OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Saythreehailmary’s won her first open stakes in Sunday’s $100,000 Ladies Handicap, but she could return to New York-breds in the $100,000 Biogio’s Rose on Feb. 7.
Racing over a sloppy track for which she had shown an affinity, Saythreehailmary’s outfinished Mei Ling for a three-quarter-length victory in the Ladies, which was run for the 145th time.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – La Verdad came out of her victory in last Saturday’s $100,000 Interborough Stakes in good order, and trainer Linda Rice said Monday she plans on pointing the 6-year-old mare to the $300,000 Barbara Fritchie at Laurel on Feb. 13.
However, Rice is keeping Hot City Girl, La Verdad’s younger half-sister, in the barn as a potential backup for that race. Both horses are owned by Sheila Rosenblum, and both will not run in the Barbara Fritchie.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Constellation, a dominant winner of the Furlough Stakes at Aqueduct on Nov. 26, breezed a sharp half-mile in 47.78 seconds Monday over the Belmont Park training track. She is being considered for either Sunday’s $100,000 Ruthless Stakes going six furlongs at Aqueduct or the Grade 2, $200,000 Forward Gal Stakes on Jan. 30 at Gulfstream Park.
“She’s doing good, happy,” said Toby Sheets, assistant to trainer Steve Asmussen. “We’re on the fence.”
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Gaston Grant keeps waiting for Green Gratto to show him some signs of fatigue after racing 32 times in the last 25 months. But since he hasn’t seen them yet, Grant will continue racing Green Gratto, who is scheduled to make his 2016 debut in Monday’s Grade 3, $150,000 Toboggan Stakes at Aqueduct.
California Chrome, the 2014 Kentucky Derby winner and Horse of the Year, ran for the first time in 10 months on Saturday, winning the Grade 2 San Pasqual at Santa Anita. Ten minutes later, his 3-year-old full sister, Hope’s Love, ran fifth at Golden Gate Fields in her second start. By Lucky Pulpit and out of Love the Chase, Hope’s Love improved her Beyer from a 39 in her debut to a 44 in Saturday’s six-furlong maiden special weight race.
“We weren’t too disappointed,” said trainer Steve Sherman. “We know she wants to go long.”
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Up to eight starters, including defending champion Sr. Quisqueyano, appear likely for the $250,000 Sunshine Millions Classic, the main event on the six-stakes Sunshine Millions program here Saturday.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Trainer Dale Romans already had one serious Kentucky Derby candidate, Breeders’ Futurity winner Brody’s Cause, heading into last weekend’s action at Gulfstream Park. He came out with a second following Cherry Wine’s impressive entry-level allowance victory at 1 1/16 miles here Saturday.
OLDSMAR, Fla. – Grade 1 winner Include Betty moved closer to her 4-year-old debut by breezing three furlongs in 37.20 seconds here last Thursday, her first work since October. Though she’s earned almost all of her $741,030 bankroll on dirt, she’s a candidate for the graded turf stakes for fillies and mares here later in the meet, said former Kentucky Gov. Brereton C. Jones, who shares ownership of the filly with Timothy C. Thornton.
The Golden Gate Fields spotlight centers squarely on 3-year-olds for the next month, with the $100,000 California Derby on Saturday and the Grade 3, $200,000 El Camino Real Derby, with its 17 Kentucky Derby qualifying points, on Feb. 13.
The 1 1/16-mile California Derby is expected to draw a deep field, including top local 3-year-old Mana Strike.
Mana Strike rallied from last to win the one-mile Gold Rush by 2 1/2 lengths here Dec. 5. He defeated Algenon, Marqula, and Allaboutaction, who all are expected to be back Saturday.
OLDSMAR, Fla. – Anyone watching Fast Flying Rumor rip through sizzling fractions in the $90,000 Turf Dash last Saturday could see that the horse was really moving, but according to the numbers, it was perhaps the finest performance at Tampa Bay Downs in the past quarter of a century.
