Sun, 01/18/2015 - 17:10

Dortmund, Firing Line set for rematch in Robert Lewis

ARCADIA, Calif. – Dortmund and Firing Line, first and second in the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Futurity on Dec. 20, may meet again in the $150,000 Robert Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita on Feb. 7.

On Sunday, Bob Baffert, who trains Dortmund, and Simon Callaghan, who trains Firing Line, said the Grade 3 Robert B. Lewis Stakes at 1 1/16 miles was a short-term goal for their Triple Crown prospects.

“The first spot would be the Bob Lewis,” Baffert said of Dortmund’s options. “If I’m happy with the situation, we will run. I don’t make that call until after the last work.”

Sun, 01/18/2015 - 14:48

Champion trainer Pletcher shows no signs of slowing down

DELRAY BEACH, Fla. – Less than nine hours after picking up his record seventh Eclipse Award as outstanding trainer, Todd Pletcher was hard at work Sunday morning at Palm Beach Downs, overseeing a mind-boggling 42 workers from the more than 100 horses he has stabled here.

Included in Sunday’s activities were the filly Angela Renee and the colt Competitive Edge – 3-year-olds who are tuning up for their 2015 debuts – as well as older horses such as Constitution and Protontico, who currently are being aimed at the Grade 1 Donn Handicap at Gulfstream Park on Feb. 7.

Sun, 01/18/2015 - 12:47

Upstart ready to go for 3-year-old debut in Holy Bull

Nikki Sherman
Upstart after finishing third under Jose Ortiz in the BC Juvenile. The Jan. 24 Holy Bull is a possible return spot.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Upstart, who finished third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile in his 2-year-old finale, now is likely to make his 3-year-old debut Saturday at Gulfstream Park in the Grade 2 Holy Bull.

Earlier this month, trainer Rick Violette said everything would have to go right with Upstart for him to make the Holy Bull, but after watching the New York-bred work six furlongs from the five-eighths pole in “1:12 and change” Sunday at Palm Meadows, he proclaimed him ready to go next weekend.

Sat, 01/17/2015 - 14:42

Texas Red is cool customer in workout

ARCADIA, Calif. – The behavior of Texas Red before and during a six-furlong workout at Santa Anita on Saturday left trainer Keith Desormeaux encouraged about the start of the 3-year-old’s 2015 season in less than two weeks.

The winner of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile here Nov. 1, Texas Red worked from the gate in 1:14. The exercise was delayed several minutes while the 3-year-old filly Lady Tapit was vanned off after falling at the end of a workout. Lady Tapit was not seriously injured.

Through the delay, Texas Red remained composed, Desormeaux said.

Sat, 01/17/2015 - 13:42

Brown's Breeders' Cup winners in no rush

Tom Keyser
Dayatthespa, with Javier Castellano aboard, wires the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf on Saturday.

Trainer Chad Brown had the best year of his career in 2014, highlighted by a trio of Breeders’ Cup wins, achievements that earned him a finalist spot Saturday night for an Eclipse Award as champion trainer along with Bob Baffert and Todd Pletcher.

Sat, 01/17/2015 - 13:37

Eskenformoney in top form

It took her a little while to figure it out, but Eskenformoney is certainly in peak form now. The 3–year-old daughter of Eskendereya cruised to her second straight win here Friday, capturing the eighth race by 3 3/4 lengths under jockey Javier Castellano while going a mile on the main track. Eskenformoney, owned by StarLadies Racing, won her maiden by nearly 10 lengths in her sixth career start here last month.

Sat, 01/17/2015 - 13:00

Maragh scores in first race back from arm injury

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Jockey Rajiv Maragh made a triumphant return to the saddle Friday, winning the featured ninth race aboard Sky Blazer with his first mount since severely breaking his right arm when unseated from Wicked Strong during the 2014 Jockey Club Gold Cup.

Maragh has two plates and 13 screws holding together his injured arm. He said he will not have the plates or screws removed so that he can avoid additional surgery.

“I’m the Jamaican Iron Man,” Maragh said with a laugh.

Fri, 01/16/2015 - 16:00

Good Deed will ship to Gulfstream for Ladies Turf Sprint

Amanda Hodges Weir/Hodges Photography
Good Deed will be pointed to the Ladies Turf Sprint at Gulfstream Park on Feb. 21..

Good Deed, a sharp winner in two turf sprints at the Fair Grounds meet, will ship to Gulfstream Park for her next start, the $75,000 Ladies Turf Sprint on the Feb. 21 Fountain of Youth card.

Good Deed, a 6-year-old mare, returned from a layoff to set a 5 1/2-furlong course record of 1:02.31 over fast-playing Fair Grounds grass in a Dec. 10 allowance race. Back in action Jan. 10, she won the Pan Zareta Stakes by 2 1/4 lengths, running right back to the 97 Beyer she had earned in the allowance.

Fri, 01/16/2015 - 15:54

Cinco Charlie headed to Sunland for two-turn debut

Lynn Roberts/Hodges Photography
Cinco Charlie (right) will make his first start beyond 6 1/2 furlongs in the one-mile Riley Alison Derby at Sunland Park.

Cinco Charlie will get his stretch-out opportunity in the $100,000 Riley Allison Derby on Jan. 24 at Sunland Park, trainer Steve Asmussen said Friday.

Cinco Charlie, a 3-year-old colt by Indian Charlie, already has made eight starts and has won five of them, including four stakes. He most recently captured the Sugar Bowl Stakes at Fair Grounds, a fast six-furlong race that produced an eye-catching 97 Beyer Speed Figure.

Cinco Charlie has yet to race beyond 6 1/2 furlongs, and the one-mile Riley Allison will be his first start around two turns.

Fri, 01/16/2015 - 15:50

Silver Union takes on Fioretti in Sunday feature

One of the shortest fields Sunday is the featured eighth race, a $28,000, second-level allowance with a $40,000 claiming condition that drew eight fillies sprinting 6 1/2 furlongs on the Polytrack.

Fair Grounds shipper Silver Union looks poised to recapture her top form against easier company at Turfway. She is trained by Mike Maker, the winter-meet leader, and ridden by the meet’s top jockey, Albin Jimenez.