Ocho Ocho Ocho and Papacoolpapacool are en route from Southern California to Penn National Race Course in Grantville, Pa., today. Both 3-year-olds will be entered Wednesday for the Grade 3, $500,000 Penn Mile next Saturday.
Ocho Ocho Ocho, trained by Jim Cassidy, will make his turf debut in the Penn Mile. He has worked twice since finishing 14th in the Kentucky Derby. Prior to that, Ocho Ocho Ocho finished third to Carpe Diem in the Grade 1 Blue Grass at Keeneland.
ELMONT, N.Y. – As fellow trainer Linda Rice said Monday morning, Mike Hushion was “a sight for sore eyes” at Belmont Park over the weekend.
Hushion, who was found to have leukemia in February, was at the barn Saturday through Monday, taking advantage of off days in his ongoing treatment.
Hushion said he is cancer-free but must continue treatment on an outpatient basis for the next several months.
Hushion said “it feels good” to be around horses again.
“I remember going through a three-year period without a day off, even Christmas,” Hushion said.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Trainer Christophe Clement over the weekend became the 15th trainer in North America to surpass the $100 million mark in purse earnings.
Clement had many runners throughout North America over the weekend, highlighted by Red Vine’s victory in the Majestic Light Stakes at Monmouth Park.
Clement, 49, recorded his first North American victory at Belmont Park in October 1991.
“Great owners, fast horses, wonderful staff,” Clement said. “Very grateful. I’m 49 years old. Hopefully, there’s more to come.”
ELMONT, N.Y. – When Untapable worked at Belmont Park on May 18, trainer Steve Asmussen felt she was distracted.
On Monday, when Untapable worked again for the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps, she was all business. Last year’s champion 3-year-old filly, Untapable worked five furlongs in 1:00.20 with a strong gallop-out of six furlongs in 1:13 and seven-eighths in 1:27.60, according to Daily Racing Form clocker Mike Vesce.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Trainer Ian Black said Excaper is set for the Grade 2 Connaught Cup Stakes at Woodbine on Saturday after posting a bullet four-furlong work in 46.80 seconds on the turf training track here Sunday.
“That’s the plan,” Black said. “He worked well [Sunday] morning, and that’s what we’re going to do. Seven-eighths suits him pretty well.”
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Canada’s champion juvenile filly of 2014, Conquest Harlanate, is getting close to making her 2015 local debut after breezing five furlongs in 59.80 seconds on the turf training track here Sunday.
Trainer Mark Casse said Conquest Harlanate likely will start in the $100,000 Alywow Stakes, an overnight stakes for 3-year-old fillies over 6 1/2 furlongs on turf June 14, the same day as the $500,000 Woodbine Oaks.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – After running sixth in the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico on May 16, Danzig Moon will be pointed toward the $150,000 Plate Trial Stakes at Woodbine on June 14, trainer Mark Casse said.
Danzig Moon is expected to ship to Woodbine in the next week to begin training on Woodbine’s Polytrack, a surface that he has yet to race over. Casse said he’s concerned about whether Danzig Moon will handle the synthetic surface, and a start in the Plate Trial would allow him to get experience over the track before the $1 million Queen’s Plate on July 5.
ARCADIA, Calif. – The winners of the five six-figure stakes for California-breds Saturday at Santa Anita may reappear in stakes ranging from the $500,000 Gold Cup at Santa Anita on June 27 to lesser stakes at Santa Anita next month and at Los Alamitos and Del Mar later this summer.
Motown Men, who won Saturday’s $151,250 Tiznow Stakes at a mile, is a candidate for the Grade 1 Gold Cup at Santa Anita at 1 1/4 miles June 27, trainer Ted H. West said Sunday.
Belmont Park
Weather: Clear
Temperature: 58
Track: Fast
ELMONT, N.Y. - Not much activity on the Belmont Stakes front around here these days with only six potential starters on the grounds, four of whom are coming off five furlongs workouts on Friday.
