Sat, 05/14/2016 - 13:34

If quarantine ends, Abiding Star to join Preakness field

Taylor Ejdys/Equi-Photo
Abiding Star, with J.D. Acosta riding, scores by 1 3/4 lengths in the $100,000 Parx Derby.

BALTIMORE – The equine herpesvirus quarantine at Parx Racing could end as soon as Tuesday, and if it does, the field for the 141st Preakness next Saturday will grow by one runner.

Trainer Ned Allard and owner-breeder Gil Campbell are making preparations to send Abiding Star, a winner of five straight races, to the Preakness if the quarantine is lifted. Officials of The Stronach Group, which operates Pimlico, are in the process of putting safety protocols into place that will keep Abiding Star and another horse Allard plans to send segregated from the general horse population.

Sat, 05/14/2016 - 11:45

Preakness: Nyquist takes it easy at Pimlico

Jim McCue/Maryland Jockey Club
Nyquist jogged a mile and galloped 1 1/4 miles on Friday at Pimlico.

BALTIMORE – Nyquist, the undefeated Kentucky Derby winner, had a very easy morning at Pimlico on Saturday, jogging two miles the wrong way around the track while being led by a pony.

Trainer Doug O'Neill, who watched Nyquist's exercise from the press-box balcony, said Nyquist on Sunday would jog a mile and then gallop a mile.

O'Neill has followed an alternating system of jogs and gallops with Nyquist since he was a 2-year-old.

Sat, 05/14/2016 - 11:23

Preakness: Cherry Wine, Laoban put in final works

Lauren King/Coglianese Photos
Cherry Wine needs to pick up enough qualifying points in the Wood Memorial to make the field for the Kentucky Derby.

At Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., Preakness hopeful Cherry Wine breezed five furlongs in 1:01.60 on a windy and unseasonably chilly Saturday morning.

Churchill clocker John Nichols caught Cherry Wine and exercise rider Faustino Aguilar in splits of 24.80 and 49.20 seconds, then out six furlongs in 1:14 over a fast track.

Trainer Dale Romans said afterward he is very happy with how Cherry Wine has trained since the colt finished third in his last race, the April 9 Blue Grass Stakes.

Fri, 05/13/2016 - 17:34

Stanz in Command sharp in return

Four-Footed Fotos
Trainer Charlene Miller says she is confident Stanz in Command will be able to handle longer distances later this season.

Trainer Charlene Miller was pleased with how Stanz in Command came out of his win in the $50,000 Jim Coleman Province last Sunday at Hastings. It was his first start since he finished fourth in the $75,000 Ascot Graduation last October, when he stretched out to 1 1/16 miles for the first time.

He won two of his four starts as a 2-year-old last year and is undefeated on fast tracks. He also finished second in the $100,000 Jack Diamond Futurity.

Fri, 05/13/2016 - 17:07

Promise Me Silver gears up for first start of 2016

Barbara D. Livingston
Promise Me Silver wins the Eight Belles on May 1 at Churchill Downs.

Promise Me Silver, who won the first eight starts of her career, including last year’s Eight Belles Stakes at Churchill, was scheduled to work over the weekend at Lone Star Park, trainer Bret Calhoun said Thursday.

Fri, 05/13/2016 - 17:01

SunRay trainer Evans has horses for stakes at multiple venues

Coady Photography
Dirt Monster is pointing to the Grade 3 Aristides at Churchill Downs.

Justin Evans, who is winning races at a 52 percent clip at SunRay Park in Farmington, N.M., has a handful of runners targeting stakes at Churchill Downs, Mountaineer Racetrack, and Arapahoe Park.

Dirt Monster shipped Thursday from New Mexico to Churchill. Evans said the multiple sprint-stakes winner is being pointed for the Grade 3, $100,000 Aristides. The six-furlong race will be run June 4.

Dirt Monster has won two stakes in his last three starts and worked a bullet five furlongs in 59.80 seconds on May 7 at SunRay.

Fri, 05/13/2016 - 16:36

Haveyougoneaway eyes Critical Eye Stakes

Coady Photography
Haveyougoneaway is now based at Belmont Park with trainer Tom Morley.

Haveyougoneaway has left the Mid-South region. The New York-bred mare, who accounted for two-thirds of the female sprint stakes series this winter at Oaklawn, is now based at Belmont Park with trainer Tom Morley. She was sold privately in April.

“We sold her after the last race,” said Rick Cundiff of Champion Racing Stable. “She was sold to Becky Thomas. It was a good deal for everybody involved. We had a lot of fun with the mare, a lot of excitement, and wish them all the best as well.”

Fri, 05/13/2016 - 16:01

Upstart targets Met Mile

Barbara D. Livingston
Upstart, most recently fifth in the Oaklawn Handicap, could run next in the June 11 Met Mile.

Upstart, fifth in the Oaklawn Handicap last month, is under serious consideration for the Grade 1, $1.25 million Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont Park on June 11, trainer Rick Violette said.

On Tuesday, Upstart worked a half-mile in 49.60 seconds over Belmont’s main track. It was his first work since the Oaklawn race and his first since arriving at Belmont Park two weeks ago. The Aqueduct backstretch was closed for the summer May 1, and all horses previously based at that track have been moved to either Belmont or Saratoga.

Fri, 05/13/2016 - 15:56

Destin points to Belmont Stakes

Barbara D. Livingston
Destin, who finished sixth in the Kentucky Derby, will make his next start in the Belmont Stakes on June 11.

Destin, the Tampa Bay Derby winner who finished sixth in the Kentucky Derby, will be pointed to the Belmont Stakes on June 11, trainer Todd Pletcher said Friday.

Pletcher said Destin appeared to have come out of the Derby in good order and has already resumed galloping at Belmont.

Meanwhile, Outwork, the Wood Memorial winner who finished 14th in the Kentucky Derby, will be pointed to the Haskell Invitational at Monmouth on July 31.

Fri, 05/13/2016 - 15:50

Manhattan Dan to miss Ascot

Barbara D. Livingston
Manhattan Dan will run at Royal Ascot in either the Commonwealth Cup or the King's Stand.

Manhattan Dan, the 3-year-old multiple turf-sprint stakes winner, injured an ankle this week and won’t make a scheduled trip to Royal Ascot, trainer Gary Contessa said Friday.