Ocho Ocho Ocho, unraced since winning the $1 million Delta Jackpot Stakes in Louisiana in November, is on schedule for a comeback March 7 in the $400,000 San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita.
On Thursday, Ocho Ocho Ocho worked five furlongs in 59.40 seconds. Trainer Jim Cassidy timed Ocho Ocho Ocho in 59, galloping out six furlongs in 1:12.20 and a mile in 1:40.20.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Bobbi Grace won for the first time in the U.S. in an optional claimer on the hillside turf course Jan. 16 at Santa Anita, the filly’s third start in this country.
Gary Stevens rode Bobbi Grace that day and is hoping for a long-term partnership with the Irish runner, who starts in Saturday’s $75,000 Sweet Life Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course.
Bobbi Grace was sent off at even-money Jan. 16 and pulled clear late to win by 1 1/4 lengths.
“It was a steer job, just like it looked,” Stevens said.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Though he is expected to make his next start in New York, Withers Stakes winner Far From Over arrived at the Palm Beach Downs training center in south Florida on Thursday morning in order to maintain a regular training regimen, according to trainer Todd Pletcher.
Far From Over, who overcame a bad stumble to win last Saturday’s Grade 3 Withers by 1 3/4 lengths, will run next at Aqueduct in either the Grade 3, $400,000 Gotham on March 7 or the Grade 1, $1 million Wood Memorial on April 4.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Condo Commando, a multiple graded stakes winner and a finalist for the Eclipse Award as champion 2-year-old filly of 2014, will make her 3-year-old debut in the $100,000 Busher Stakes on Feb. 21, trainer Rudy Rodriguez said.
On Tuesday, Condo Commando worked six furlongs in 1:16.31 at Aqueduct, just her third breeze since resuming training. Condo Commando hasn’t raced since winning the Grade 2 Demoiselle by 11 1/2 lengths at Aqueduct on Nov. 29. She also won the Grade 1 Spinaway by 13 1/4 lengths in the slop at Saratoga last summer.
Delaware Park has bolstered its biggest day of the season this year by moving the Grade 3 Kent Stakes from its usual September spot on the calendar to the Delaware Handicap undercard.
The Grade 1, $750,000 Delaware Handicap, a 1 1/4-mile race for fillies and mares, will be run July 18. It was won last year by Belle Gallantey, who went on to win the Grade 1 Beldame Invitational at Belmont Park in September.
The $200,000 Kent is a 1 1/8-mile turf race for 3-year-olds. It's purse has been boosted $50,000 this year.
Hillbilly Royalty, undefeated in two starts after winning a first-level allowance Feb. 6 at Oaklawn Park, could see stakes action in the near future, said Donnie Von Hemel, who trains the horse for his Oklahoma-based breeder, the Dream Walkin’ Farms operation of country music artist Toby Keith and his family.
The Texas Thoroughbred Association is bringing the owners and trainers of ready-to-retire racehorses together with a number of re-homing organizations at an event March 8 at Sam Houston Race Park in Houston, the organization announced. The inaugural Roses to Ribbons Old Fashioned Horse Fair is being put on by The Paddock Foundation, a nonprofit for Thoroughbred aftercare launched by the Texas Thoroughbred Association. It will start at 11 a.m. Central.
Ride On Curlin is the 119-pound starting highweight for the $100,000 Essex Handicap, which drew eight older horses for Saturday at Oaklawn Park. Ride On Curlin will break from post 7 under Jon Court.
The field, from the rail with riders, is: Joy Boy, Ramon Vazquez; Rocket Time, Calvin Borel; I Got It All, Channing Hill; Code West, Chris Landeros; For Greater Glory, Joe Rocco Jr.; Luv Bandit, Shaun Bridgmohan; Ride On Curlin, Court; and Golden Lad, Ricardo Santana Jr.
Larry Jones has trained good horses for a long time, but it’s possible that he’s never looked down his shed row and seen quite the depth of talent that exists right now at Fair Grounds.
Jones has several horses pointed to the multi-stakes day of racing Feb. 21 at Fair Grounds, and there is more still coming down the pipeline. Coup de Grace, unraced since last fall, is working toward his 4-year-old debut. Normandy Invasion is galloping and jogging, on his way back from an injury that sidelined him early last summer.
War Story and Mr. Z were among a handful of Southwest Stakes workers Wednesday at Oaklawn. It was sunny and in the 30s, and the track was listed as “fast.” War Story and Mr. Z breezed in the first set, with Lecomte Stakes runner-up War Story going a half-mile in a bullet 47 seconds in his first drill at Oaklawn.
:: ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY: Prep races, point standings, replays
