HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Lon Wiggins knows what it’s like to be in the winner’s circle after the Kentucky Oaks. He was there in 2009 when his father, trainer Hal Wiggins, saddled Rachel Alexandra to a 20 1/4-length victory. Lon Wiggins would not mind getting back into the Churchill Downs infield this spring with Kentucky Oaks nominee Cosmic Evolution.
“We’re hoping and dreaming,” Wiggins said.
Grade 1 winner Greenpointcrusader will ship from Florida to start March 26 in the $1 million Louisiana Derby, trainer Dominick Schettino confirmed Wednesday. Greenpointcrusader flies to New Orleans a few days before the race and will have John Velazquez in the irons.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – The Grade 2 Inside Information, to be decided at seven furlongs March 19, attracted 18 nominations, led by Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint winner Wavell Avenue. But trainer Chad Brown said it’s “highly unlikely” that she will run.
Brown said he’ll probably bring Wavell Avenue back in the Grade 1 Madison Stakes at Keeneland on April 9.
“If there were more time between races, I might have run her in both,” said Brown. “But they are too close together to try to do that.”
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Saturday’s $75,000 Silks Run Stakes will feature a rematch between two of the top turf sprinters in the area, Power Alert and Amelia’s Wild Ride. The pair finished first and second, a neck apart, in the Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint on Feb. 6.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Heart to Heart, the winner of the Canadian Turf and Fort Lauderdale stakes here earlier in the meet, will make his next start in the $6 million Dubai Turf on March 26 at Meydan.
After conferring with owner Terry Hamilton, trainer Brian Lynch said the decision was made to accept the invitation tended to Heart to Heart late last week.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Madefromlucky, the runner-up to stablemate Tommy Macho in the Grade 3 Discovery Handicap last November at Aqueduct, has returned to New York and will be aimed at Sunday’s $125,000 Stymie Stakes, trainer Todd Pletcher said.
Madefromlucky has made his last two starts at Gulfstream Park, finishing second to Valid in the Harlan’s Holiday on Dec. 12 and last of eight to stablemate Mshawish in the Grade 1 Donn Handicap on Feb. 6.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – One horse whose absence was conspicuous from the entry box for Saturday’s Tom Fool Handicap is Green Gratto, the New Jersey-bred gelding who won the Fall Highweight and Gravesend last fall.
Trainer and part-owner Gaston Grant said he will train Green Gratto up to the Grade 1 Carter at Aqueduct on April 9. Green Gratto finished second to Dads Caps in last year’s Carter at odds of 53-1.
Since winning the Gravesend on Dec. 26, Green Gratto has finished third in the Grade 3 Toboggan on Jan. 30 and fourth in the Grade 3 General George at Laurel on Feb. 15.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – The familiar foes Salutos Amigos and Dads Caps renew acquaintances at Aqueduct on Saturday in the Grade 3, $200,000 Tom Fool Handicap, a race in which they finished one-two last year.
Salutos Amigos and Dads Caps were two of 11 horses entered Wednesday for the Tom Fool, including a trio of runners from the Chris Englehart stable.
Those who watched the sixth race at Delta Downs on Feb. 20 might have thought that a Paint horse won the maiden special weight race at the Vinton, La., track. But Painting the Sky is all Thoroughbred, and the 3-year-old filly with unusual markings will be back in action Friday night. She again runs in the sixth race, a first-level allowance on the penultimate card of the meet.
ARCADIA, Calif. – This might be the year Calculator reaches his potential.
Last month, the 4-year-old Calculator returned from a 13-month layoff to win an optional claimer here at seven furlongs. On Saturday, he starts in the $300,000 San Carlos Stakes at seven furlongs.
