DEL MAR, Calif. – Tara’s Tango, second in three consecutive stakes at Santa Anita through the spring, will be a heavy favorite in Wednesday’s seventh race, an optional claimer for fillies and mares at a mile.
Trained by Jerry Hollendorfer for Stonestreet Stables, Tara’s Tango can win the second race of her career against eight opponents.
DEL MAR, Calif. – Talis, winner of the Grade 2 Raven Run Stakes at Keeneland last October, is nearing her 2015 debut at Del Mar.
On Sunday, Talis worked five furlongs in 59.40 seconds, the fastest of 64 recorded works at the distance. The workout left trainer Simon Callaghan tentatively planning a start in the $100,000 Rancho Bernardo Handicap for fillies and mares at 6 1/2 furlongs Aug. 16.
“I think that makes sense,” he said.
Talis, 4, is considered a candidate for the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Keeneland on Oct. 31.
DEL MAR, Calif. – Beholder may have outgrown her female counterparts this summer.
A day after Beholder’s convincing win in the $300,750 Clement Hirsch Stakes, trainer Richard Mandella reiterated Sunday the two-time champion will be considered for the $1 million Pacific Classic against males Aug. 22 at Del Mar.
Mandella mentioned the Pacific Classic in the winner’s circle after the Hirsch and said Sunday the 5-year-old mare’s condition in coming weeks will determine a course of action.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - It took Honor Code 50 minutes to breeze a half-mile in 50 seconds Sunday morning at Saratoga.
After spending about 30 minutes on the Oklahoma training track - where he twice refused to break off - Honor Code went over to the main track, where he eventually worked a half-mile in 50.37 seconds in preparation for an expected start in Saturday’s Grade 1, $1.25 million Whitney Stakes. All totaled, his time between the two tracks amounted to 50 minutes.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – As fun a race as Saturday’s Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt was to watch, it does not appear likely there will be a rematch Aug. 29 in the Grade 1 Forego at Saratoga.
Rock Fall beat The Big Beast by a nose in the Vanderbilt, a race in which John Velazquez, the rider of The Big Beast, lost his whip in midstretch and had to resort to using his goggles to try to get more out of his horse.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Despite losing his right front shoe – presumably early on – in Saturday’s Grade 2, $600,000 Jim Dandy Stakes, Frosted came out of the race relatively unscathed and remains on course for the $1.25 million Travers Stakes here Aug. 29, trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said Sunday morning.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Jockey Mike Luzzi, severely injured in a paddock accident at Aqueduct last November, has been cleared by doctors to return to the saddle, Luzzi said Friday.
Luzzi, 45, has been getting on horses in the mornings for the last few days and hopes to return to race-riding in the near future.
“When somebody gives me a mount, I’ll accept it,” said Luzzi, who has ridden 3,420 races since his career began in 1988 and was the Eclipse Award-winning apprentice of 1989.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Liam’s Map worked a very fast five furlongs Saturday in preparation for next Saturday’s Grade 1, $1.25 million Whitney Stakes. Trainer Todd Pletcher is not so sure that was a good thing.
Liam’s Map went in 58.42 seconds, going his first three furlongs in 34.03 over the Saratoga main track. Despite going so quick early, he got his final quarter in 24.49 seconds and galloped out six furlongs in 1:11.62 and seven furlongs in 1:25.17.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Daredevil, the Grade 1 Champagne winner on dirt at age 2, will make his turf debut in Friday’s Grade 2, $200,000 National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame Stakes at Saratoga.
For the third straight week, Daredevil worked on turf Saturday, breezing a sharp half-mile 47.75 seconds in company with Charming Kitten. He shaded 23 seconds for his final quarter.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - The purse of the Travers Stakes would increase to $1.6 million from $1.25 million should Triple Crown winner American Pharoah start in the race Aug. 29, the New York Racing Association announced Saturday.
The winner’s share of the Travers would increase to $850,000 from the current guarantee of $675,000 should American Pharoah start.
The extra money would come from the purse account and comes with the blessing of the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association, according to Martin Panza, NYRA’s senior vice president of racing operations.
