The stakes train that Brad Cox has been riding in 2016 made a significant stop at Evangeline Downs earlier this month when Believe in Bertie and Extra Credit swooped up a pair of races on Louisiana Legends Night. Now, the 3-year-olds could be headed to Indiana Grand.
Cox, who is based at Churchill Downs, has won 19 stakes, including six graded events, this year through Sunday.
ELMONT, N.Y. – With little fanfare, John Parisella retired from training earlier this year.
Parisella saddled his last runner April 22 at Aqueduct. He won 1,241 races, including a bevy of graded stakes, in a career that began in 1969. Parisella, 73, is now living in Northern California to be closer to his daughter Gabrielle.
Parisella said: “I was speaking with Allen Jerkens a few years ago, and he said, ‘At least we saw the great times in racing. We were definitely blessed.’ ”
Parisella, who did his best work claiming horses, said, “The claiming game is shot.”
ELMONT, N.Y. – Bobby Frankel may be gone, but he is hardly forgotten. Each time trainer Chad Brown wins an important turf race, it’s hard not to think of Frankel, for whom Brown worked for several years.
Now there are two horses on the New York circuit whose names and connections will conjure up memories of the Hall of Fame trainer, who died in November 2009.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Reigning Breeders’ Cup Distaff winner Stopchargingmaria threw in an uncharacteristically poor effort in her last start when she finished sixth in the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps. But the three-time Grade 1 winner certainly gave every indication that she’s primed to make amends by working a strong half-mile in 49.01 seconds over the Oklahoma training track at Saratoga on Monday.
ELMONT, N.Y. – New York-breds certainly performed quite well in open company last weekend, with Effinex and Samraat running 1-2 in the Grade 2 Suburban, Fish Trappe Road winning the Grade 3 Dwyer, and the first-time starter Bobby On Fleek dominating maidens.
For Wednesday, it appears that statebreds Daisy Cutter and Literata will be the strength of a $77,000, first-level, open-company allowance that serves as the feature at Belmont Park. This race kicks off the pick six, which begins with a $39,212 carryover.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Noholdingback Bear recorded his third consecutive victory here July 1 when he set a track record in the allowance prep for the Grade 3 Bold Venture Stakes over 6 1/2 furlongs on the Tapeta.
“There’s no holding him back,” trainer Michael De Paulo said. “He’s a monster.”
Little Mike came out of his comeback race Sunday at Gulfstream Park in good shape and will be pointed to a $75,000 restricted turf stakes on Aug. 6 at the south Florida track.
Trainer Carlo Vaccarezza, who bred and owns Little Mike with his wife, Priscilla, said early Monday by phone that he was disappointed with the fifth-place finish in the allowance race by Little Mike but is willing to give the 9-year-old gelding “one more chance to show what he can do.”
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Queen’s Plate third-place finisher All On Red will join winner Sir Dudley Digges in the field for the $500,000 Prince of Wales Stakes on July 26 at Fort Erie Racetrack.
Trainer Sid Attard said All On Red has come out of the Queen’s Plate in good order. He added that he didn’t have any concerns about All On Red’s ability to run on dirt after he won his maiden with a career-best 90 Beyer Speed Figure on dirt at Aqueduct two starts back April 24.
A dozen years ago, the Little Red Feather partnership won the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Lone Star Park with Singletary.
The same race is a goal this fall at Santa Anita with Midnight Storm, the winner of the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile on June 4. In the interim, there are lucrative races to try.
Midnight Storm will have his first start of the summer in the $250,000 Eddie Read Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on turf at Del Mar next Sunday.
