Parx Racing has scheduled 31 stakes worth a cumulative $6 million for its 2016 season. The schedule is similar to last year, but the bottom stakes purse has been raised from $75,000 to $100,000, and the Grade 2, $1 million Pennsylvania Derby will follow the Travers at Saratoga by four weeks rather than three weeks, as it did in 2015.
Trainer Larry Jones said the Grade 1-winning filly I’m a Chatterbox likely will make her 2016 debut in the Grade 3 Doubledogdare on April 22 at Keeneland.
“We’re kind of eyeballing that one,” Jones said.
The 3-year-old colt Jensen, a two-time winner at this meet, will makes his stakes debut in the Grade 3 Spiral on Polytrack at Turfway Park. Jones pointed out that Jensen is a grandson of Hard Spun, who was undefeated on synthetics.
The multiple graded stakes winner Nates Mineshaft, who holds the track record for 1 1/8 miles at Fair Grounds, has been retired, trainer Anne Smith said. He’s 9.
Nates Mineshaft, who was a ridgling, has been gelded. How and where Nates Mineshaft, who is owned by Windy Hill Farm, will spend his retirement hasn’t been decided, Smith said.
NEW ORLEANS – Majestic Harbor, who is getting ready for the New Orleans Handicap, is sending out positive signals to trainer Paul McGee.
“He rides his bicycle to and from the track,” McGee said, explaining that Majestic Harbor pumps his legs energetically, “dancing and prancing.”
It would be understandable if Majestic Harbor, 8 years old and having made 39 starts, had lost a bit of enthusiasm for being a racehorse. But that’s not what McGee is seeing.
Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark., canceled its nine-race program on Thursday due to a saturated surface. The area has had steady rain since Tuesday, and in that time, the surface has taken more than five inches of rain, according to a release from Oaklawn.
“The safety of the horses and riders is always our first concern,” said David Longinotti, director of racing for Oaklawn. “The rain began about 3 p.m. Tuesday and has barely stopped since.”
Candy My Boy, who held admirably for fourth in the Risen Star after setting a very strong pace, worked an easy half-mile in 50.60 seconds last weekend at Fair Grunds and is likely to make his next start in the Louisiana Derby.
“If everything goes right, he probably will [run],” said trainer Roger Brueggemann. “He probably deserves another shot.”
Mo Tom continues to do well in his daily training and came out of a sharp half-mile workout last Saturday at Fair Grounds in good shape, and while Tom Amoss isn’t certain whether Mo Tom will have one or two more works before the Louisiana Derby, Mo Tom won’t be working again on Saturday.
“We have a lot of bad weather coming in tonight, and it’s going to be around for a while,” Amoss said Wednesday. “It’s still up in the air when he’ll work again.”
Gun Runner, the Risen Star Stakes winner, worked five furlongs in company with the filly Adore on Monday at Fair Grounds, going the distance in 1:01.40. It was Gun Runner’s second five-furlong work since he won the Risen Star by a half-length while making his first start in almost three months.
“It was spot on, and the horse is really doing well,” said trainer Steve Asmussen. “We feel great about him coming out of the Risen Star.”
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.
