Sun, 07/17/2016 - 21:10

Lone Star sees small increase in average daily handle

Lone Star Park closed its 50-date meet Sunday with a small increase in average daily handle on its live races, according to figures provided by the Grand Prairie, Texas, track. The gain came courtesy of offtrack bettors.

Sun, 07/17/2016 - 15:54

Debut win could propel Morganite to Sorrento Stakes

DEL MAR, Calif.- Morganite, purchased for $360,000 at the Ocala Breeders’ Sale of 2-year-olds in-training in March, won her debut in Saturday’s eighth race at Del Mar, leading trainer John Sadler to make tentative plans for a start in the $200,000 Sorrento Stakes for fillies on Aug. 6.

Ridden by Victor Espinoza for owners Pete and Kosta Hronis, Morganite ($19.40) stalked pacesetter Lovely Linda to early stretch before winning the five-furlong maiden race by 1 1/2 lengths in 58.13 seconds.

“She’s very smart and wants to run on,” Sadler said.

Sun, 07/17/2016 - 15:51

Monster Bea a prospect for La Jolla, Del Mar Derby

Benoit & Associates
Oceanside winner Monster Bea could run next in the $150,000 La Jolla Handicap at 1 1/16 miles on turf on Aug. 6 or wait for the $250,000 Del Mar Derby on Sept. 4.

DEL MAR, Calif.- Monster Bea, winner of the restricted Oceanside Stakes for 3-year-old on turf on Friday, will start at least one more time at the current Del Mar summer meeting and perhaps twice.

Trainer Peter Miller said he plans to gauge Monster Bea’s energy in coming weeks before deciding on whether to run in the $150,000 La Jolla Handicap at 1 1/16 miles on turf on Aug. 6 or wait for the $250,000 Del Mar Derby on Sept. 4.

Sun, 07/17/2016 - 15:44

Sharp workout puts Dortmund in field for San Diego Handicap

Barbara D. Livingston
By resuming training now, Dortmund is likely to be ready to race by the end of the summer.

DEL MAR, Calif. - Dortmund, unraced since winning the Grade 3 Native Diver Stakes here last November, will be part of a small field challenging Dubai World Cup winner California Chrome in the $200,000 San Diego Handicap next Saturday.

Sunday, Dortmund worked six furlongs in 1:12 in company with a stablemate.

“It’s all set,” trainer Bob Baffert said. “He was cruising.”

Sun, 07/17/2016 - 15:39

She's Not Here may return for John Mabee Stakes

Benoit & Associates
She's Not Here, based in Kentucky, could run again at Del Mar in the John Mabee Stakes on Sept. 4.

DEL MAR, Calif. - She’s Not Here, the winner of the $201,035 Yellow Ribbon Handicap at Del Mar for the second consecutive year on Saturday, was scheduled to be shipped to trainer Vicki Oliver’s base in Kentucky this week.

She may not be there long before a return trip to California.

Phil Oliver, the trainer’s husband, said on Sunday that She’s Not Here may return to Del Mar for the $200,000 John Mabee Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 1/8 miles on Sept. 4.

“We’re toying with the idea of the Mabee,” Oliver said.

Sun, 07/17/2016 - 14:14

Nyquist tunes up for Haskell

Benoit Photo
With regular rider Mario Gutierrez aboard, Kentucky Derby-winning Nyquist works five furlongs in 1:02.07 prior to the first race Saturday at Santa Anita Park.

DEL MAR, Calif.- Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist was one of four champions to work in a little more than an hour early Sunday at Del Mar in advance of races throughout the nation in the next two weeks.

Nyquist, the champion 2-year-old male of 2015, worked five furlongs in 1:02 in company with a stablemate. He will start in the $1.25 million Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park on July 31.

Sun, 07/17/2016 - 12:59

Rough start to Delaware Handicap stirs up much debate

Hoofprints, Inc.
I'm a Chatterbox pulls clear to win the Delaware Handicap on Saturday.

STANTON, Del. - Despite winning the Grade 1 Delaware Handicap with I'm a Chatterbox the previous afternoon, Sunday morning was a typical work day for trainer Larry Jones. By 9 a.m. he had already been to the track on nine horses, and he still had three more to go.

Sun, 07/17/2016 - 11:23

Beholder works seven furlongs for Clement Hirsch

Shigeki Kikkawa
Beholder's victory in the Vanity was her 10th in a Grade 1 event.

DEL MAR, Calif. -- Beholder worked seven furlongs  in 1:27 on Sunday morning at Del Mar in her penultimate work for the Grade 1 Clement Hirsch in 13 days.

With jockey Gary Stevens up, Beholder broke off four lengths behind a workmate at the six-furlong pole, came through inside her mate through the lane, was two in front passing the wire, and completed her drill going out to the seven-furlong pole. She went off slowly -- the first half-mile in 51.20 seconds -- but flew through the final quarter in 24 seconds.

Sat, 07/16/2016 - 14:53

Exaggerator, Destin, Stradivari put in five-furlong works

Barbara D. Livingston
Stradivari (left) works with stablmate Destin on Saturday.

Three of the leading members of the 3-year-old division prepped for assignments later this month with five-furlong works Saturday morning at Saratoga.

Stablemates Destin, the Belmont Stakes runner-up, and Stradivari, fourth in the Preakness and fifth in the Belmont, went in company in 1:02.35 after posting early splits of 24.60 and 37.49 seconds, both going easily throughout. They galloped out six furlongs in 1:15.92.

"Kind of nice, steady, maintenance kind of moves," said trainer Todd Pletcher. "I thought they both did fine."

Sat, 07/16/2016 - 14:00

California Chrome works strong five furlongs for San Diego Handicap

Barbara D. Livingston
California Chrome (above) and Beholder are expected to meet in the Pacific Classic on Aug. 20.

DEL MAR, Calif. – In less than a minute at Del Mar on Saturday morning, California Chrome zoomed through a five-furlong workout and erased any concern about his condition in advance of the $200,000 San Diego Handicap next Saturday.

At times in recent weeks, California Chrome had satisfactory works at Los Alamitos but did not display as much speed or energy as trainer Art Sherman would have preferred. A change of scenery and another week of exercise put Sherman in a brighter mood after Saturday’s high-profile workout.