DEL MAR, Calif. – Smokey Image extended his unbeaten streak to four races with a sharp win Friday in the $150,000 I’m Smokin Stakes for 2-year-old California-breds at Del Mar.
Trainer Greg James, based in Northern California, is likely to look south again for a chance to extend Smokey Image’s streak this fall. After the I’m Smokin, James said the next goal is the $200,000 Golden State Juvenile for California-bred 2-year-olds at seven furlongs here Oct. 30.
After Monday, closing day at Del Mar, there is no live Thoroughbred racing in Southern California until Thursday, opening day of the Los Alamitos September meeting.
The Los Alamitos meet runs 10 days on a Thursday-through-Sunday basis, concluding Sept. 25. The Santa Anita autumn meeting opens Sept. 26.
Thursday’s opening-day program at Los Alamitos is led by the $75,000 Beverly Lewis Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at 6 1/2 furlongs.
DEL MAR, Calif. – Beholder, the two-time champion who beat males Aug. 22 in the $1 million Pacific Classic, worked three furlongs in 36 seconds Saturday at Del Mar.
Trainer Richard Mandella timed the workout slightly quicker in 35.80 and said the exercise puts Beholder on course for the $300,000 Zenyatta Stakes for fillies and mares Sept. 26 at Santa Anita.
“If she looks like she does now, we’ll be running,” Mandella said.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Honor Code got to stretch his legs a bit when breezing an easy and slow half-mile in 52.49 seconds at his regular training time of 6:30 a.m. Saturday at Saratoga. Honor Code picked up the pace a little once passing the wire, galloping out five furlongs in 1:06.04 before pulling up six panels in 1:18.33.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Vyjack, entered and scratched on two occasions at the meet, will try to make it to the starting gate in Monday’s Grade 2, $250,000 Bernard Baruch Handicap on closing day.
Vyjack was entered in the Lure Stakes on Aug. 8 and scratched because owner David Wilkenfeld wanted to run him in the Grade 2 Fourstardave a week later. Vyjack was scratched out of that race because he developed a temperature the night before.
Vyjack has twice run on turf, finishing third behind King Kreesa in the Poker and in the Forbidden Apple at Belmont Park.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Upstart came out of his fourth-place finish in the Grade 1 Travers Stakes well enough that trainer Rick Violette is planning to run him back in the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby at Parx on Sept. 19.
“I’m giving him every opportunity,” Violette said Friday at Saratoga. “He came out of the race pretty good. I’ll breeze him next weekend, and if we like what we see, we’ll go.”
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Jockey Mike Luzzi was arrested Thursday by Saratoga Springs police and faces two felony and two misdemeanor charges as the result of an altercation he had with his wife, Tania.
Luzzi, 45, was arrested at 12:33 a.m. Thursday and charged with criminal mischief in the third degree (felony), strangulation (felony), assault in the third degree/intent physical injury (misdemeanor), and endangering the welfare of a child (misdemeanor).
DEL MAR, Calif. – Shared Belief, the champion 2-year-old male of 2013, has started a light exercise program of walking at the Pegasus Training and Equine Rehabilitation Center in Redmond, Wash., the first stage in a planned comeback after injuring his hip in the Charles Town Classic in West Virginia in April.
Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said Shared Belief is walking a couple of times a day and is being exercised on an AquaCiser, which allows him to walk underwater.
“He seems to be coming along well,” Hollendorfer said Thursday.
