OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Ferocious, runner-up to Chancer McPatrick in the Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes on Sept. 2 at Saratoga, will make his next start in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity on Oct. 5 at Keeneland, part-owner Ramiro Restrepo said Tuesday.
Restrepo said the ability to stretch Ferocious out in distance and go two turns made the Breeders’ Futurity more appealing than the Grade 1, $400,000 Champagne, a one-turn mile race run the same day at Aqueduct.
Soul of an Angel emerged from her win in the Grade 3 Princess Rooney on Saturday at Gulfstream Park in good order and is scheduled to run next in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint, trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said Tuesday.
“She bounced out the race well,” he said. “She’ll stay in Florida and ship to the Breeders’ Cup, all being well.”
The $1 million BC Filly and Mare Sprint, which will be run over seven furlongs, is Nov. 2 at Del Mar.
Grade 1 winner Howard Wolowitz and Gulfstream Park stakes winner Gabaldon are both scheduled to work at Palm Meadows on Sunday in preparation for Breeders’ Cup races, according to trainer Jose D’Angelo.
The horses are among three runners D’Angelo is pointing to the championship series at Del Mar. He said Bentornato, who won the Grade 2 Gallant Bob last Saturday at Parx Racing, is targeting the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Sprint on Nov. 2.
Jockey Javier Castellano, who suffered a fractured hand in a spill at Saratoga on Aug. 30, got clearance from his doctor on Tuesday to resume riding and is expected to begin riding races again on Oct. 3 at Aqueduct, his agent, P.J. Campo, said.
Campo said that Castellano will likely start getting on horses a few days before he rides in the afternoon. Entries for the Oct. 3 card will be taken on Friday. Among his first expected mounts back will be Donegal Momentum in the $135,000 Gio Ponti Stakes for 3-year-olds on turf on Oct. 3 at Aqueduct.
The number of runners in Saturday’s Grade 1 California Crown at Santa Anita may not necessarily equal the number of runners entered on Monday.
The field of seven is led by the older horses Senor Buscador, the winner of the $20 million Saudi Cup in Saudi Arabia in February, and National Treasure, who won the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream Park in January; and the 3-year-old Muth, the winner of his last two starts, the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby in March and Shared Belief Stakes at Del Mar on Sept. 1.
Jockey Frankie Dettori, who suffered a separated shoulder in a spill at Aqueduct on Sept. 19, is expected to resume riding Sunday at Aqueduct, his agent, Ron Anderson said Monday afternoon.
On Monday morning, Dettori saw orthopedic specialist Dr. Stephen O’Brien, who told him he could start back “as soon as he wants,” Anderson said.
Bernell Rhone said he will be retiring from training after the close of the Canterbury Park meet on Saturday. He has four starters on the card at the Minnesota track, where he is a member of the Canterbury Hall of Fame.
“I’m getting out, but I’m not leaving,” he said. “All my best friends are all on the racetrack. I think I’ll still own a horse or two. I don’t want to get out. I just want to have more free time to do some things. I want to go to the Calgary Stampede. I want to see Yellowstone again, and the Grand Canyon.”
Sunlit Song, who has run in the last four editions of the Remington Green, will miss Sunday’s renewal because he is getting some time off, according to trainer Mindy Willis.
Sunlit Song has won the Remington Green twice, in 2020 and 2023. He was second in the race in both 2021 and 2022.
Sunlit Song is the reigning Texas-bred of the year and overall has won 18 races from 45 starts for earnings of $757,520. The 9-year-old gelding races for Carolyn Barnett and Becky Harding.
White Abarrio, the 2023 Breeders’ Cup Classic winner, breezed three furlongs in 39.22 seconds Monday morning over the Oklahoma training track in Saratoga, his first timed workout since he was returned to trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. in June.
“It went well, the track was on the slower side – real slow,” Joseph said. “It was his first work back, I was very happy with it.”
ARCADIA, Calif. – Astronomer was less than two lengths from winning two stakes in one-mile turf races at the Del Mar summer meeting. The close finishes give trainer Simon Callaghan the expectation that Astronomer could produce a surprise result in Saturday’s Grade 2 City of Hope Mile on turf at Santa Anita.
After finishing second by 1 1/4 lengths in the restricted Wickerr Stakes on July 21, Astronomer was third by a half-length in the Grade 2 Del Mar Mile on Aug. 31.
“His last two races have been his best two races,” Callaghan said. “He’s kind of knocking on the door.”
