Heading into her first major engagement of the summer in the Grade 1, $1 million Belmont Oaks, Catch a Glimpse shows no ill effects from what has already been a very successful year.
The 2015 Canadian Horse of the Year worked five furlongs in 59 seconds flat at Keeneland last Saturday, the fastest of 34 works at the distance. It was the second consecutive bullet work for the filly, who worked a half in 48 seconds, the fastest of 54 works, the prior week.
ELMONT, N.Y. – The New York Racing Association has released the invitation lists for the $1.25 million Belmont Derby and $1 million Oaks.
Fourteen horses have been invited to participate in each of the Grade 1, 1 1/4-mile turf races scheduled for July 9 at Belmont Park. According to NYRA officials, all of the horses invited to the Derby have paid the $7,500 entry fee that is due by Wednesday. Twelve of the Oaks invitees are paid up, while the decisions of the other two are pending.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – The 157th running of the $1 million Queen’s Plate is Sunday, and as many as 15 could make a run at the first jewel of the Canadian Triple Crown.
The probable field is led by Plate Trial winner Amis Gizmo, who will come into the Queen’s Plate with a record of five wins from six starts for trainer Josie Carroll and owner/breeder Ivan Dalos. Amis Gizmo breezed five furlongs in one minute flat under jockey Luis Contreras in his final work for the Queen’s Plate last Friday.
Trainer Don Pleterski was injured before the eighth race at Fort Erie on Sunday after a horse got loose during the warm-up and crashed into a fence near the finish line. Pleterski, who was running Cool Luke in the race, was taken to the hospital.
The eighth, which was the final race on the card, was canceled. The track also canceled training for Monday morning.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Firing Line, second in the 2015 Kentucky Derby, is likely to make his 2016 debut in the $200,000 San Diego Handicap at Del Mar on July 20.
Trainer Simon Callaghan has targeted the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap at 1 1/16 miles as the launch of a campaign through the second half of the year designed to have Firing Line in races such as the $1 million Pacific Classic at Del Mar on Aug. 20, and the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita on Nov. 5.
ARCADIA, Calif. - A memorable six-win day for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer on Saturday included a debut victory from the promising 2-year-old Silver Assault.
Hollendorfer had three consecutive wins at Santa Anita and three wins at the Oak Tree at Pleasanton meeting at the Alameda County Fair in northern California. It was Hollendorfer’s most prolific day since he won seven races at Golden Gate Fields and Portland Meadows on Nov. 17, 2010.
Silver Assault will be part of Hollendorfer’s list of juvenile stakes prospects for the Del Mar summer meeting.
ARCADIA, Calif. - The 2015 female champions Beholder, Songbird, and Stellar Wind had workouts Sunday for races in July.
Not all of the race plans have been finalized.
Beholder, the champion older female of 2015, worked five furlongs in 59 seconds, which equaled the fifth-fastest of 107 works at the distance. She is scheduled to start in the $300,000 Clement Hirsch Stakes for fillies and mares at Del Mar on July 30.
The time of the workout was quicker than trainer Richard Mandella expected.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Lord Nelson will remain a one-turn specialist this summer following his sharp win in Saturday’s $301,035 Triple Bend Stakes at Santa Anita.
Sunday, trainer Bob Baffert was considering races at Del Mar, such as the $300,000 Bing Crosby Stakes at six furlongs on July 31, or the $200,000 Pat O’Brien Stakes at seven furlongs on Aug. 27, for Lord Nelson. Baffert did not rule out a race at Saratoga this summer. The top seven-furlong sprint at Saratoga is the $700,000 Forego Stakes on Aug. 27.
“I could take a shot at Saratoga,” Baffert said.
ARCADIA, Calif. - A day after his win in the $501,035 Gold Cup at Santa Anita, Melatonin had a quiet morning at trainer David Hofmans’ stable on Sunday.
There was no reason to be in a hurry.
The victory in the Grade 1 Gold Cup at Santa Anita gave Melatonin a fees-paid berth for the Breeders’ Cup Classic here Nov. 5 through the Win and You’re In program. With that secured, Hofmans said the outlook for the second half of 2016 has changed for Melatonin.
“We can relax now and pick our spots,” Hofmans said. “You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do.”
ARCADIA, Calif. - Nyquist, the champion 2-year-old male of 2015 and winner of last month's Kentucky Derby, worked five furlongs in 1:02.07 prior to the first race at Santa Anita on Saturday, moving closer to a comeback in an undetermined race later this summer.
Nyquist was ridden by regular rider Mario Gutierrez. The workout was conducted 45 minutes before the start of Saturday’s nine-race program.
