SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – For the first time since 2005, trainer Todd Pletcher will not have a starter in the Grade 1 Hopeful, the traditional closing-day feature at Saratoga.
But they’ll still run the race anyway, with a seven-horse field that includes stakes winners Bitumen, Classic Empire, and Runaway Lute.
Bitumen, trained by Eddie Kenneally, is 2 for 2, including a 1 3/4-length victory in the Grade 2 Sanford here on opening day.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Coppa will put her undefeated record on the line when she returns to New York for Sunday’s Grade 2, $300,000 Prioress Stakes at Saratoga.
Coppa, a daughter of Yesbyjimminy trained by Phil D’Amato, already shipped from her home base in Southern California to New York once, taking the Grade 3 Victory Ride at Belmont Park on July 9, her third win in as many starts. D’Amato said he thought about running her in the Grade 1 Test on Aug. 6 but thought another ship on relatively short rest would not be prudent.
Gun Pit, second in the Group 1 Round 3 of the Maktoum Challenge in Dubai in March, is a candidate for the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Santa Anita on Nov. 4, according to a statement released this week by the Hong Kong Jockey Club.
Trainer Caspar Fownes said the BC Dirt Mile became a goal for the 6-year-old Gun Pit after the gelding was removed from consideration for the Korea Cup in Seoul after “he scoped a little bit dirty” this week, the trainer said.
DEL MAR, Calif. – With stakes credentials on three continents, Vale Dori has earned a start in an ultra-tough running of the $300,000 Zenyatta Stakes at Santa Anita on Oct. 1.
On Wednesday at Del Mar, Vale Dori won her first stakes in the United States in the $79,290 Tranquility Lake Stakes for fillies and mares. The win was a prep race for the Grade 1 Zenyatta,where Vale Dori is likely to face two champions from 2015 – Stellar Wind, the champion 3-year-old filly, and Beholder, the champion older female.
“She’s ready now,” trainer Bob Baffert said.
Country Candy became a stakes winner last Saturday night at Evangeline Downs after having placed in stakes at Churchill Downs and Prairie Meadows. She captured the $60,000 Princess in Louisiana, invading from her base at Remington Park.
Trainer J.R. Caldwell said Country Candy is likely to make her next start at home in the $50,000 E.L. Gaylord. The 6 1/2-furlong race for 2-year-old fillies is Oct. 14.
G.R. Carter Jr., the all-time winningest rider in Quarter Horse racing, is coming out of retirement to ride Koolnfamous in the $3 million All American Futurity at Ruidoso Downs on Monday, the New Mexico track announced. Carter has not ridden since December but recently worked horses at Remington Park in Oklahoma.
Carter began exercising horses at Ruidoso Downs on Aug. 26 and said he needs to lose 10 pounds to reach the 120-pound assignment for the All American Futurity.
Retama Park near San Antonio will make good use of its turf course during the 26-date meet that opens Friday night.
The track’s signature races, the El Joven and La Senorita stakes, are both on the grass, while the pair of stakes making up its annual Texas Horse Racing Hall of Fame program will also be on turf. In addition, a starter handicap series on the grass that gets under way on opening night will be run through the closing-night card Nov. 26.
Retama will race every Friday and Saturday during the meet beginning at 6:45 p.m. Central.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer Chad Brown has won 23 turf races at the meet, including nine stakes, six of which were graded. On Saturday, he’ll have multiple runners in both graded turf stakes on the card.
In the Grade 3, $300,000 Saranac, for 3-year-olds, Brown will send out the trio of Camelot Kitten, Call Provision, and Ray’s The Bar in the seven-horse field.
Dave Hulkewicz is getting ready to return from a four-year layoff.
Hulkewicz, an owner who lives in Dallas, has been shopping for racing-age horses at Del Mar and said Monday during an auction at Lone Star Park that he would like to be active during the Oaklawn Park meet that opens in January.
“I just wanted to take a hiatus for a little bit, and I’m getting ready to get back in it,” he said.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Mike Lakow was back on the grounds at the New York Racing Association on Wednesday, only this time when he visited trainers, it was not to allot them stalls but rather to ask for mounts.
Lakow, who served as racing secretary at NYRA from 1993-2005, has been retained by three-time Eclipse Award-winning jockey Javier Castellano to be his agent starting with the Belmont fall meet, which begins Sept. 9.
Castellano recently announced his split from agent Matt Muzikar after a seven-year relationship.
