Wed, 04/08/2015 - 13:31

Castellano, Pletcher win titles

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – The 2014-15 championship meet officially ended Sunday with Javier Castellano once again running away with the jockeys’ title and Todd Pletcher continuing his amazing streak with his 12th consecutive training crown.

Luis Saez was easily second-best in the jockey standings, with Paco Lopez, Edgard Zayas, and John Velazquez rounding out the top five. Jorge Navarro, Mike Maker, Chad Brown, and Wesley Ward finished second through fifth behind Pletcher in the trainer standings.

Wed, 04/08/2015 - 13:21

Spirit Rules set for graded stakes debut in Kona Gold

Benoit & Associates
Spirit Rules and jockey Iggy Puglisi go past San Onofre to win the California Cup Sprint.

CYPRESS, Calif. – He’s a 6-year-old stakes winner with earnings of $327,238, and yet Spirit Rules still has something to prove when he makes his graded stakes debut in Saturday’s $200,000 Kona Gold Stakes at Santa Anita.

“I want to find out if he fits,” trainer Paul Aguirre said Wednesday at Los Alamitos. “If he doesn’t, we’ll find a plan.”

Owned by a partnership, Spirit Rules won the California Cup Sprint for statebreds at six furlongs Jan. 24 and finished in a dead heat for third in the Sensational Star Stakes for statebreds on the hillside turf course Feb. 21.

Wed, 04/08/2015 - 13:16

Bayern eyes Churchill Downs Stakes on Derby undercard

Barbara D. Livingston
Bayern, shown training in February at Santa Anita, will likely make his first start of 2015 in either the Churchill Downs Stakes or Alysheba Stakes at Churchill Downs.

Bayern, unraced since winning the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita in November, will have his 2015 debut at Churchill Downs the first weekend of May, most likely in the $500,000 Churchill Downs Stakes on the Kentucky Derby undercard May 2.

On Wednesday, trainer Bob Baffert said Bayern will start in either the Churchill Downs Stakes at seven furlongs or the $400,000 Alysheba Stakes at 1 1/16 miles May 1 on the undercard of the Kentucky Oaks. He said he is leaning toward the Churchill Downs Stakes.

Wed, 04/08/2015 - 13:11

California Chrome to resume training this weekend

Barbara D. Livingston
California Chrome is scheduled to resume training this weekend in Newmarket, England.

CYPRESS, Calif. – California Chrome, second in the $10 million Dubai World Cup on March 28, is scheduled to resume training this weekend in Newmarket, England, in advance of a spring campaign in that country.

Wed, 04/08/2015 - 12:35

Conquest Two Step euthanized following surgery complications

Benoit & Associates
Conquest Two Step, shown after winning the Palos Verdes Stakes on Jan. 31 at Santa Anita, was euthanized Monday after suffering complications following surgery.

Conquest Two Step, the winner of the Grade 2 Palos Verdes Stakes at Santa Anita on Jan. 31, was euthanized Monday after suffering complications following surgery for an injured left hind leg, trainer Mark Casse said Wednesday.

Conquest Two Step was diagnosed with a condylar fracture after a workout at Santa Anita last Saturday. He underwent surgery Monday but reinjured the leg while recovering from anesthesia, Casse said.

Wed, 04/08/2015 - 12:31

Mr. Jordan’s next start under consideration

Lauren King/Coglianese Photos
Mr. Jordan ended his 2-year-old season with this win in the Cool Air. He suffered the first defeat of his career in the Tamarac Stakes here March 27.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Trainer Eddie Plesa Jr. said on Wednesday that Mr. Jordan came out of his second-place finish in the Tamarac Stakes here March 27 in good order and that he’s considering several options for his next start. Competitive Edge remained unbeaten with an 8 1/4-length victory in the Tamarac.

Wed, 04/08/2015 - 12:06

Private Zone targeting ambitious schedule

Barbara D. Livingston
Private Zone, who worked a half-mile at Gulfstream Park West on Wednesday, has the Churchill Downs Stakes, Met Mile, and possibly the Whitney on his agenda.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Private Zone worked a half-mile in 47.21 seconds and galloped out five-eighths in 59.73 on Wednesday at Gulfstream Park West with jockey Carlos H. Marquez Jr. aboard.

Private Zone galloped to the pole in company but worked solo and without blinkers, which he wears when racing. Private Zone posted splits of 11.52 and 23.12 to the quarter pole and was in hand finishing into a mild headwind before galloping out strongly into the turn over a loose and cuppy racetrack.

Wed, 04/08/2015 - 11:25

Brereton Jones holding pair of aces for Kentucky Oaks

Coady Photography
Include Betty (right) is one of two prime contenders owner Brereton Jones will have for the May 1 Kentucky Oaks.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – In an unforgettable day at the races, fillies owned by former Kentucky Gov. Brereton C. Jones won two major Kentucky Oaks preps last Saturday. Lovely Maria delivered as the favorite in the Grade 1 Ashland at Keeneland, and Include Betty came through at 18-1 in the Grade 3, $400,000 Fantasy at Oaklawn Park. Jones is the sole owner of Lovely Maria, while he races Include Betty in partnership with Tim Thornton.

Tue, 04/07/2015 - 15:25

Moquett barn high on Far Right ahead of Arkansas Derby

Coady Photography
Mike Smith brings Far Right up the rail to win his second straight stakes in the Southwest.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Far Right has a diverse cast of people working behind the scenes to bring out the best in the multiple stakes winner, who could start as the second choice to Southern California shipper American Pharoah in the Grade 1, $1 million Arkansas Derby on Saturday.

Far Right has wintered at Oaklawn, where twice he’s rolled up the rail to win stakes, taking the $150,000 Smarty Jones in his 3-year-old debut in January and the Grade 3, $300,000 Southwest Stakes in his most recent out Feb. 22.

Tue, 04/07/2015 - 15:03

Enchanting Lady likely for Eight Belles Stakes

Shigeki Kikkawa
Enchanting Lady wins the Santa Paula on April 5 at Santa Anita.

Enchanting Lady is likely to start in the $200,000 Eight Belles Stakes at Churchill Downs on May 1 after winning the second stakes of her career in Sunday’s $77,050 Santa Paula Stakes.

Enchanting Lady will give owner Kaleem Shah a formidable team for some of the leading stakes at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Derby weekend. He owns the unbeaten Dortmund, who won the Santa Anita Derby last Saturday and is a top-rated candidate for the Kentucky Derby on May 2.