Fri, 02/26/2016 - 15:20

Keith chasing Derby dream with American Dubai

Coady Photography
Far Right (left), who earned an 88 Beyer Speed Figure for his win Thursday, could run next in the Razorback Handicap.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Giacomo’s win in the 2005 Kentucky Derby inspired Richard Keith to set a lofty goal. He decided that afternoon that he wanted to chase the 3-year-old dream at the highest level, and he is now doing that with his wife, Sharon, and his trainer, Rodney Richards.

Fri, 02/26/2016 - 14:12

Sandiva under consideration for The Very One

Leslie Martin/Coglianese Photos
Sandiva could return to turf racing for The Very One on March 5.

Sandiva, who finished second to Penwith when trying the main track last time out in the Royal Delta, is among 32 older females nominated to the Grade 3, $150,000 The Very One, a 1 3/16-mile grass race on March 5 at Gulfstream Park.

Sandiva won the Grade 3 Marshua’s River on turf here Jan. 9. She won the Grade 3 Suwannee River on this course in February 2015. She is one of seven horses trainer Todd Pletcher has nominated to The Very One.

Fri, 02/26/2016 - 14:06

Recepta will launch season in Keeneland's Jenny Wiley

Barbara D. Livingston
Recepta will make her first start at 5 in the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley on April 16 at Keeneland.

Recepta, who suffered a narrow loss in the Grade 1 Matriarch at Del Mar in her final start of 2015, has remained in training at age 5 and is scheduled to return to the races in the spring at Keeneland, according to trainer Jimmy Toner.

“She got six weeks off after the Matriarch, and she’s training here now,” Toner said at Palm Meadows. “I’m hoping to have her ready for the Jenny Wiley.”

Fri, 02/26/2016 - 14:06

Taris on track for Santa Margarita

Shigeki Kikkawa
Taris will probably bypass the Feb. 13 Santa Maria in favor of the Santa Margarita on March 19.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Taris, the winner of the Grade 2 La Canada Stakes in January, worked five furlongs in 1:01.60 on Friday for a scheduled start in the $500,000 Santa Margarita Invitational at Santa Anita on March 19.

Taris worked alone. Trainer Simon Callaghan timed the 5-year-old mare in 1:01.40. He clocked her galloping out six furlongs in “1:13 and change.”

“She’s so much more relaxed in her works,” Callaghan said.

Fri, 02/26/2016 - 14:06

Pivotal race for French Getaway

Shigeki Kikkawa
French Getaway might be switched to turf if he doesn't run well on dirt Sunday.

ARCADIA, Calif. – French Getaway has made all four of his starts on dirt but has been considered a long-term prospect for turf races since he joined trainer Bob Hess Jr.’s stable last year. On Sunday at Santa Anita, French Getaway will start on dirt again in an optional claimer that will determine which surface will be the focus of upcoming starts for him.

The same race will be Malibu Sunset’s first start for trainer Bob Baffert after an eye-catching win at Fair Grounds last month in his debut.

Fri, 02/26/2016 - 13:46

Flamboyant headed to Dubai Turf

Shigeki Kikkawa
Flamboyant wins the San Marcos Stakes, his second straight Grade 2 victory of the Santa Anita meeting.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Flamboyant, the leading turf horse in Southern California this winter, will make his next start in the $6 million Dubai Turf at Meydan Racecourse in the United Arab Emirates on March 26, according to co-owner Chuck Winner.

Winner said the other option to the Dubai Turf, run at about 1 1/8 miles, is the $200,000 San Luis Rey Stakes at 1 1/2 miles on turf at Santa Anita on March 13.

“We’re leaning toward Dubai,” Winner said on Thursday.

Fri, 02/26/2016 - 13:30

Penwith headed west for Santa Margarita

Kenny Martin/Coglianese Photos
Penwith will make her next start in the $500,000 Santa Margarita at Santa Anita on March 19.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Penwith, the winner of the Grade 2 Royal Delta at Gulfstream Park in her last start Feb. 13, is scheduled to head to California to try to annex the first Grade 1 of her career.

Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said Penwith will go to Santa Anita for the $500,000 Santa Margarita Stakes on March 19.

“She’s got a Grade 2, so another Grade 2 doesn’t do her any good. She needs to run in a Grade 1,” McLaughlin said.

On Friday, Penwith had her first work since the Royal Delta, a half-mile at the Palm Meadows training center in 49 seconds.

Fri, 02/26/2016 - 12:30

Distant Kingdom might have edge in rematch

NEW ORLEANS – The Sunday feature, a six-furlong, second-level optional-claiming race for 4-year-olds and up, appears to be wide open. A morning line with odds ranging from 7-2 to 5-1 for all seven runners backs up the point. The race is the fifth on a nine-race card.

Distant Kingdom, a Wes Hawley trainee who lost by a head to Doc Almon at the same level and distance Feb. 6, might be able to get the job done this time.

Fri, 02/26/2016 - 12:30

Jensen runs way into Louisiana Derby consideration

NEW ORLEANS – Trainer Larry Jones said the Louisiana Derby is among several options for Jensen, who dominated first-level allowance rivals here in a 6 3/4-length victory Thursday at a mile and 70 yards. The race had an optional claiming condition, but all seven 3-year-olds were entered under the allowance condition.

“We’ve sure got it in our sights, anyway,’’ Jones said of the March 26 Louisiana Derby.

He and his wife, Cindy, bred and own Jensen, a son of Haynesfield and the Hard Spun mare Spun Lake. Jensen, who led all the way, won for the second time in four starts.

Fri, 02/26/2016 - 12:26

It's all coming together for Stidham

Amanda Hodges Weir/Hodges Photography
Trained by Mike Stidham, Jockamo's Song (right) won the Louisiana Champions Day Sprint.

NEW ORLEANS – The consistency of Mike Stidham, who leads the trainers’ race this season at Fair Grounds, stands out.

Stidham, who typically finishes in the top 10 in the local standings, for years has maintained a solid ranking nationally in both trainer purse earnings and victories.

In each of the last 12 years, for example, Stidham was among the top 100 trainers in earnings. Five times in the last six years, he ranked in the top 50. And in 10 of the last 12 years, he was in the top 100 trainers in wins.