Thu, 06/30/2016 - 14:26

Bolo, Flamboyant pointing to Eddie Read

Shigeki Kikkawa
Flamboyant wins the San Marcos Stakes, his second straight Grade 2 victory of the Santa Anita meeting.

ARCADIA, Calif. – The Grade 2 winners Bolo and Flamboyant both will return from a layoff to start in the $250,000 Eddie Read Stakes on turf at Del Mar on July 17.

Bolo won the Grade 2 Arcadia Stakes at Santa Anita in February and was 10th in the Grade 1 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic at Churchill Downs on May 7. Trained by Carla Gaines for Golden Pegasus Racing and Earle Mack, Bolo missed the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile at Santa Anita on June 4 because of illness.

Bolo, 4, has won 4 of 11 starts and earned $493,700.

Thu, 06/30/2016 - 14:26

Sadler leaning toward Hirsch for Stellar Wind

Barbara D. Livingston
Stellar Wind will have two starts before the Breeders' Cup Distafff.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Stellar Wind, the champion 3-year-old filly of 2015, might not travel far for her next start.

Stellar Wind was second to the three-time champion Beholder in the Grade 1 Vanity Mile at Santa Anita on June 4. Trainer John Sadler said a rematch with Beholder in the $300,000 Clement L. Hirsch Stakes at Del Mar on July 30 is a possibility for Stellar Wind.

Other options include the $750,000 Delaware Handicap at Delaware Park on July 16 or the $200,000 Shuvee Handicap at Saratoga on July 31.

“If I’m leaning one direction, it’s to stay home,” Sadler said.

Thu, 06/30/2016 - 14:18

Flores replaced on mount after failing to obtain New York license

Keeneland/Coady Photography
David Flores will have his first mount since September on Thursday at Belmont Park.

Jockey David Flores, who was named to ride in the fifth race Thursday at Belmont Park, has been replaced on the mount because he has not yet been granted a New York jockey's license.

"Mr. Flores is currently not able to participate because he has not complied with licensing requirements," said Lee Park, director of communications for the New York State Gaming Commission.

Thu, 06/30/2016 - 11:54

X Y Jet back with Navarro

Neville Hopwood
X Y Jet's appearance while training in Dubai (above) has please trainer Jorge Navarro.

X Y Jet, who had a chip in his knee discovered after his second-place finish in the Dubai Golden Shaheen in March, returned to trainer Jorge Navarro's barn Monday at Monmouth Park with the goal to get him to compete in the Breeders' Cup Sprint.

Owned by Rockingham Ranch and Gelfenstein Farm, X Y Jet had been recovering at Taylor Made Farm.

Wed, 06/29/2016 - 17:13

Lone Star: Ted Gondron resumes riding after nine-year absence

Ted Gondron, who has not ridden in a race since September 2007, has been named to ride West in Saturday night’s sixth race at Lone Star Park. The $25,000 maiden-claiming sprint for 2-year-olds will be run over five furlongs. Danny Pish owns and trains West.

Gondron is a winner of more than 2,000 races. He won his first race in July 1987 at Evangeline Downs. He ranks as one of the all-time winningest riders at Sam Houston.

Wed, 06/29/2016 - 15:49

Tepin back home following Royal Ascot triumph

Kim Pratt
Tepin has had some success on wet turf courses in America.

Royal Ascot heroine Tepin settled back into stall 1 at the Mark Casse barn at Churchill Downs on Monday after clearing quarantine in New York the previous week.

The well-traveled Tepin, who concluded her Eclipse Award-winning 2015 campaign with a victory in the Breeders’ Cup Mile, is riding a seven-race win streak, most recently the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes on June 14 at Royal Ascot.

Wed, 06/29/2016 - 15:39

Apprentice rider Clawson sticking with Gorder after first victory

Churchill Downs/Coady Photography
Katie Clawson, 19, gets her first win aboard Street Thunder at Chnurchill Downs.

Apprentice jockey Katie Clawson, who scored the first victory of her career June 17 at Churchill Downs, plans to continue riding for mentor Kellyn Gorder throughout the summer as she launches her career.

Clawson, 19, finished second aboard her first two mounts at Churchill Downs before piloting Street Thunder to a front-running victory in a claiming race. The 3-year-old filly bobbled at the start but recovered to post a 5 1/2-length win.

Wed, 06/29/2016 - 15:26

Evangeline: Comeback puts Bourque in position to win No. 4,000

Coady Photography
Couche Couche wins the Ragin Cajun Stakes by 7 3/4 lengths.

Jockey Steve Bourque’s career is coming full circle at Evangeline Downs.

He won the first race of his career at the track’s original location in Carencro, La., in 1979. He retired at the track’s new facility in Opelousas, La., in 2010. And he is now poised to reach a riding milestone at the current meet after returning to competition in November.

Wed, 06/29/2016 - 15:20

Santana enjoys adventure of riding in Turkey

Barbara D. Livingston
Ricardo Santana Jr. finished a creditable fifth aboard Impulsive in the 90th Gazi Derby, Turkey’s most prestigious horse race.

Ricardo Santana Jr. didn’t ride at Churchill Downs last weekend due to an international adventure, as he finished a creditable fifth aboard Impulsive in the 90th Gazi Derby, Turkey’s most prestigious horse race, at the Veliefendi Hippodrome in Istanbul on Sunday.

Graystorm, ridden by Ahmet Celik, was victorious in the 22-horse field. That colt was already a multiple stakes winner, including a prep victory in the Turkish 2000 Guineas.

Wed, 06/29/2016 - 15:06

Mac Daddy Mac makes belated return

Shigeki Kikkawa
Mac Daddy Mac is set to make his 2016 debut on Friday at Gulfstream Park.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – The Grade 3-placed Mac Daddy Mac makes his long-awaited 3-year-old debut facing four rivals in Friday’s $37,000 optional-claiming feature, restricted to Florida-breds.