Mon, 05/09/2016 - 14:53

Divisidero eyes Grade 1 Manhattan

Justin N. Lane
Divisidero, with Edgar Prado aboard, gets up by a neck over World Approval in the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic.

Lightning has struck for a third time in the 23-year training career of William “Buff” Bradley, as he now finds himself with another top-class horse on his shed row in Divisidero, the winner of the Grade 1 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic on Derby Day. The 4-year-old colt is owned by Gunpowder Farms LLC.

“A big horse in the barn is always nice,” Bradley said Monday at Churchill.

Mon, 05/09/2016 - 14:16

Romans involved in car accident after Kentucky Derby

Michael Amoruso
Dale Romans, the leading trainer during the 2014 fall meet, runs horses in 7 of the 10 races Sunday at Churchill Downs.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Dale Romans was disappointed Saturday evening when Brody’s Cause could do no better than seventh in the Kentucky Derby. But that was nothing compared to what happened to Romans and several friends later that night.

Romans and five friends were in his vehicle when they were in a frightening accident at about 10:30 p.m. Eastern near Churchill Downs.

According to an update provided Monday morning at the track by Tammy Fox, Romans’s life partner and stable assistant, Romans was the driver, and he suffered only a severely pulled muscle in his rib cage.

Mon, 05/09/2016 - 14:06

Sea Calisi runs to her brilliant training

Michael Amoruso
Sea Calisi wins the Sheepshead Bay Stakes in her U.S. debut Saturday.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Not too long after the Derby was run in Kentucky, Chad Brown’s stable got a pick-me-up when Sea Calisi made a smashing U.S. debut, winning the Grade 2, $200,000 Sheepshead Bay by 2 1/2 lengths at Belmont Park.

Held in abeyance for more than a mile by Jose Ortiz, Sea Calisi unleashed a powerful late kick to blow by her four rivals and win going away under mostly a hand ride. She ran 1 3/8 miles in 2:18.90 over yielding ground and earned a 95 Beyer Speed Figure.

Mon, 05/09/2016 - 14:06

Mohaymen best of the East Coast horses

Barbara D. Livingston
After finishing fourth in the Kentucky Derby, Mohaymen will not run in either the Preakness or Belmont Stakes.

ELMONT, N.Y. – It was not a particularly strong showing for the East Coast-based runners in Saturday’s Kentucky Derby.

Mohaymen, the Holy Bull and Fountain of Youth winner who also won a pair of graded stakes at Aqueduct last fall, had the best showing with a fourth-place finish after a slow break.

Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said Mohaymen would not run in either the Preakness or the Belmont, but instead will have the Travers on Aug. 27 as his next major goal, with a possible start in the Jim Dandy on July 30.

Mon, 05/09/2016 - 14:06

Matt King Coal sidelined until at least fall

Adam Coglianese/NYRA
Matt King Coal won a maiden race Oct. 29 (above), then didn’t race again until March 6.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Matt King Coal, a highly regarded 3-year-old who finished fourth in the Grade 1 Wood Memorial, will be sidelined through at least the summer and early fall due to a non-displaced hairline fracture of his pelvis, trainer Linda Rice said Monday.

Rice said she didn’t like the way Matt King Coal had trained following the Wood Memorial and had a nuclear scan done that revealed the injury. No surgery will be required, but Matt King Coal will need two months of stall rest and two months of being turned out before he is able to resume training.

Mon, 05/09/2016 - 14:00

Ironicus might give 1 1/4 miles a try in Manhattan

Michael Amoruso
Ironicus wins the Fort Marcy Stakes on Saturday, his first try at 1 1/8 miles.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Ironicus, the winner of the Grade 3 Fort Marcy Stakes at Belmont last Saturday, could make his next start in the Grade 1, $1 million Manhattan Stakes at 1 1/4 miles on June 11, trainer Shug McGaughey said.

Ironicus returned from a seven-month layoff to win the Fort Marcy by 1 1/2 lengths over a yielding turf course. He covered 1 1/8 miles in 1:50.82 and earned a 100 Beyer Speed Figure.

That was the first race for Ironicus at 1 1/8 miles, and the Manhattan would be his first try at 1 1/4 miles.

Mon, 05/09/2016 - 13:16

NFL's Wilfork enjoys success as owner

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas – Vince Wilfork has reached the top of his profession as a football player as a two-time winner of the Super Bowl and a five-time All Pro. On the track, he’s just starting to make his mark.

Wilfork won Friday night’s Grade 3, $200,000 Texas Mile at Lone Star Park with Great Minds, and on Wednesday at Belmont Park, he’ll be represented by the promising 3-year-old filly Elysea’s World.

“It’s very exciting,” he said. “Even though I play football, it’s nothing like watching your own horse. I get more nervous doing that than ever playing football.”

Mon, 05/09/2016 - 12:30

Beholder might stick around for 2017 campaign

Shigeki Kikkawa
Beholder won her seventh consecutive race in Sunday's Adoration Stakes at Santa Anita.

ARCADIA, Calif. – The Beholder retirement tour of 2016 may have to wait.

Owner B. Wayne Hughes said on Sunday that he is considering campaigning the three-time champion mare in 2017 as a 7-year-old. Hughes made the announcement in the winner’s circle after Beholder won her 2016 debut in the $100,345 Adoration Stakes at Santa Anita, her first start since September and her seventh consecutive win.

“If she has a good year this year, I’ll do it again next year,” Hughes said. “Why not? She’s having a good time. She’s really happy.”

Mon, 05/09/2016 - 12:06

Capital improvements, fresh turf course featured as Pimlico meet opens

A revamped Pimlico meet will begin Thursday with the May 21 Preakness Stakes just over the horizon.

The 28-day season, nine fewer than a year ago, is opening later than in past years and will continue further into June. Last year’s meet started April 2 and ran though Belmont Stakes Day, June 6. Closing day this year is June 26.

“I’m curious to see how the shift on the calendar turns out,” said Sal Sinatra, president of the Maryland Jockey Club. “We lost Mother’s Day, but we gained Father’s Day.”

Sun, 05/08/2016 - 15:31

Enola Gray pointing to Melair Stakes

Benoit & Associates
Enola Gray could make her stakes debut at Santa Anita next month in either the Angels Flight or the Melair.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Enola Gray, the brilliant winner of a maiden race in her debut last month, was scratched from an optional claimer at Santa Anita on Saturday because of a wet track. It may not be long before she makes her second start.

Trainer Phil D’Amato said in a text message over the weekend that he would like to start Enola Gray in the $200,000 Melair Stakes for California-bred 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles on May 28.

“She’s a special filly,” D’Amato wrote. “I’m erring on the side of caution. We’re still pointing to the Melair.”