HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Even if Ami’s Flatter doesn’t make it to the Kentucky Derby, there’s another prestigious race awaiting him.
Second to Carpe Diem last weekend in the Tampa Bay Derby, Ami’s Flatter is an Ontario-bred colt who is eligible for the biggest race in Canada, the Queen’s Plate on July 5. Ami’s Flatter is based at the Palm Meadows training center, a one-hour drive north of Gulfstream Park.
Saturday’s $50,000-added Camilla Urso sprint for older fillies and mares will have a Breeders’ Cup headliner.
Trainer Gary Mandella will use the six-furlong race for Living the Life’s 2015 debut. Living the Life, a 5-year-old Irish-bred mare, ran 10th in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint after winning her first two starts in the United States. She won her debut last Aug. 7 in a Del Mar allowance race and then captured the Grade 2 Presque Isle Downs Masters Stakes over a synthetic Tapeta track similar to Golden Gate’s.
Jockey Corey Nakatani has the mount on Take Charge Brandi on Saturday in the Grade 2, $750,000 Rebel at Oaklawn Park, trainer D. Wayne Lukas said Tuesday. The champion 2-year-old filly of 2014, Take Charge Brandi will face American Pharoah, the champion 2-year-old male of 2014k.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – The Big Beast could make his next start in either the Grade 1, $400,000 Carter Handicap at Aqueduct on April 4 or the Grade 3, $300,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap at Oaklawn on April 9, trainer Tony Dutrow said Monday.
The Big Beast, who is stabled at Oaklawn, won his 4-year-old debut at the track March 1. Dutrow said he emerged from the allowance sprint in good order. The Big Beast, who was making his first start since capturing the Grade 1 King’s Bishop at Saratoga in August, earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 97.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark.- Take Charge Brandi, the champion 2-year-old filly of 2014, and Far Right, winner of the Grade 3, $300,000 Southwest Stakes, led a group of notable 3-year-olds who worked Monday at Oaklawn.
Take Charge Brandi had her final prep for the Grade 2, $750,000 Rebel Stakes on Saturday. She will meet American Pharoah, the champion 2-year-old colt of 2014 who is scheduled to fly from his Southern California base to Oaklawn on Wednesday, according to trainer Bob Baffert.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Although Honor Code received a career best 108 Beyer Speed Figure for his performance in the Gulfstream Park Handicap, it was not the fastest performance on Saturday’s card. That honor went to Ready for Rye, who received a 109 for his easy victory over the odds-on Daredevil in the seven-furlong Swale.
Trainer Tom Albertrani said Monday that the seven-furlong Bay Shore at Aqueduct on April 4 is the most logical next race for Ready for Rye.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - From the frozen tundra of Aqueduct to the scorching desert in Dubai.
Salutos Amigos, who has become the top sprinter on the East Coast, will make his next start in the $2 million Golden Shaheen at Meydan on the undercard of the March 28 Dubai World Cup, trainer David Jacobson confirmed Monday afternoon.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Honor Code and Private Zone put on a pretty good show in Saturday’s Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Handicap, and if all goes well over the next several months, they could meet again at Belmont Park in the prestigious Metropolitan Handicap.
Honor Code was back at his winter quarters at Payson Park on Monday morning and doing well according to trainer Shug McGaughey following his thrilling last-to-first victory over Private Zone in the one-mile Gulfstream Park Handicap.
Untapable and Tapiture will begin their 4-year-old seasons with new riders Saturday at Oaklawn Park. The now-retired Rosie Napravnik was the regular rider of both horses last year.
Napravnik was aboard Untapable for 9 of her 11 career starts. Napravnik announced her retirement in the Santa Anita winner’s circle on Oct. 31 after guiding Untapable to victory in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff.
Texas Red, the winner of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile last fall, returned to Santa Anita on Monday after recuperating on a farm from a foot injury, and will begin his Hail Mary quest to make the May 2 Kentucky Derby with a half-mile workout on Saturday, trainer Keith Desormeaux said Monday.
