

DEL MAR, Calif. – Cupid was scheduled to return to Del Mar on Tuesday following his victory Saturday in the West Virginia Derby, but he’ll likely be heading out again soon.

Trainer Bob Baffert said the Grade 2, $1 million Pennsylvania Derby on Sept. 24 at Parx was “the most logical spot” for Cupid, who won the Indiana Derby and Rebel Stakes earlier this year when shipping from California.

Baffert said the Grade 3, $400,000 Super Derby on Sept. 10 at Louisiana Downs also would be considered for Cupid.

Mon, 08/08/2016 - 14:54

Smart Mission impressive in return

Lauren King/Coglianese Photos
Smart Mission wins her career debut at Gulfstream Park.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Smart Mission returned from an injury with a one-length victory over Mozambique Gold in a first-level allowance on turf Aug. 1 and now looks headed to stakes company.
Smart Mission won her career debut at Gulfstream Park on Feb. 21, but emerged from that race with a chip in her knee.
Mon, 08/08/2016 - 14:50

Champagne Room, Noted and Quoted join Debutante field

Benoit & Associates
Second-time starter Champagne Motion, under Mario Gutierrez, wins the Sorrento by 1 1/4 lengths.

DEL MAR, Calif. – Morganite didn’t even run last weekend, but she might have been the biggest winner among the local 2-year-old fillies. Champagne Room and Noted and Quoted, who chased Morganite in a maiden race July 16, both returned to win, and all three are now headed to the Grade 1, $300,000 Del Mar Debutante on Sept. 3.

Champagne Room, second to Morganite the first time out, captured the Sorrento Stakes on Saturday, defeating Miss Southern Miss.