Fri, 09/11/2015 - 21:22

O'Neill juveniles to split up for Breeders' Cup preps

Benoit & Associates
Nyquist wins the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity for trainer Doug O'Neill and owner Paul Reddam.

LOS ALAMITOS, Calif. – A quintet of Doug O’Neill-trained 2-year-olds will spread across the country this fall as they move closer to the Breeders’ Cup.

As of Friday, O’Neill had five juveniles with Breeders’ Cup aspirations, led by Grade 1 winners Nyquist and Ralis. Both colts went back to the track Friday morning at Santa Anita, four days after winning Grade 1’s in California and New York.

Between races Friday at Los Alamitos, O’Neill mapped out tentative campaigns for the 2-year-olds and two older horses that could end up in the Breeders’ Cup.

Fri, 09/11/2015 - 15:52

Canceled races to be made up

Kentucky Downs will add three races to each of its last two programs Sept. 16 and 19 to make up for some of the races lost Thursday to yet another cancellation at the turf-only track in south-central Kentucky. Each of those cards will feature 13 races, and first post will be 12:05 p.m. Central, 90 minutes earlier than usual.

Fri, 09/11/2015 - 15:51

Limousine Liberal eyes quick return in Gallant Bob

Steve Kweskin
Limousine Liberal, shown winning an Ellis Park allowance sprint in record time, may make his next start in the Gallant Bob Stakes at Parx Racing.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Giving closest chase to Runhappy in the Grade 1 King’s Bishop at Saratoga was another 3-year-old colt whose most recent start had come at Ellis Park.

In just his third career start, Limousine Liberal was making his stakes debut when finishing second, four lengths behind Runhappy and two lengths ahead of third-place Holy Boss, in the Aug. 29 race. Trainer Ben Colebrook was pleased with the outcome.

Fri, 09/11/2015 - 15:26

Top European jockey de Sousa coming to New York

ELMONT, N.Y. – Silvestre de Sousa, the leading jockey in Europe, is planning to move his tack to New York in late October, according to Seth Benzel, the former trainer who will serve as de Sousa’s agent.

Benzel said de Sousa was planning to come to the U.S. earlier this year, but he had a chance to be the United Kingdom’s leading rider when Ryan Moore was injured earlier in the summer.

Fri, 09/11/2015 - 15:26

Frizette a possibility for She’s All Ready

Debra A. Roma
She's All Ready wins the Seeking the Ante Stakes by three lengths Friday at Saratoga.

ELMONT, N.Y. – The unbeaten New York-bred She’s All Ready is under consideration for the Grade 1, $400,000 Frizette Stakes here Oct. 3.

“It will depend on how she trains and what the prospective field looked like and its quality,” trainer Jimmy Ryerson said.

She’s All Ready, a daughter of Girolamo, is 2 for 2, with both of her starts against statebred company at Saratoga. She won a 5 1/2-furlong maiden race Aug. 7 by 8 1/4 lengths and came back to win the Seeking the Ante Stakes going 6 1/2 furlongs on Aug. 28.

Fri, 09/11/2015 - 15:26

King Kreesa taking shot in Shadwell Mile

Barbara D. Livingston
King Kreesa is pointing for the Grade 1 Shadwell Mile and will bypass the Ashley T. Cole for statebreds next Sunday.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Lubash and Kharafa have combined to win the last three runnings of the Ashley T. Cole Stakes for New York-breds, and both are expected to be in the starting gate when that race is run for the 40th time next Sunday at Belmont Park.

One horse who won’t be in the gate with them is King Kreesa, who is eschewing the New York-bred turf scene to take a Grade 1 swing in the $750,000 Shadwell Turf Mile at Keeneland on Oct. 3.

“We’ll give him the opportunity to see where we’re at,” trainer David Donk said Friday.

Thu, 09/10/2015 - 16:11

Irwin finally gets his Super Derby contender in The Pickett Factor

Lynn Roberts/Hodges Photography
The Pickett Factor brings a three-race winning streak into the Super Derby.

BOSSIER CITY, La. – Trainer Ralph Irwin has quietly built a reputation as one of the best horsemen on the grounds at Louisiana Downs, and his work with The Pickett Factor will place him in the spotlight on Saturday. The horse is the morning-line favorite for the Grade 2, $400,000 Super Derby and represents Irwin’s first starter in the marquee race at his home track.

“The horse deserves the opportunity to be in there,” Irwin said. “He’s a real blessing. We’re just riding on his coattails.”

Thu, 09/10/2015 - 15:06

Tagg making plans for promising juveniles

ELMONT, N.Y. – After a terrific Saratoga meet where he won 7 races from 19 starters, trainer Barclay Tagg was back at Belmont Park on Thursday making fall plans for many of those runners.

Three of Tagg’s winners were 2-year-olds: Realm, Tale of S’avall and Highland Sky. Realm, who got the meet rolling with a 1 3/4-length victory July 25, came out of the race with a few minor issues and has only recently resumed training.

Tale of S’avall, a son of Tale of Ekati who won a Travers Day maiden race by two lengths, is being pointed to the Grade 1 Champagne on Oct. 3.

Thu, 09/10/2015 - 15:06

Golden Gate slates 7 stakes for fall meet

Seven stakes, including the Grade 3 Berkeley Handicap and four stakes for 2-year-old runners, are scheduled to be conducted at the Golden Gate Fields fall meeting, which runs from Oct. 22-Dec. 20. The stakes schedule still needs to be approved by the Thoroughbred Owners of California.

The $100,000 Berkeley is scheduled Sunday, Nov. 29 at 1 1/16 miles on the main track.

Two-year-olds begin the path to the Grade 3 El Camino Real Derby with the $50,000-added Golden Nugget at six furlongs on Nov. 7, and continue in the $75,000 Gold Rush at one mile on Dec. 5.

Thu, 09/10/2015 - 15:06

Looks like Pennsylvania Derby for Frosted

Barbara D. Livingston
Frosted works in company with Cavallucci on Thursday at Saratoga.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin still needs to talk with the principals of Godolphin Racing, but all indications are that Frosted is likely to run in the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby on Sept. 19.

Frosted worked four furlongs in 47.95 seconds on Thursday over the main track at Saratoga. Frosted worked in company with Cavallucci, finishing two lengths ahead of that horse at the wire while going his final quarter in 24.51 seconds. Frosted galloped out five furlongs in 1:00.99, per Saratoga clockers.