ELMONT, N.Y. – Tonalist, looking to add the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap to an impressive résumé of graded stakes victories at Belmont Park, worked five furlongs in 1:00.95 on Friday morning at Belmont Park.
Breaking off at the half-mile pole under exercise rider Lee Vickers, Tonalist, working by himself, was clocked in fractions of 12.20 seconds, 24.37, and 48.15. He galloped out six furlongs in 1:14.59. It was his third breeze since winning the Grade 3 Westchester here May 2.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Trainer Todd Pletcher sent out stakes hopefuls Rock Fall and Unitarian to breeze over the Belmont training track on Thursday. Rock Fall will compete against Clearly Now in the True North here next Friday, while Unitarian is being pointed for the Grade 2 Brooklyn here next Saturday.
Rock Fall breezed an easy half-mile in 49.15 seconds and galloped out five-eighths in 1:02.35 in company with Touch the Moon. Unitarian worked five furlongs in 1:00.81 with his maiden stablemate Blame Dixie before galloping out six furlongs in 1:14.46.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Trainer Brian Lynch thought he’d found an easy spot for his turf-sprint specialist Power Alert in Saturday’s $300,000 Evangeline Downs Turf Sprint. But the devastating weather that has plagued that part of the country this past week has forced Lynch to go to Plan B – next Saturday’s Grade 3 Jaipur Invitational at Belmont Park.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Despite the imposing presence of the undefeated Breeders’ Cup champion Lady Eli, a field of eight 3-year-old fillies was drawn Thursday for Sunday’s $200,000 Wonder Again.
Lady Eli, perfect in four starts, launched her 3-year-old campaign with a 2 3/4-length victory in the Grade 3 Appalachian going a mile at Keeneland seven weeks ago and has continued to train impressively leading up to the nine-furlong Wonder Again.
Shock-wave therapy machines will be banned on the premises of Parx Racing in Philadelphia beginning June 1 as the result of a new house rule worked out between management and representatives of horsemen, riders, and state vets, according to racing officials at the track.
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. – The first race on the Friday program at Arlington marks the first 2-year-old race of the season in Chicago, and no one with even half an eye on Arlington racing the last several years will be surprised to see trainer Jim DiVito with two entrants in the race, a 4 1/2-furlong Polytrack dash restricted to Illinois-breds.
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. – Trainer Wesley Ward worked four Royal Ascot-bound 2-year-olds on the Arlington grass course on Sunday, and Arlington will serve as one of two hubs from which Ward plans to launch his biggest British invasion yet.
Quick Dagger and Snappy Girl will be going for the hottest barn on the grounds Saturday when they run in the $300,000 Evangeline Downs Turf Sprint. Karl Broberg, who trains both horses, is winning races at a 54 percent clip at the Opelousas, La., track. He is the leading trainer, with 42 wins from 78 starts through Tuesday. Broberg also ranks as the leading trainer in wins in North America, and his success at Evangeline is fueling his total of 161 wins in 2015.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Princess Violet, winner of the Grade 1 Madison Stakes at Keeneland two starts back, worked six furlongs in 1:13.66 over the Belmont training track Wednesday morning in preparation for an expected start in the Grade 1, $1 million Ogden Phipps Stakes on June 6.
Princess Violet could be a little suspect at the 1 1/16 miles of the Phipps, but it’s a big purse and she did finish second to Untapable last year in the Grade 1 Mother Goose going 1 1/16 miles. Untapable, who went on to become the 3-year-old filly champion of 2014, is the likely favorite in the Phipps.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Joel Rosario, who was replaced by John Velazquez on multiple Grade 1 winner Tonalist for the $1.25 million Metropolitan Handicap, has picked up the mount on Wicked Strong for the Met Mile, replacing Rajiv Maragh, trainer Jimmy Jerkens confirmed Wednesday.
