Wed, 05/22/2024 - 14:14

Del Mar continues to rework purses for upcoming meet

By Steve Andersen
Barbara D. Livingston
Del Mar has announced more purse cuts by 8 percent for the upcoming meet that starts July 20.

Del Mar has cut overnight purses by approximately 8 percent for its summer season from July 20 to Sept. 8, continuing a downward trajectory of prize money at Southern California tracks for more than a year.

Del Mar officials told the California Horse Racing Board earlier this year that purses were overpaid by approximately $2 million in 2023. The purse cuts for the forthcoming meeting are an attempt to recoup some of that deficit. Purses were lower at the track’s 2023 autumn meeting compared to the same season in 2022.

Wed, 05/22/2024 - 14:09

Former DRF writer, oddsmaker Jon White to retire after meet

By Steve Andersen
Benoit Photo
Jon White worked for Daily Racing Form from 1974 until 1993 for a role in television.

He has been a Daily Racing Form writer and chartcaller, a steward at tracks in several states, a morning-line oddsmaker, and a television commentator.

In June, Jon White, 68, a longtime fixture in racing in California, will add another category – retiree.

White plans to retire at the end of the current Santa Anita meeting on June 16, Santa Anita announced earlier this week.

White has written the morning-line at Santa Anita since 2009 and at Del Mar since 2020. He was recently inducted into the Washington Racing Hall of Fame.

Wed, 05/22/2024 - 13:50

Walden to ship Olivia Maralda for Gamely

By Steve Andersen
Dubai Racing Club
Initially pointed toward the Steve Sexton Mile at Lone Star, Two Rivers Over will now be put on track for the Pleasanton Mile at the Alameda County Fair.

The stretch run of the sixth race at Keeneland on April 20 was tough to watch for backers of the European import Olivia Maralda.

Stuck in traffic with a furlong remaining in the one-mile race, Olivia Maralda rallied sharply to finish second by three-quarters of a length to Misread. The diminishing margin left trainer William Walden encouraged by the 4-year-old filly’s potential, enough to schedule a trip to Santa Anita for Monday’s Grade 1 Gamely Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 1/8 miles on turf.

Wed, 05/22/2024 - 13:36

Belmont Stakes: Shortened distance ideal for royally bred Batten Down

By David Grening
Batten Down wins maiden at CD April 30 2024
Coady Media
Batten Down, a son of super sire Tapit and Grade 1 winner Close Hatches, wins his maiden by 8 3/4 lengths at Churchill Downs, earning a 93 Beyer Speed Figure.

Batten Down, who won a 1 1/4-mile maiden race at Churchill Downs by 8 3/4 lengths on April 30, is training toward a start in the $2 million Belmont Stakes on June 8 at Saratoga, trainer Bill Mott said Wednesday.

The distance of this year’s Belmont, since it will be run at Saratoga, is 1 1/4 miles.

“It looked like it was going to work in his favor,” Mott said of that distance. “Where are you going to get that distance?”

Wed, 05/22/2024 - 11:45

Meet opens with big weekend of time trials

By Steve Andersen
Jake Rogers/Ruidoso Downs
Time trials for the Ruidoso Futurity begin this weekend, with opening day at Ruidoso Downs on Friday.

Every thousandth of a second is crucial through the first three days of the Ruidoso Downs meeting that begins in southern New Mexico on Friday.

The Friday and Saturday programs consist of 32 time trials for the Ruidoso Futurity at 350 yards on June 8. The five runners with the fastest time from each day advance to the final. The Ruidoso Futurity is the first of three seven-figure futurities at the spring-summer meeting, culminating with the $3 million All American Futurity on Sept. 2.

On Sunday, there are 10 time trials for the Ruidoso Derby at 400 yards on June 7.

Tue, 05/21/2024 - 19:40

Metzie Hobby dies unexpectedly in her sleep at age 66

By Mary Rampellini

Metzie Hobby, a beloved fixture on the Midwest racing circuit as an owner and the assistant trainer to husband Steve Hobby, died Friday in Kentucky. She was 66.

Steve Hobby, who is racing at Churchill Downs, said his wife of 47 years had what was labeled a “cardiac event.”

“She just went to bed and never woke up,” he said.  “It happened in her sleep.

“She was my best friend.”

Mon, 05/20/2024 - 14:00

Forbidden Kingdom possible to race again before stud deal next year

By Steve Andersen
Barbara D. Livingston
Forbidden Kingdom was sold for $310,000 at the Fasig-Tipton digital sale last week as a stallion prospect.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Forbidden Kingdom, the winner of three Grade 2 stakes, was sold for $310,000 during the Fasig-Tipton digital sale last week as a stallion prospect for 2025.

But the 5-year-old’s racing career may not be finished, trainer Richard Mandella said on Sunday. Forbidden Kingdom may have additional starts later this year after a short-term vacation at Pete Parrella’s Legacy Ranch, where the horse will be based as a stallion.

“We’ll give him a little rest and we might try him again before breeding season and see how it goes,” Mandella said.

Mon, 05/20/2024 - 13:55

Dettori to return to Santa Anita for stakes-packed Memorial Day card

By Steve Andersen
Barbara D. Livingston
Jockey Frankie Dettori is set to ride the stakes-filled Memorial Day card Santa Anita.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Jockey Frankie Dettori, who was based in Southern California earlier this year, will be back at Santa Anita for the first time since late April to ride the stakes-packed May 27 Memorial Day program.

It may be one of Dettori’s few appearances in Southern California in coming months. In the second half of the summer, Dettori will be based at Saratoga, according to his agent, Ron Anderson.

Dettori is booked on three mounts at Churchill Downs on Saturday.

Mon, 05/20/2024 - 13:50

World traveler Kabirkhan now being trained by Cox

By Nicole Russo
Kabirkhan trains at Meydan March 27 2024
Dubai Racing Club
Kabirkhan, who has raced in Russia, Kazakhstan, and Dubai, is now stabled in Kentucky.

The globe-trotting Kabirkhan has been transferred to trainer Brad Cox and is currently stabled at Churchill Downs, with plans calling for a campaign in the U.S. this summer and fall.

Cox said the 4-year-old, most recently a well-beaten eighth in the Dubai World Cup in March after winning 10 of his first 11 starts, arrived at Churchill early last week and has had daily gallops. Cox has yet to circle an initial start for the colt.

Mon, 05/20/2024 - 13:50

She Feels Pretty will summer in New York with an eye toward the QE II in the fall

By Nicole Russo
She Feels Pretty wins the Hilltop at PIM May 17 2024
Barbara D. Livingston
In her first start in six months, She Feels Pretty won Pimlico’s Hilltop Stakes by 5 3/4 lengths.

Grade 1 winner She Feels Pretty has returned to trainer Cherie DeVaux’s barn at Keeneland, following her dominant season-opening victory in the $100,000 Hilltop Stakes on Friday at Pimlico. After a summer stint in New York, her major late-season goal will be right back here at Keeneland.

“The big one would be the Queen Elizabeth in the fall,” DeVaux said. “A filly like this, it’s hard not to use that as the target instead of a Breeders’ Cup, so right now, that’s probably our long-term goal for this year.”

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