Mon, 11/16/2015 - 12:56

Castellano breaks own record for single-season earnings

Barbara D. Livingston

Javier Castellano quietly broke his own single-season record for earnings by a North American jockey with a second-place finish in the New York Stallion Series Stakes at Aqueduct on Sunday, according to figures from Equibase.

With $25,000 in earnings for riding Saythreehailmary’s in the $125,000 stakes race, Castellano’s 2015 earnings shot up to $26,237,639, more than $17,000 higher than the record he set in 2013. Of course, there’s still six weeks left in the racing season, and Castellano will have plenty of opportunities to add to his total.

Mon, 11/16/2015 - 12:55

Jose Ortiz serving five-day suspension

Barbara D. Livingston
Jockey Jose Ortiz began serving a five-day suspension on Sunday.

Jose Ortiz began a five-day suspension Sunday stemming from the controversial disqualification of Magna Light in the Grade 3 Sanford at Saratoga on July 25. Ortiz will resume riding this Sunday.

Magna Light went wire to wire to win the Sanford by three-quarters of a length but ducked outward in the stretch and then drifted inward late. He was placed third for interfering with Percolator, who finished third, beaten 1 1/4 lengths. Uncle Vinny, who finished second, was awarded the win.

Mon, 11/16/2015 - 12:47

Aye Aye Captain to stretch out in Kingarvie

Michael Burns
Aye Aye Captain is unbeaten in two career starts and will try stakes company for the first time in the Kingarvie on Nov. 29 at Woodbine.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Trainer Catherine Day Phillips came close to recording her second stakes win of the meet Saturday, when Neshama was nosed out by Trini Brewnette in the $125,400 South Ocean Stakes, but she’ll have at least one more stakes starter before the end of the season, as Aye Aye Captain is on track for the $125,000 Kingarvie Stakes on Nov. 29.

Mon, 11/16/2015 - 12:36

Former claimer Melmich eyes first graded win in Valedictory

Michael Burns
Melmich wins the Elgin Stakes in September at Woodbine.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Trainer Kevin Attard claimed Calgary Cat for owners Stephen Chesney and Cory Hoffman in November 2013 and helped him become a graded stakes winner and Canadian champion male sprinter the following season. Attard will have the chance to turn another former claimer into a graded stakes winner with Melmich in the Grade 3, $150,000 Valedictory Stakes at 1 3/4 miles on Nov. 29.

Mon, 11/16/2015 - 12:06

Regally Ready, 8, has still got it

Barbara D. Livingston
Regally Ready has won 16 of 39 career starts and has a bankroll of $1,660,826.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – More than four years after he won the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Churchill, Regally Ready once again showed his fondness for the local course when the 8-year-old gelding dominated the Sunday feature.

Regally Ready led every step of the one-mile allowance, winning by five lengths and increasing his career bankroll to $1,739,481 from 43 starts.

“He’s just such a cool, cool horse,” said trainer Steve Asmussen.

Mon, 11/16/2015 - 11:51

Big names target Clark Handicap

Barbara D. Livingston
Hoppertunity (above) and Dortmund are expected to represent Bob Baffert in the Clark Handicap.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Nov. 26 Falls City and a Nov. 28 Stars of Tomorrow card sandwich the Nov. 27 Clark Handicap, a Grade 1 race that is shaping up with an excellent field.

Prospects for the $500,000 Clark include Dortmund and Hoppertunity for Bob Baffert; Race Day and Protonico for Todd Pletcher; Effinex and Keen Ice, the second- and fourth-place finishers behind American Pharoah in the Breeders’ Cup Classic; Frivolous, a 5-year-old mare in her final career start; and Mr. Z, trained by D. Wayne Lukas.

Mon, 11/16/2015 - 11:51

Synchrony has look of major talent

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Stars of Tomorrow cards aren’t necessarily the only ones that produce exciting 2-year-olds at the Churchill Downs fall meet. A good horse is eligible to spring forth from just about any 2-year-old race at Churchill – such as an allowance held as the second race last Saturday.

Synchrony, a Pin Oak Stable homebred colt, won for the second straight time and stamped himself as a top prospect for the major 3-year-old stakes this winter at Oaklawn Park.

“We think he’s got a real future,” said trainer Donnie K. Von Hemel.

Sun, 11/15/2015 - 20:32

Big Macher likely for Cary Grant

Benoit & Associates
Big Macher will go straight into the BC Sprint off this victory in the Pirate's Bounty Sept. 7 at Del Mar.

Big Macher was a stakes winner at Del Mar's fall meet one year ago, and he  is expected to defend his title, on Sunday, in the $100,000 Cary Grant Stakes for California-bred sprinters going six furlongs.

 Big Macher won the Pirate’s Bounty, under similar conditions, on closing day of the summer meeting Sept. 7 in his first start since finishing fifth in the Dubai Golden Shaheen at Meydan. In his lone start since the Pirate’s Bounty, he was 10th in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Keeneland on Oct. 31.

Sun, 11/15/2015 - 20:21

Talamo will skip honeymoon to ride Three Hearts in Red Carpet

Benoit & Associates
Three Hearts, under Joe Talamo, wins the Grade 3 Red Carpet by a half-length Nov. 22 at 29-1.

DEL MAR, Calif. – Instead of going on a honeymoon the day after getting married, jockey Joe Talamo is going to work.

Talamo and Elizabeth Ellis, daughter of trainer Ron Ellis, are getting married on Friday night in San Diego. On Saturday, Talamo will head right back to work at Del Mar aboard Three Hearts, who will defend her title in the Grade 3, $100,000 Red Carpet Stakes for older fillies and mares at 1 3/8 miles on turf.

Sat, 11/14/2015 - 15:52

Emerald Downs to race 70 days in 2016

The Washington Horse Racing Commission on Friday approved a 70-day racing season for 2016 at Emerald Downs. The meet will run from April 9-Sept. 11.

Racing will be conducted on Saturdays and Sundays for the first two weekends, with Friday night racing added to the schedule beginning April 22. There also will be racing on the Mondays of Memorial Day and Labor Day as well as on Monday, June 20, when Emerald will celebrate its 20th anniversary with a night card.