Fri, 01/16/2015 - 14:16

Wise Dan making progress but in no rush to return

Barbara D. Livingston
Wise Dan continues to make progress recovering from a cannon-bone fracture in his right front ankle.

Wise Dan, the Horse of the Year in 2012 and 2013, continues to recover from a cannon-bone fracture discovered in his right front ankle in October, leaving trainer Charlie LoPresti optimistic that he can resume light training next month with continued progress.

“He’s doing great, getting turned out six or seven hours in a paddock each day,” LoPresti said Friday. “He looks to be sound on his ankle. We’ll re-radiograph it soon, and if everything looks good, he can get back to jogging when the weather breaks maybe sometime in mid-February.”

Fri, 01/16/2015 - 13:56

Bayern jogs Friday ahead of San Antonio Stakes

Nikki Sherman
Bayern won four stakes in 2014 and is a contender for Horse of the Year.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Bayern, the winner of the Breeders’ Cup Classic in November, was jogged Friday with a bar shoe protecting a foot made tender by a recent abscess, trainer Bob Baffert said.

Bayern has missed training in the last week because of the foot issue, and the situation has cast doubt on whether Bayern can be ready for the $500,000 San Antonio Stakes at Santa Anita on Feb. 7. The Grade 2 San Antonio Stakes is expected to include the top 4-year-olds California Chrome and Shared Belief.

Fri, 01/16/2015 - 13:49

My Sweet Addiction goes with Plan B in Santa Monica Stakes

Shigeki Kikkawa
My Sweet Addiction, who was scratched from last week's Paseana Stakes, will start Monday in the Santa Monica Stakes at Santa Anita Park.

My Sweet Addiction was entered in the $75,000 Paseana Stakes over a mile last Sunday until trainer Marty Jones took a look at the Santa Anita main track early in the day.

“It looked pretty ugly out there,” he said.

Overnight rain left the main track wet-fast that day and led Jones to scratch My Sweet Addiction. Jones had a backup plan with Monday’s $200,000 Santa Monica Stakes for fillies and mares over seven furlongs.

Fri, 01/16/2015 - 13:19

McLaughlin pins Holy Bull hopes on Frosted

Barbara D. Livingston
Among five horses he nominated, trainer Kiaran McLaughlin has chosen Remsen runner-up Frosted (12) to run in next Saturday's Holy Bull.

BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. – With five runners nominated to next Saturday’s Grade 3, $400,000 Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream Park, trainer Kiaran McLaughlin would appear to have a hammerlock on the race. But he said Friday that he will try to divide and conquer with his bevy of 3-year-olds, splitting the quintet among different spots while reserving the Holy Bull for the highly regarded Frosted, who finished second in the Remsen Stakes in his final start at age 2.

Fri, 01/16/2015 - 13:11

Fast Anna resumes training after knee surgery

Barbara D. Livingston
Trainer Kathy Ritvo has not yet picked out a race for Fast Anna's 4-year-old debut.

Fast Anna, who set the pace into the stretch before finishing fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint, returned to the track for the first time Thursday at Gulfstream Park after undergoing minor knee surgery this winter, according to trainer Kathy Ritvo.

Fri, 01/16/2015 - 11:45

Barbados remains on target for Hutcheson

Barbara D. Livingston
Barbados, shown winning the Spectacular Bid, is a confirmed starter for the seven-furlong Hutcheson for 3-year-olds.

Trainer Mike Tomlinson said things couldn’t be better with Barbados, a three-length winner of the Jan. 3 Spectacular Bid at Gulfstream Park, and indicated that the colt will run back in the Grade 3, $150,000 Hutcheson Stakes on the Holy Bull undercard next Saturday.

“I’ll probably do a little something with him Tuesday, maybe breeze him an easy three-eighths,” said Tomlinson. “With just three weeks between races, there’s no need to ask for too much.”

Thu, 01/15/2015 - 14:33

Big Business, Geaux Mets represent Jacobson in Holly Hughes

Chelsea Durand/NYRA
Big Business (inside) will cut back to six furlongs after winning the Alex M. Robb at 1 1/16 miles.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Trainer David Jacobson entered two horses for Sunday’s $100,000 Hollie Hughes Stakes at Aqueduct, but he did not enter the 10-year-old Be Bullish, a two-time winner from five starts in the race.

Jacobson did enter Big Business, who will be cutting back to six furlongs for the first time since Sept. 20, 2012, when he won a $35,000 claiming race at Belmont in his first start for Jacobson. Big Business is coming off a win in the Alex M. Robb at 1 1/16 miles.

He drew post 6 and will be ridden by Fernando Jara.

Thu, 01/15/2015 - 14:31

Condo Commando starts preparing for 2015 campaign

Barbara D. Livingston
Condo Commando has begun training for her first start since winning the Grade 2 Demoiselle in November.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Condo Commando, an Eclipse Award finalist for champion 2-year-old filly of 2014, has recently returned to trainer Rudy Rodriguez’s Aqueduct barn to begin preparations for her 3-year-old campaign.

Following her 11 1/2-length victory in the Grade 2 Demoiselle at Aqueduct in late November, Condo Commando was turned out at the Fair Hill Training Center in North East, Md.

Thu, 01/15/2015 - 14:21

Blue-collar horses set to run for more than $700K in Claiming Championship Series

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – New York’s version of the Claiming Crown will comprise 10 stakes worth a total of $710,000 in purse money when the inaugural Claiming Championship Series is held at Aqueduct on March 21.

Modeled after the Claiming Crown, which was run at Gulfstream Park last December, New York’s Claiming Championship Series will be open to horses who have started for a claiming price in 2014-15. The races will be run over the inner track.

Wed, 01/14/2015 - 15:34

Don't Tell Sophia to skip Pippin Stakes

Barbara D. Livingston
Don't Tell Sophia will try to add to an already productive year when she starts in Thursday's Falls City Handicap at Churchill Downs.

Eclipse Award finalist Don’t Tell Sophia had been targeting the $100,000 Pippin at Oaklawn on Saturday for her first start of the year, but weather-related training disruptions led trainer Phil Sims to skip the race with her when entries were taken Wednesday.

Sims said Don’t Tell Sophia likely will make her next start in the Bayakoa, a $100,000 race for fillies and mares Feb. 15. This year, the race has been elevated in status to a Grade 3.