Mon, 08/08/2016 - 15:26

Unified done for the year

Barbara D. Livingston
Peter Pan Stakes winner Unified could run in the Pegasus Stakes his next start.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The multiple-graded-stakes-winning 3-year-old Unified will not race again this year and has been sent to Centennial Farms in Middleburg, Va., for a break, trainer Jimmy Jerkens said.

“Nothing really glaring, just a lot of little things,” Jerkens said when asked why Unified is out for the season. “Hard races and hard training. He’ll be all right though.”

Unified, a son of Candy Ride, began his career at Gulfstream Park in February with a three-length victory while running six furlongs in 1:08.95.

Mon, 08/08/2016 - 15:06

Lukas sending Dial Me in Adirondack

Coady Photography
Dial Me, owned by the Churchill Downs Racing Club, wins a maiden race on Saturday at Ellis Park.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer D. Wayne Lukas has won six runnings of the Adirondack Stakes, including four straight in the mid-1980s. So, it’s only appropriate that when the Adirondack is run for the 100th time on Saturday, Lukas will be represented.

Lukas will send out Dial Me, a daughter of Dialed In who won a six-furlong maiden race at Ellis Park on July 23. Dialed In is owned by the Churchill Downs Racing Club, a group of racing fans who each put up a $500 membership fee to get involved in horse ownership.

Mon, 08/08/2016 - 14:56

Fourstardave suits Grand Arch

Barbara D. Livingston
Grand Arch will try to win the Fourstardave for the second year in a row.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Saturday’s Grade 1 Fourstardave may not have Tepin or Ironicus, but it will have its defending champion in Grand Arch, who will head a field of six to eight for the one-mile turf race.

Mon, 08/08/2016 - 14:56

Cupid keeping his bags packed

Coady Photography
Rafael Bejarano rides Cupid to victory in the West Virginia Derby at Mountaineer on Saturday.

DEL MAR, Calif. – Cupid was scheduled to return to Del Mar on Tuesday following his victory Saturday in the West Virginia Derby, but he’ll likely be heading out again soon.

Trainer Bob Baffert said the Grade 2, $1 million Pennsylvania Derby on Sept. 24 at Parx was “the most logical spot” for Cupid, who won the Indiana Derby and Rebel Stakes earlier this year when shipping from California.

Baffert said the Grade 3, $400,000 Super Derby on Sept. 10 at Louisiana Downs also would be considered for Cupid.

Mon, 08/08/2016 - 14:54

Smart Mission impressive in return

Lauren King/Coglianese Photos
Smart Mission wins her career debut at Gulfstream Park.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Smart Mission returned from an injury with a one-length victory over Mozambique Gold in a first-level allowance on turf Aug. 1 and now looks headed to stakes company.
Smart Mission won her career debut at Gulfstream Park on Feb. 21, but emerged from that race with a chip in her knee.
Mon, 08/08/2016 - 14:50

Champagne Room, Noted and Quoted join Debutante field

Benoit & Associates
Second-time starter Champagne Motion, under Mario Gutierrez, wins the Sorrento by 1 1/4 lengths.

DEL MAR, Calif. – Morganite didn’t even run last weekend, but she might have been the biggest winner among the local 2-year-old fillies. Champagne Room and Noted and Quoted, who chased Morganite in a maiden race July 16, both returned to win, and all three are now headed to the Grade 1, $300,000 Del Mar Debutante on Sept. 3.

Champagne Room, second to Morganite the first time out, captured the Sorrento Stakes on Saturday, defeating Miss Southern Miss.

Mon, 08/08/2016 - 14:40

Sunbean eyes Unbridled Stakes

Ann Switalski/Hodges Photography
Sunbean wins the Louisiana Turf Cup Classic on Saturday.

Sunbean, the millionaire who got the first turf win of his career Saturday in the $75,000 Louisiana Cup Turf Classic at Louisiana Downs, could run back in another grass stakes at the track, trainer Ron Faucheux said Monday.

Sunbean is being considered for the $75,000 Unbridled against open company Sept. 10.

“We’d like to keep him in Louisiana-bred company, but we’ll weigh our options,” Faucheux said.

Faucheux said there’s a pair of rich Louisiana-bred dirt offerings over the winter months that will be targeted for Sunbean.

Mon, 08/08/2016 - 14:30

Texas Chrome, Sharp Azteca likely to get rematch in Super Derby

Ann Switalski/Hodges Photography
Texas Chrome beats Sharp Azteca in the Prelude Stakes on Saturday.

Texas Chrome and Sharp Azteca, who finished a half-length apart when first and second last Saturday in the $100,000 Prelude Stakes at Louisiana Downs, headed out in different directions after the race but are likely to return to town for the Grade 3, $400,000 Super Derby on Sept. 10.

Texas Chrome, who on Monday was settled in at Remington Park, earned a fees-paid berth in the Super Derby by winning the Prelude, his fifth stakes victory. He earned a career-high 95 Beyer Speed Figure.

Mon, 08/08/2016 - 14:20

Straight Fire earns start in Del Mar Futurity

DEL MAR, Calif. – Straight Fire crushed maidens on Saturday, underscoring the quality of the fastest 2-year-old race of the year in the country, which came when he finished second to Chasing Aces here on July 17. Chasing Aces is sitting out the Best Pal Stakes on Saturday to await the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity on Sept. 5, and that’s where Straight Fire is headed, too.

Straight Fire set fractions of 21.78 seconds and 44.38 in the 6 1/2-furlong race on Saturday and won by 10 1/2 lengths. He earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 98.

Mon, 08/08/2016 - 14:16

Summer Revolution between King's Bishop and Travers

Barbara D. Livingston
Summer Revolution earned a 104 Beyer Speed Figure for Saturday's allowance win.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Summer Revolution received a 104 Beyer Speed Figure for his three-length allowance victory on Saturday and could make his next start in the Grade 1 Travers on Aug. 27, trainer Rudy Rodriguez said on Monday.

Summer Revolution, a son of Summer Bird, remained perfect in two starts with his easy win here Saturday. His final time of 1:21.03 for seven furlongs was more than a full second faster than the winning time for the Grade 1 Test later on the card. Summer Revolution won his debut five weeks earlier at Belmont Park by 7 1/4 lengths.