Heza Dasha Fire, the 2015 World Champion Running Quarter Horse, will be sidelined until late summer after being diagnosed with bone chips in both of his knees, according to a statement released Wednesday by Los Alamitos.
Heza Dasha Fire is winless in two starts this year, finishing second to Moonist in a division of the Los Alamitos Winter Championship trials on Jan. 24 and again in the final last Sunday.
Forevamo was a 3-1 chance in a 10-horse field when he debuted last summer at Saratoga, so it’s fair to say there were hopes for this Uncle Mo colt, purchased at a sale of 2-year-olds in training by the Brittlyn Stables for $320,000. Forevamo finished third that day, was second at 6-5 in a Churchill maiden race, and even in his most recent start could only finish second as the favorite in a first-level allowance race here.
One man’s trash is another man’s treasure, the saying goes. So, yeah, okay, no one really is calling horses like Same As and Salengo trash, but both horses were culled from the holdings of prominent owners and breeders Alain and Gerard Wertheimer and trainer Todd Pletcher. Same As, a 5-year-old by Smart Strike, made one start for Pletcher and Wertheimer et Frere in July 2014; Salengo posted timed workouts at Saratoga and Palm Beach Downs but never made the races for Pletcher.
The champion Runhappy will resume serious training within the next two weeks, but before he does, he’s hosting a Friday night party at Sam Houston Race Park. Runhappy will be paraded on the track following the third race, then will be available to meet fans from a temporary stall constructed near the pavilion. The horse is owned by Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale and his wife, Linda, who are residents of Houston.
NEW ORLEANS – Larry Jones first started saying in December how the filly Midnight On Oconee was developing along the same lines as Lovely Maria, and when you heard Jones say it, saw Midnight On Oconee’s record, and remembered that Lovely Maria won the Kentucky Oaks, you scrunched your face up in doubt.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Trainer Jorge Navarro confirmed that leading local sprinter X Y Jet has indeed been invited to Dubai for the $2 million Golden Shaheen. The son of Kantharos has registered three straight lopsided victories, including the Grade 3 Mr. Prospector and the Sunshine Millions Sprint at this meet. He is expected to have his final prep for Dubai in the Grade 3 Gulfstream Park Sprint a week from Saturday.
Emisael Jaramillo, who has ridden X Y Jet to three straight victories, will be aboard the horse for the Golden Shaheen.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Reigning 2-year-old champion male Nyquist and the undefeated Mohaymen top a list of 34 3-year-olds nominated to the $400,000 Fountain of Youth, to be run Feb. 27.
Nyquist, an impressive winner of his 2016 debut Monday in the Grade 2 San Vicente at Santa Anita, will not run in the Fountain of Youth but is expected to ship locally for the Grade 1 Florida Derby on April 2. Mohaymen tops a stellar group pointing for the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth that also includes Awesome Banner, Awesome Speed, Zulu, Cherry Wine, and Fellowship.
NEW ORLEANS – In 2014, Tom Benson hatched a plan to get back into horse racing after a decades-long break. Benson, a New Orleans native, owns the New Orleans Saints and the New Orleans Pelicans, along with local media outlets, a bunch of real estate, and pretty much anything else he might desire to buy. Benson came up working class and has come out upper crust. Most everything he’s touched has turned to gold, and despite the odds, that’s held true for his latest racing venture.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – It’s no surprise to see Javier Castellano’s name atop the jockey standings or even Luis Saez firmly entrenched in second place. What probably would have been considered a longshot when the meet began, however, was to have the little-known Emisael Jaramillo in a battle for third with the likes of Paco Lopez, Joel Rosario, Corey Lanerie, and John Velazquez.
Oaklawn Park on Wednesday announced a purse increase for overnight races and three stakes – the Honeybee, Azeri, and Razorback – a move that pushes average daily purses for the meet close to $500,000.
The Grade 3 Honeybee on March 12 will now be worth $200,000, up from $150,000. The purses for the Grade 2 Azeri and Grade 3 Razorback each have been boosted from $300,000 to $350,000. The Azeri and Razorback will share a card with the Grade 2, $900,000 Rebel on March 19.
