ELMONT, N.Y. - Flintshire and Ectot, the beaten favorite and the winner, respectively, of the Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic on Oct. 1, returned to the worktab Saturday morning at Belmont Park as they prepare for a rematch in the $4 million Breeders' Cup Turf at Santa Anita on Nov. 5.
The New York Racing Association opened the turf course Saturday for horses, and their workmates, who have Breeders' Cup plans. The turf course usually is open only on Sundays.
The Grade 1 winners Melatonin and Union Strike were among several Breeders’ Cup race hopefuls to work at Santa Anita on Saturday.
Union Strike worked six furlongs from the gate in 1:14 in preparation for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at 1 1/16 miles on Nov. 5. Union Strike joined trainer Craig Dollase’s stable this week after owners Mick and Wendy Ruis transferred their runners from their daughter, first-year trainer Shelbe, to Dollase.
CYPRESS, Calif. – California Chrome on Saturday morning at Los Alamitos began his serious work in preparation for the Breeders’ Cup Classic, going a half-mile in 48 seconds in the first of three drills trainer Art Sherman has planned prior to the $6 million Classic on Nov. 5 at Santa Anita.
California Chrome two weeks ago won the Awesome Again Stakes in his final prep for the Classic. Sherman wanted an easy work on Saturday, something to get started, and California Chrome was eager to go.
Fort Erie Race Track’s 2016 meet is set to come to a close Tuesday, but the track will apply for a 40-day meet once again in 2017. If approved, the 2017 meet, which would be the 120th season of live racing at the track, would run from May 30 through Oct. 17.
The track has run on Sundays and Tuesdays over the past couple of seasons, but the application for next year also includes dates on Saturday. Fort Erie’s application is to run on Sundays and Tuesdays in June and July before changing the schedule to Saturdays and Tuesdays in August, September, and October.
The 11-time stakes winner Alsono is getting some downtime, but there’s a chance he could be retired and enter stud next year in New Mexico. Trainer Justin Evans said conversations with Alsono’s ownership are ongoing to determine the next step for the 5-year-old Alsono, who is coming off an allowance score Sept. 11 at Zia.
“He’s won his last five in a row,” Evans said. “He kind of got banged around last time. They bumped him really hard going into the turn, put him into the inside rail, cut his shoulder up.”
Alsono has been turned out, said Evans.
Toews On Ice will be making his New Mexico debut in the Tuesday feature at Zia Park. He will be going for new connections in an optional $35,000 claiming sprint and figures to start as a strong favorite off a track-record performance at Los Alamitos.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Governor Malibu, a 7 1/2-length allowance winner against New York-breds last time out, worked five furlongs in 1:01.60 on Friday over the Belmont Park main track in preparation for next Saturday’s $300,000 Empire Classic.
“He worked very well, just purely a maintenance five-eighths,” trainer Christophe Clement said. “Looked well, looked sound, looked willing. All good.”
ELMONT, N.Y. – Paola Queen, the upset winner of the Grade 1 Test at Saratoga, worked a half-mile in 48.71 seconds Friday over the Belmont Park main track, a move that could lead to a start in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint.
Paola Queen, with Javier Castellano up for trainer Gustavo Delgado, worked outside of Linda Mimi. They went the first quarter in 24.57 and the second quarter in 24.14. Paola Queen galloped out five furlongs in 1:01.01, six furlongs in 1:14.21, and seven furlongs in 1:28.49.
ELMONT, N.Y. – The featured race on Sunday’s Belmont Park card technically is the fourth, the Grade 3, $200,000 Matron Stakes for 2-year-old fillies. But another juvenile filly will garner plenty of attention later on the card.
Heavenly Grace, the first foal out of the champion mare Havre de Grace, makes her career debut in race 7, a six-furlong race that drew a field of 11.
