Colonial Downs, which is owned by Churchill Downs Inc., on Sunday announced it would host a four-day race meeting next March in addition to its regular summer season running from late July through early September.
The last North American-based 3-year-old to win the Breeders’ Cup Mile was War Chant in 2000, but the way Trikari has progressed through late spring and summer, his connections are wondering if the colt might be BC Mile material come November.
When Moira beat Fev Rover by a head in the Beverly D. Stakes on Sunday at Colonial Downs, it marked the sixth meeting between the mares. Their seventh matchup likely comes Sept. 14 at Woodbine in the Grade 1, $750,000 E.P. Taylor Stakes.
Both horses, according to their respective trainers, emerged from Sunday’s contest in good physical condition, and both will resume training at Woodbine. Moira, who needed the entire homestretch to push past pacesetting Fev Rover as the odds-on Beverly D. favorite, was on a horse trailer Monday headed north from Virginia.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – With Carl Spackler having become a Grade 1 winner and earning a fees-paid berth in the Breeders’ Cup Mile on Nov. 2 by virtue of his victory in Sunday’s Fourstardave, trainer Chad Brown must now figure out the best route to get to the $2 million race at Del Mar.
His main choices for a race in between now and the BC Mile are the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile on Sept. 14 or the Grade 1, $1.25 million Coolmore Turf Mile on Oct. 5 at Keeneland. As an Irish-bred, Carl Spackler would only be running for $1 million at Keeneland.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – On the 3-year-old front, trainer Mark Casse welcomed Little Ni to his stable after a private purchase was made by KEM Stables of Kenny Fishbein, Earl Silver, and Michael Eiserman. Little Ni had previously been owned by Jersey Pride Racing, Boardwalk Racing, and Billy Belford.
Little Ni, previously trained by Ed Owens, won his first three starts, then gave Book’em Danno a stiff test in the Jersey Shore Stakes on July 19, falling a nose short of that Grade 1 winner. The two are due to rematch in the Grade 1, $500,000 H. Allen Jerkens Stakes here Aug. 24.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer Mark Casse has enjoyed a tremendous year so far with his 2-year-old crop, having won 25 juvenile races already in 2024 including six maiden heats at Saratoga.
Over the weekend, Casse recorded two more maiden scores at Saratoga with Sandman, a 2-year-old colt by Tapit, on Saturday and La Cara, a 2-year-old filly by Street Sense, on Sunday. Earlier maiden winners for Casse at this meet were And One More Time (Omaha Beach), Abientot (Not This Time), Dare to Breeze (Daredevil), and Classic Time (Classic Empire).
Jonas Gibson is making a major push to win the training title at Louisiana Downs and heading into the final stretch of the meet has a narrow lead over three-time defending champ Shane Wilson.
The title would be a first for Gibson. He had won 25 races from 64 starters through Sunday – including six consecutive races from July 3-15. Wilson was sitting second with 22 wins through Sunday, while Joey Foster was third with 21.
DEL MAR, Calif. – The Grade 1 Pacific Classic on Aug. 31 at Del Mar may be a locals-only affair.
While developments in coming weeks could lead to changes in the lineup, the list of candidates as of Sunday consisted entirely of Southern California-based runners. Trainer Todd Pletcher said in a text message Sunday that he does not have plans for a starter.
The California Horse Racing Board is scheduled to meet in Del Mar on Thursday with proposed racing dates for 2025 as a primary issue on the agenda.
While changes are not expected for the Southern California Thoroughbred circuit, documents recently sent to the racing board provide a clearer picture of a Thoroughbred racing schedule at Pleasanton in Northern California that will replace Golden Gate Fields in Albany. Golden Gate Fields closed in June.
DEL MAR, Calif. – Juan Hernandez, the leading rider at the current Del Mar summer meeting, will serve a one-day suspension Saturday for excessive use of the whip aboard R Heisman in the $101,500 Graduation Stakes last Friday.
Hernandez was cited for using his whip seven times, once above the permitted level. He was fined $500 for the infraction.
Hernandez will be able to ride Saturday’s stakes, the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks. He is set to ride Zona Verde, who was second in the Grade 2 San Clemente Handicap on July 20. Stakes mounts are exempt from routine suspensions.
