Mon, 01/04/2016 - 14:12

La Verdad, Willet not quite done racing

Joe Labozzetta/NYRA
La Verdad won Saturday's Iroquois Stakes by 3 3/4 lengths.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – The multiple stakes-winning New York-bred mares La Verdad and Willet are expected to race once or twice more before heading to the breeding shed in a few months.

Mon, 01/04/2016 - 14:12

Flexibility will stay in New York, point to Withers

Debra A. Roma
Flexibility wins the Jerome Stakes by 4 1/4 lengths Saturday at Aqueduct.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Flexibility, a 4 1/4-length winner of the Grade 3 Jerome Stakes last Saturday, could stay on the New York road to the Kentucky Derby, according to trainer Chad Brown.

The Grade 3, $250,000 Withers on Jan. 30 will be considered for his next start.

“There’s a good possibility we’ll keep going forward with him on the New York trail,” Brown said Monday. “He’ll be considered for the Withers. He seems to be in real good form right now. I’m happy with him where he’s at. I don’t see any reason to move him.”

Mon, 01/04/2016 - 14:12

Carmouche finds success in first year on New York circuit

Barbara D. Livingston
Kendrick Carmouche finished 2015 with 110 wins from 807 mounts at New York Racing Association tracks.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Kendrick Carmouche probably could have started riding in New York earlier than he did. He just wanted to make sure that when he arrived, he was going to succeed.

Judging by the first-year results, Carmouche timed his arrival in New York just right, as he finished 2015 with 110 wins from 807 mounts at New York Racing Association tracks, good enough for eighth place in the standings.

“Did I meet my expectations? I think I went way past them,” Carmouche said Monday. “I always think small before I think big. I think you have better success that way.”

Mon, 01/04/2016 - 13:18

For California Chrome, 2016 begins with high hopes

Emily Shields
California Chrome works six furlongs in 1:10.04 Saturday morning at Santa Anita.

ARCADIA, Calif. – When California Chrome starts in Saturday’s $200,000 San Pasqual Stakes at Santa Anita, his first race in more than nine months, he will be 11 weeks from his first major goal of the year, the $10 million Dubai World Cup in the United Arab Emirates on March 26.

The second principal goal is 10 months away – the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita on Nov. 5. If all goes as planned, California Chrome, the 2014 Horse of the Year after wins in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness, will win both and retire to stud in Kentucky as Horse of the Year.

Mon, 01/04/2016 - 10:30

Small fields for Wednesday features

OLDSMAR, Fla. – The highlights of Wednesday’s nine-race card are Race 2, a first-level optional $75,000 claimer for 3-year-olds at a mile and 40 yards, and Race 6, a third-level optional $62,500 claimer for 4-year-olds and up at seven furlongs.

Sun, 01/03/2016 - 16:55

California Chrome won't have to face Dortmund, Imperative

Emily Shields
Trainer Bob Baffert is considering a trio of possible races for Dortmund, winner of the Native Diver Stakes on Saturday at Del Mar.

ARCADIA, Calif. - The $200,000 San Pasqual Stakes at Santa Anita next Saturday will be the first start for 2014 Horse of the Year California Chrome since a second in the $10 million Dubai World Cup in the United Arab Emirates last March.

His job was made easier on Sunday when Dortmund and Imperative were taken out of consideration in favor of other races.

Sun, 01/03/2016 - 16:43

Wrona begins three-week stint as Santa Anita announcer

ARCADIA, Calif. - Michael Wrona will begin a three-week span as track announcer at Santa Anita on Thursday, replacing Frank Mirahmadi ,who will take Wrona’s place at Golden Gate Fields.

Mirahmadi and Wrona are working as the main announcers at Santa Anita during the winter-spring meeting, which runs through April 10. They are two finalists to be the full-time replacement for Trevor Denman, who announced in December that he will no longer call races at Santa Anita.

Denman remains the track announcer at Del Mar in the summer and fall.

Sun, 01/03/2016 - 16:38

Flamboyant will target San Marcos

Shigeki Kikkawa
Flamboyant will point to the 1 1/4-mile San Marcos on Feb. 6.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Flamboyant, Forever Darling, and San Onofre, the winners of graded stakes at Santa Anita on Saturday, are scheduled to run in stakes from late January to early March, their trainers said on Sunday.

Flamboyant ($94.20) scored the upset of the day with a neck win in the $201,500 San Gabriel Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on turf. The win will lead to a start in the $200,000 San Marcos Stakes at 1 1/4 miles on turf on Feb. 6, trainer Paddy Gallagher said.

“He shouldn’t have any problem with that,” Gallagher said of the distance.

Sun, 01/03/2016 - 14:37

Sea of Erin impresses in maiden special weight victory

SV Photography
Sea of Erin and jockey Antonio Gallardo win the final race Saturday by three lengths.

OLDSMAR, Fla. – Sea of Erin turned in one of the more impressive efforts of the week here, rating in midpack before drawing off to win a $20,600 maiden special weight race by three lengths on the turf here Saturday. Ridden by leading jockey Antonio Gallardo, he paid $5.80 as the favorite in a field of nine and stopped the clock for 1 1/16 miles in 1:38.79.

Sun, 01/03/2016 - 14:30

Mongolian Saturday will skip Turf Dash

Barbara D. Livingston
Mongolian Saturday, ridden by Florent Geroux, wins the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint on Saturday.

OLDSMAR, Fla. – Mongolian Saturday isn’t coming to Tampa Bay Downs after all, after the 2015 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint winner missed a scheduled workout Sunday due to body soreness, according to Santiago Aragon, assistant to trainer Enebish Ganbat.