Wed, 11/26/2014 - 16:41

Busy month on tap for Lukas

Coady Photography
Take Charge Brandi followed up her Breeders' Cup win with another victory Saturday in the Delta Downs Princess at Delta Downs.

Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas will not be slowing down with the close of the calendar year. He swept into Vinton last Saturday and won the Grade 3, $400,000 Delta Downs Princess with Take Charge Brandi and missed by a nose with Mr. Z in the Grade 3, $1 million Delta Downs Jackpot.

Wed, 11/26/2014 - 16:37

Maker plots course for Retama winners

Trainer Mike Maker, who swept two of the key stakes on the Retama Park calendar this season, has determined plans for both of those horses, Right On Kitten and Magna Breeze.

Right On Kitten won the $100,000 La Senorita for 2-year-old fillies on turf Oct. 11 at Retama Park to remain undefeated in two starts for owners Ken and Sarah Ramsey. Maker said the filly is being pointed for the $100,000 Ginger Brew at 7 1/2 furlongs on turf Jan. 3 at Gulfstream Park.

Wed, 11/26/2014 - 16:26

Strong field for Friday featured allowance

A stakes-caliber field of filly and mare turf-sprint specialists will square off under allowance conditions in Friday’s $42,000 main event, carded at five furlongs on grass. Madame Giry, a two-time stakes winner this season, likely will be favored to defeat a field that also includes Spun Cap, Kiama, What a Party, and Peggy Joyce.

Wed, 11/26/2014 - 16:24

Yahilwa heads home after impressive win in Treasure Chest

Coady Photography
Yahilwa, winner of the Treasure Chest Stakes, may target the Bayakoa Stakes at Los Alamitos for her next race, according to her connections.

VINTON, La. – Yahilwa’s win in the $200,000 Treasure Chest last Saturday at Delta Downs was a satisfying one for trainer Jim Cassidy. It was the first stakes victory for the filly, who had been locking horns with horses such as Beholder back home in Southern California.

“She’s been hard at it for a while,” Cassidy said. “She’s run against some tough fillies. She gives you everything she’s got every time.”

Wed, 11/26/2014 - 15:59

Honor Code may target Hal's Hope Stakes following allowance win

Barbara Livingston
Honor Code scored a victory Saturday at Aqueduct in his return to racing after a March injury.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Honor Code, fresh off an impressive allowance victory over the weekend, will arrive at his winter home at Payson Park on Sunday and could make his next start in the Grade 3 Hal’s Hope on Jan. 10, trainer Shug McGaughey said Wednesday.

McGaughey, who was not present at Aqueduct when Honor Code rallied from nearly a dozen lengths off the pace to post a one-length decision over Maleeh on Saturday, was impressed by the performance, for which his star received a career-best 106 Beyer Speed Figure.

Wed, 11/26/2014 - 15:16

Regally Ready seeks big payday in Cigar Mile

Nikki Sherman
Regally Ready scored his third straight victory in the the Big Bear Stakes.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Regally Ready went four years between starts on dirt. But when he returned to that surface three months ago, he ran the race of his life, winning a stakes at Mountaineer by 12 1/2 lengths.

Now riding a three-race winning streak – with two of those wins on dirt – the 7-year-old Regally Ready will need to once again be in top form when he starts in Saturday’s Cigar Mile at Aqueduct, the final Grade 1 race of the year on this circuit.

Wed, 11/26/2014 - 14:45

Big fields assemble for Kentucky Jockey Club, Golden Rod

Benoit & Associates
Lord Nelson's 92 Beyer Speed Figure in the Speakeasy Stakes is the highest in the Kentucky Jockey Club field.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Big fields have been entered for the twin 2-year-old stakes that anchor a terrific Stars of Tomorrow card Saturday at Churchill Downs.

Twelve colts and geldings are in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes, while the same number of fillies is in the Golden Rod Stakes. Both are Grade 2, $200,000 races at 1 1/16 miles.

Lord Nelson, who owns the two highest Beyer Speed Figures (92 and 90) in the field, ships in from California as the likely Kentucky Jockey Club favorite for trainer Bob Baffert. He was assigned post 9 with Martin Garcia to ride.

Wed, 11/26/2014 - 13:12

California Chrome schools at gate for turf debut

Benoit & Associates
California Chrome will make his turf debut Saturday in the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby at Del Mar.

DEL MAR, Calif. – California Chrome, the Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner, on Wednesday had his most extensive day of training since arriving at Del Mar over the weekend, his morning tasks including schooling in the starting gate and then galloping a bit more than 1 1/2 miles around the main track.

Later Wednesday morning, his trainer, Art Sherman, marched over to the racing office to enter California Chrome in the Grade 1, $300,000 Hollywood Derby, which will be run Saturday and will mark the first start for California Chrome on turf.

Tue, 11/25/2014 - 15:26

Willet tries Go for Wand a third time

Barbara D. Livingston
Willet won an allowance race on Wednesday and could be headed to the Grade 1 Ballerina next.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Still seeking her first graded stakes victory, the ultra-consistent 6-year-old New York-bred mare Willet will start in the Grade 3, $300,000 Go for Wand Handicap for a third consecutive year when that one-turn, one-mile race is run here Friday.

Willet, a four-time restricted stakes winner, was beaten a head by Neffertini in the 2012 Go for Wand. Last year, she finished fourth in the Go for Wand, just one of two times in her 20-race career that she finished out of the money.

Tue, 11/25/2014 - 14:48

Wildcat Red done for the year

Tom Keyser
Wildcat Red has completed his 3-year-old campaign and will target the Jan. 17 Sunshine Millions Classic next.

MIAMI – Trainer Jose Garoffalo said Tuesday that Wildcat Red’s 3-year-old campaign is over. The son of D’wildcat concludes his season with three wins in 10 starts and earnings of nearly $850,000.