Fri, 07/22/2016 - 12:17

Stradivari suffers career-ending injury

Barbara D. Livingston
Stradivari trains on Friday before sustaining a career-ending injury.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Stradivari, who ran in two of the three Triple Crown races, suffered a career-ending injury during a workout Friday morning at Saratoga.

According to trainer Todd Pletcher, Stradivari has a lateral condylar fracture and an axial fracture of a sesamoid in his right foreleg. As of Friday afternoon, he was resting comfortably in a stall at the Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in Saratoga Springs. The hope is that he continues to do well over the weekend and can undergo surgery Monday.

Fri, 07/22/2016 - 11:56

Borel maintains low profile as Bradley's house guest

Barbara D. Livingston
Divisidero (left) is unlikely to run in the Aug. 13 Arlington Million.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The dog days of summer might qualify as downtime for some folks on the Kentucky racing circuit, but not Buff Bradley.

Bradley was as busy as ever this week. After having to grin and bear the disqualification of Nawlins Kitty from first to eighth Wednesday in the $100,000 Ta Wee Stakes at Indiana Grand, Bradley was getting ready to board a New Jersey-bound plane the following morning to run Divine Warrior on Saturday in the Grade 3 Jersey Shore at Monmouth Park.

Fri, 07/22/2016 - 11:20

Sunny Ridge faces big ask in Haskell

Michael Amoruso
Sunny Ridge, here winning the Withers, came out of his fourth-place finish in the Gotham a little tired, said trainer Jason Servis.

Trainer Jason Servis confirmed Thursday that Grade 3 Withers winner Sunny Ridge will return to the races in the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park next Sunday.

Sunny Ridge has missed time with a pulled gluteal muscle after finishing fourth in the Grade 3 Gotham at Aqueduct on March 5. He has recorded five workouts at Monmouth Park since June 20. He had his second five-furlong work at Monmouth on Thursday.

“He’s doing pretty good,” Servis said. “Is it an ideal situation? No way. It’s tough to go in a 1 1/8-miles Grade 1 off a five-month layoff without a prep.”

Fri, 07/22/2016 - 11:16

Awesome Slew on rise just in time for Haskell

Bill Denver/Equi-Photo
Awesome Slew won an allowance sprint at Monmouth (above) in his first start of the year, then finished third in the Pegasus.

Last year, trainer Eddie Plesa Jr. ran Pegasus Stakes winner Mr. Jordan against Triple Crown winner American Pharoah in the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park. A 26-1 longshot, Mr. Jordan finished last of seven.

Plesa will have another Haskell longshot next Sunday in Awesome Slew, but that’s where the comparison of the two horses ends. Plesa thinks very highly of Awesome Slew, a late-developing son of Awesome Again, and believes he is ready to run the best race of his career in the Haskell.

Thu, 07/21/2016 - 15:10

Whitney possible next start for Bradester

Barbara D. Livingston
Bradester trains at Saratoga on Thursday. He is being considered for the Whitney on Aug. 6 or the Monmouth Cup on July 31.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer Eddie Kenneally said that Bradester, the winner of the Grade 1 Stephen Foster Handicap last month at Churchill Downs, is under consideration for the Grade 1, $1.25 million Whitney Stakes here on Aug. 6.

“We’re looking at it for sure,” Kenneally said. “He finally came through and won a Grade 1 stakes, came out of it really good.”

Kenneally said that Bradester is also being considered for the Grade 2, $200,000 Monmouth Cup on July 31. Bradester won that race last year.

Thu, 07/21/2016 - 15:06

My Man Sam prepping for Travers

Barbara D. Livingston
My Man Sam gets used to the surface at Churchill Downs during a leisurely workout under Irad Ortiz Jr. before dawn Sunday.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – My Man Sam, the Blue Grass Stakes runner-up, will make his first start since his 11th-place finish in the Kentucky Derby in a first-level allowance Saturday at Saratoga.

The 1 1/8-mile race drew a field of six, including Tale of Verve, the runner-up to American Pharoah in last year’s Preakness.

Trainer Chad Brown said he is hoping to use this race for My Man Sam as a stepping-stone to the Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers on Aug. 27.

Thu, 07/21/2016 - 15:06

Weep No More sticking with Coaching Club American Oaks

Barbara D. Livingston
Weep No More, seventh in the Kentucky Oaks, will be pointed to the Alabama at Saratoga.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer Rusty Arnold said the decision to run Weep No More in Sunday’s Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga was made long before it was announced that the undefeated champion Songbird would be coming to the race as well.

Arnold said owners Len and Sandy Bromagen want to run Weep No More in the Grade 1 Alabama, a 1 1/4-mile race here Aug. 20, and believe the CCA Oaks is the best place to prep.

“We’re looking to the Alabama – that’s where we’re wanting to run,” Arnold said Friday. “I do think we have a true mile-and-a-quarter horse.”

Thu, 07/21/2016 - 13:56

California Chrome figures to attract a crowd

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

DEL MAR, Calif. – The presence of the popular California Chrome in the $200,000 San Diego Handicap on Saturday is expected to boost attendance at Del Mar, but track officials are reluctant to predict the size of the crowd.

Craig Dado, Del Mar’s chief marketing officer, said California Chrome’s appearance and promotions that include food-truck and craft-beer festivals could produce an audience in excess of 25,000.

“Chrome is a unique horse,” Dado said. “He almost has a cult following.”

Thu, 07/21/2016 - 13:50

Rancho Bernardo target for Pretty N Cool, Enchanting Lady

Benoit & Associates
Pretty N Cool, ridden by Mike Smith, wins the CERF Stakes by 1 1/2 lengths Wednesday.

DEL MAR, Calif. – Pretty N Cool and Enchanting Lady gave trainer Bob Baffert a sweep of the exacta in Wednesday’s $77,600 California Equine Retirement Foundation Stakes at Del Mar. The same two fillies will give Baffert a strong team for the $100,000 Rancho Bernardo Handicap for fillies and mares at 6 1/2 furlongs on Aug. 17.

The Grade 3 Rancho Bernardo Handicap is the top race for female sprinters at the summer meeting.

:: DEL MAR: Buy pps, watch Saturday's card live

Thu, 07/21/2016 - 13:40

Calculator makes turf debut

Shigeki Kikkawa
Based in Southern California, Calculator is taking a cross-country journey for the Carter.

DEL MAR, Calif. – Calculator won a graded stakes on dirt in early 2015 as a 3-year-old and has two seconds and a third in graded sprints this year. On Saturday, Calculator’s career will go in a different direction when he starts for the first time on turf.

There are indications that Calculator will run well in a strong field in Saturday’s fifth race, a one-mile optional claimer. He worked a half-mile in 51.60 seconds on turf last Sunday.