Mon, 08/08/2016 - 14:40

Sunbean eyes Unbridled Stakes

Ann Switalski/Hodges Photography
Sunbean wins the Louisiana Turf Cup Classic on Saturday.

Sunbean, the millionaire who got the first turf win of his career Saturday in the $75,000 Louisiana Cup Turf Classic at Louisiana Downs, could run back in another grass stakes at the track, trainer Ron Faucheux said Monday.

Sunbean is being considered for the $75,000 Unbridled against open company Sept. 10.

“We’d like to keep him in Louisiana-bred company, but we’ll weigh our options,” Faucheux said.

Faucheux said there’s a pair of rich Louisiana-bred dirt offerings over the winter months that will be targeted for Sunbean.

Mon, 08/08/2016 - 14:30

Texas Chrome, Sharp Azteca likely to get rematch in Super Derby

Ann Switalski/Hodges Photography
Texas Chrome beats Sharp Azteca in the Prelude Stakes on Saturday.

Texas Chrome and Sharp Azteca, who finished a half-length apart when first and second last Saturday in the $100,000 Prelude Stakes at Louisiana Downs, headed out in different directions after the race but are likely to return to town for the Grade 3, $400,000 Super Derby on Sept. 10.

Texas Chrome, who on Monday was settled in at Remington Park, earned a fees-paid berth in the Super Derby by winning the Prelude, his fifth stakes victory. He earned a career-high 95 Beyer Speed Figure.

Mon, 08/08/2016 - 14:20

Straight Fire earns start in Del Mar Futurity

DEL MAR, Calif. – Straight Fire crushed maidens on Saturday, underscoring the quality of the fastest 2-year-old race of the year in the country, which came when he finished second to Chasing Aces here on July 17. Chasing Aces is sitting out the Best Pal Stakes on Saturday to await the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity on Sept. 5, and that’s where Straight Fire is headed, too.

Straight Fire set fractions of 21.78 seconds and 44.38 in the 6 1/2-furlong race on Saturday and won by 10 1/2 lengths. He earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 98.

Mon, 08/08/2016 - 14:16

Summer Revolution between King's Bishop and Travers

Barbara D. Livingston
Summer Revolution earned a 104 Beyer Speed Figure for Saturday's allowance win.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Summer Revolution received a 104 Beyer Speed Figure for his three-length allowance victory on Saturday and could make his next start in the Grade 1 Travers on Aug. 27, trainer Rudy Rodriguez said on Monday.

Summer Revolution, a son of Summer Bird, remained perfect in two starts with his easy win here Saturday. His final time of 1:21.03 for seven furlongs was more than a full second faster than the winning time for the Grade 1 Test later on the card. Summer Revolution won his debut five weeks earlier at Belmont Park by 7 1/4 lengths.

Mon, 08/08/2016 - 14:00

Creator and Gun Runner work toward Travers

Barbara D. Livingston
Gun Runner, with Florent Geroux aboard, works five furlongs over the Oklahoma training track on Monday.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Creator and Gun Runner, who each disappointed in their most recent starts, put it in workouts Monday morning at Saratoga designed to be the first steps on the road to the Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers Stakes here on Aug. 27. Both are trained by Steve Asmussen.

Mon, 08/08/2016 - 13:50

Paola Queen's win in Test no surprise to trainer

Barbara D. Livingston
Paola Queen, under Luis Saez, pays $112 for winning the Test Stakes.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer Gustavo Delgado has been flying a bit under the radar since his arrival in New York this spring, which may help to explain why his trainee Paola Queen paid $112 for her upset victory in Saturday’s Grade 1 Test.

Mon, 08/08/2016 - 13:36

Best Pal: Two ‘Gustavs' in a row?

DEL MAR, Calif. – The fastest 2-year-olds of the meet thus far have been the maiden winners Chasing Aces and Straight Fire. Both are headed to the Grade 1, $300,000 Del Mar Futurity on closing day Sept. 5, and their most notable challengers are likely to emerge from the Grade 2, $200,000 Best Pal Stakes this Saturday.

Mon, 08/08/2016 - 12:00

Illness, fewer horses contributing to drop in field size

DEL MAR, Calif. – The average field size at the Del Mar summer meeting has failed to keep pace with last year’s, although officials think field sizes could grow during the last half of the meet.

Through Sunday, the 18th day of the 39-day season, fields have averaged 8.1 runners per race compared with 8.79 runners during a similar span last year. The entire 2015 summer meeting also averaged 8.79 runners, which equaled the field size for the 2013 season and is the highest in this century at Del Mar.

Mon, 08/08/2016 - 11:16

Passion for Action's next start will be Play the King

Michael Burns
Passion for Action wins the Grade 3 Vigil Stakes on May 7.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Passion for Action recorded his second graded stakes win of the Woodbine meet when he rallied from off the pace in the Grade 2 Highlander Stakes on July 3, and he’ll make his next start in the Grade 2, $200,000 Play the King Stakes on Aug. 20, trainer Mike De Paulo said.

“That’s the race he’s pointing for,” he said. “He’s doing us proud. We gave him a little break. We’ll get a few works into him, and off we go.”

Passion for Action returned to the work tab Sunday with a five-furlong breeze in 1:03.80 on the turf training track.

Mon, 08/08/2016 - 08:14

Maiden races could produce starters in turf stakes

DEL MAR, Calif. - There were 19 2-year-olds entered in a one-mile maiden race on grass on Wednesday, so the race was split into divisions, which could propel at least two runners toward the $100,000 Del Mar Juvenile Turf on Sept. 3.

In race 3, trainer Doug O’Neill sends out first-time starter Gentrified, a son of Malibu Moon, as well as Farley, a Distorted Humor colt who finished last of eight at 5-2 odds sprinting on dirt in his debut on July 24.