Wed, 09/04/2024 - 14:09

Nooni, Vodka With a Twist top expected field for Debutante

Benoit Photo

Nooni, who won the Sorrento Stakes, will start in Saturday's Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante.

Led by Nooni and Vodka With a Twist, the first two finishers of the Grade 3 Sorrento Stakes on Aug. 10, the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante on Saturday is expected to have a field of seven runners.

The $300,000 Debutante is run at seven furlongs and is the leading race of the Del Mar summer meeting for 2-year-old fillies in California.

Nooni, trained by Bob Baffert, is unbeaten in two starts and will be favored after her win the Sorrento. Vodka With a Twist, trained by Phil D’Amato, was supplemented to the Debutante for $10,000.

Wed, 09/04/2024 - 13:05

D'Angelo pleased with Bentornato's effort at Charles Town

By Mary Rampellini

Bentornato wins Affirmed at GP Oct 21 2023

Ryan Thompson/Coglianese Photos

Jose D’Angelo hasn’t made any plans for Bentornato but was happy with his comeback race.

Bentornato, who won two-thirds of last year’s Florida Sire Stakes for 2-year-olds, emerged from his runner-up finish in the $500,000 Robert Hilton Memorial on Aug. 23 at Charles Town in good order, trainer Jose D’Angelo said Tuesday.

“He’s excellent,” he said. “He ran huge.”

The start was Bentornato’s first since February, when he ran third in the Saudi Derby. For his effort in the Hilton, a seven-furlong race run around two turns, he earned a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 99.

Wed, 09/04/2024 - 11:03

Glenn Thompson, former Ellis Park track superintendent, dies at 88

By Matt Hegarty

Coady Media

Glenn Thompson, the former track superintendent at Ellis Park, died Saturday at age 88.

Glenn Thompson, a former track superintendent at Ellis, died Saturday at age 88. A native of Henderson, Ky., Thompson worked in the track maintenance department at Ellis starting at the age of 16.

“I’ve always loved the sport, the horses, and the people,” Thompson said in an interview after the track honored him for 69 years of service in 2019. “Every day, I did my best for the horses. It was never just a job. It was a passion.”

Glenn’s son, Clifton, also was a track superintendent at Ellis, and his grandson, Garrett, was part of the Ellis maintenance crew.

Wed, 09/04/2024 - 10:56

Handle, field size increase at 2024 Ellis Park meet

By Matt Hegarty

Coady Media

Total wagering for the 2024 Ellis Park meet was $72.7 million, up 20.2 percent compared to the originally scheduled 2023 meet.

Average handle per race and average field size at the Ellis Park 2024 meet both jumped significantly compared to the regularly scheduled meet at the track last year, according to an analysis by Daily Racing Form.

Average handle per race was $318,958, up 14.4 percent over the average handle of $278,779 last year. Field size jumped from 7.99 horses per race last year to 8.50 horses, as Ellis shifted more of its racing to the turf.

Wed, 09/04/2024 - 10:50

Woodbine Mile winner Town Cruise nears end of racing career

By Ron Gierkink

Michael Burns

Town Cruise wins the 2021 Woodbine Mile. The 9-year-old gelding could make a start or two this season before retiring.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – It’s been three years since Town Cruise won the $1.1 million Woodbine Mile in a storybook upset. Now the 9-year-old gelding’s racing career is winding down, according to owner-trainer Brandon Greer.

Town Cruise was winless during a brief four-race campaign in 2022 that included a fifth-place finish in the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile. He scored once in five starts last year and only recently appeared on the work tab this year.

Mon, 09/02/2024 - 20:15

Saratoga finishes 2024 meet with improved safety, half-percent increase in handle

By David Grening

Barbara D. Livingston

Saratoga closed its 2024 meet with all-sources handle of $803,806,964, the third-highest handle generated in track history.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – One year after a high number of equine fatalities became the storyline of the Saratoga meet, the script flipped dramatically this summer.

There was only one racing-related equine fatality and two training fatalities during the eight weeks of the 2024 Saratoga meet that concluded Monday. That compares to nine racing-related and four training fatalities in 2023.

Mon, 09/02/2024 - 13:35

Texas sale topper headed to trainer Bret Calhoun

By Mary Rampellini

Barbara D. Livingston

Bret Calhoun will train the recent $150,000 Texas sale topper, who is a full-brother to Free Like a Girl.

A yearling full brother to Free Like a Girl who topped a Texas auction at Lone Star Park late last month will eventually be sent to trainer Bret Calhoun, according to Josh Stevens, the agent who handled the purchase of the horse on behalf of Mansfield Racing.

Mon, 09/02/2024 - 13:30

Vazquez eyes first riding title at Oaklawn, will base at Churchill in fall

By Mary Rampellini

Barbara D. Livingston

Jockey Ramon Vazquez will ride the fall at Churchill Downs, before seeking his first Oaklawn riding title in the winter.

Jockey Ramon Vazquez has won riding titles at a number of tracks like Santa Anita and Remington Park, but never at his home base of Oaklawn.

He’s hoping that might change when the season starts anew in December.

Vazquez, who has been based in New York, said over the weekend that following the close of Saratoga he will be riding in Kentucky, then head to Oaklawn. He has a house in Hot Springs, Ark.

Mon, 09/02/2024 - 13:15

Contessa aiming high with Another Cleeshay; Frizette next

By David Grening

Another Cleeshay wins maiden at SAR Aug 30 2024

Adam Coglianese/NYRA

New York-bred Another Cleeshay wins her debut by 9 1/2 lengths at Saratoga on Aug. 30.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Gary Contessa didn’t pull off a Grade 1 stakes surprise this summer at Saratoga like he did last year, but he may try to do something similar at Aqueduct.

Another Cleeshay, a New York-bred filly who won her debut by 9 1/2 lengths on Friday, will be pointed to the Grade 1 Frizette on Oct. 5 at Aqueduct, Contessa said.

“She might be a New York-bred stakes horse, she might be a Frizette horse, so I’m going to take the shot and go to the Frizette,” Contessa said Monday. “You know I like to shoot high.”

Mon, 09/02/2024 - 13:15

Arthur's Ride will train up to Breeders' Cup Classic

By David Grening

Debra A. Roma

Bill Mott has nine weeks to prepare Arthur's Ride for the Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Arthur’s Ride, the Grade 1 Whitney winner who faded to fifth in Saturday’s Jockey Club Gold Cup after dueling with Highland Falls, will train up to the Breeders’ Cup Classic, trainer Bill Mott said Monday.

Mott was naturally disappointed in the result of the Gold Cup, but he said Arthur’s Ride looked good Monday and feels he should benefit from having nine weeks to the Classic.

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