ARCADIA, Calif. – The 2015 graded stakes winners Finnegans Wake and Majestic City were confirmed Saturday as starters for the $500,000 Gold Cup at Santa Anita on June 27.
Finnegans Wake, the winner of three graded stakes on turf, worked a half-mile in 48.20 seconds Saturday at the San Luis Rey Downs training center in northern San Diego County.
“He did it very easily and galloped out strongly,” trainer Peter Miller said.
ARCADIA, Calif. – American Pharoah had his first exercise since arriving at Santa Anita on Thursday, jogging on the main track Saturday morning.
American Pharoah was eager for activity, according to regular exercise rider Jorge Alvarez.
“He was pretty fresh,” Alvarez said.
American Pharoah was flown Thursday from Churchill Downs to Santa Anita. He walked at Baffert’s barn Friday and will continue to exercise regularly in the coming days. On Saturday, Baffert said he is considering giving American Pharoah a workout June 27 or 28.
When three generations of the Bryant family landed in the winner’s circle after the Bucharest Stakes in February with their Meme Jo, it was one of those life-affirming moments racing regularly bestows on its own.
George Bryant, his son, George A. Bryant, and his granddaughter, Lexington Bryant, will be hoping for more of that kind of rush on Sunday as they celebrate Father’s Day at Lone Star Park.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Crius appears to be on his way to becoming one of the leaders of the local 3-year-old division. It’s really no big surprise. He is the second starter out of multiple stakes winner Excited Miss. Excited Miss’s first starter is Arabella’s Muse, who moved to the top of the local filly-and-mare division when she scored a one-length win over Hollywood Miss in the $50,000 Vancouver Sun on June 7.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – The champ is coming to Gulfstream Park.
Reigning sprint champion Work All Week is targeting the Grade 2 Smile Sprint Handicap for his next start July 5, trainer Roger Brueggemann said Friday.
Work All Week, who clinched an Eclipse Award with his victory over Secret Circle and Private Zone in the 2014 Breeders’ Cup Sprint, will make his second start of the season in the six-furlong Smile Sprint. Work All Week finished second behind Alsvid following an unlucky start in the Grade 3 Aristides when launching his 2015 campaign May 30 at Churchill Downs.
The 2-year-old filly Uptown Twirl lived up to advance billing as the 1-2 favorite by winning a maiden special weight race by a half-length over Tiz a Tommy Town on Thursday at Santa Anita. Chances are the fillies will see each other again later this season, possibly in stakes.
Uptown Twirl, trained by John Sadler, and Tiz a Tommy Town, trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, disputed the lead throughout. Tiz a Tommy Town finished 6 3/4 lengths clear of third-place finisher Lady Cloud, a 51-1 shot.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – With several would-be contenders taking a pass, the Grade 2, $200,000 Firecracker on closing night of the 38-day Churchill Downs spring meet is taking on a wide-open look.
Highly regarded nominees such as Sky Captain, The Pizza Man, Departing, and Golden Soul will not run, according to their connections, leaving the one-mile turf race with no apparent favorite. Among those who could start are Aztec Brave, Frac Daddy, Guys Reward, Hammers Terror, Villandry, and Xtra Luck.
AUBURN, Wash. – Blaine Wright has never won a training title at Emerald Downs, or anywhere, for that matter, but he’s thinking that 2015 might be the perfect time for a breakthrough.
Wright, 40, began the week with 13 wins from 40 starters at the meet, putting him second in the standings behind Jeff Metz. Metz, the two-time defending champion, has thrived this year with a high-volume approach (77 starts, 21 wins). Wright has fewer horses but a healthier winning percentage – 32.5 percent entering the week, the second-best strike rate at Emerald Downs (minimum 15 starters).
ARCADIA, Calif. – Jockeys Rafael Bejarano and Gary Stevens will each have a new agent in July.
Bejarano, the leading rider in Southern California, will be represented by Tora Yamaguchi, who replaces Joe Ferrer. Bejarano and Ferrer had worked together for 11 years. Ferrer has chosen to retire to south Florida, Bejarano said.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Hoppertunity, the three-time stakes winner who was third in the Stephen Foster Handicap at Churchill Downs on June 13, might make a quick turnaround for the $500,000 Gold Cup at Santa Anita on June 27.
Trainer Bob Baffert said Hoppertunity’s status will be determined by how the 4-year-old colt continues his recovery from the Foster.
“If he bounces out of it, he might be a starter,” Baffert said.
