Expectations were understandably high when the decision was made at Siena Farm to send the mare Pilfer to Bernardini for the 2011 breeding season.
The preceding fall, To Honor and Serve had stamped himself as the early favorite for the Kentucky Derby by winning a maiden race, the Grade 2 Nashua, and the Grade 2 Remsen in succession by daylight margins. Although Siena Farm didn’t have an interest in him, it owned the next-best thing – his dam.
Apprentice jockey Juan Saez was in critical condition Tuesday night at Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis after being involved in a spill that necessitated him being airlifted from Indiana Grand racetrack in Shelbyville, Ind.
Julio Espinoza, agent for the 17-year-old rider, said at 9:25 p.m. Eastern that doctors had revived Saez “about three or four times” after it appeared Saez had died at the track and that chances for survival appeared very bleak. Espinoza said Saez suffered severe head trauma and other serious injuries.
ARCADIA, Calif. – American Pharoah, trainer Bob Baffert’s leading 2-year-old, worked six furlongs in 1:11.80 on Tuesday at Santa Anita, preparing for the BC Juvenile on Nov. 1.
Owned by Zayat Stables, American Pharoah won two Grade 1 races in September – the Del Mar Futurity over seven furlongs Sept. 3 and the FrontRunner Stakes over 1 1/16 miles on Sept. 27.
“He worked very nice,” Baffert said. “We’re ready to run.”
ARCADIA, Calif. – Kent Desormeaux is eager for a comeback.
The 44-year-old Hall of Fame jockey has been sidelined since being powerfully kicked in the chest after falling from his mount in a post parade at Santa Anita on Sept. 28. He was hospitalized for two days after suffering a collapsed lung and fractured ribs on his left side.
On Sunday, Desormeaux was a visitor for morning workouts and said he was targeting a return to riding Oct. 25. If he makes that date, Desormeaux could ride for several days before the Breeders’ Cup races at Santa Anita on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1.
MIAMI – After getting off to a bit of a rocky start due to a technical glitch at several simulcast sites last Wednesday and Thursday, business picked up steadily during the opening week of the inaugural Gulfstream Park West meet.
On Saturday, all-sources handle on the 10-race program was just under $3.5 million. That was the fourth-highest handle of any track in the country, behind Belmont Park, Santa Anita, and Keeneland. Fueling the business at Gulfstream Park West have been large fields averaging more than 10 starters per race.
MIAMI - East Hall, the upset winner of the Grade 2 Indiana Derby in his last start, will run next in the Grade 3 Discovery at Aqueduct on Nov. 1, trainer Bill Kaplan said.
“It’s a mile and one-eighth, which is perfect for him, and for 3-year-olds only,” said Kaplan. “He’s doing so well he can come back in four weeks.”
Kaplan also said that Naval Command, who finished fifth in the Grade 1 Alcibiades at Keeneland, might accompany East Hall to New York for the Grade 3 Tempted on Nov. 2.
MIAMI - Trainer Marcus Vitali said he was considering his options for Grade 1 winner Lochte following his second-place finish as the odds-on favorite in a one-mile allowance race at Gulfstream Park West on Sunday. One of those options for Lochte, who was beaten 1 1/4 lengths by former claimer Dreams Cut Short, is the Breeders’ Cup Mile.
Vitali said he also must decide whether to send Valid to Santa Anita for the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile following his victory Saturday in the Eight Miles West.
The usual suspects are lining up for the Maryland Million at Laurel Park on Saturday.
The 8-year-old Eighttofasttocatch will try for his third Classic win, the 7-year-old Roadhog will attempt to win the Turf for the third straight year, and fans of the 8-year-old Ben’s Cat – already a winner of three Maryland Million races – are hoping he will opt for the Sprint rather than the Nearctic Stakes at Woodbine the following day.
But that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for new blood in the seven-stakes series.
After an easy half-mile drill last week, Shared Belief picked up the pace this week with a sharp five-furlong drill in 1:00.60 on Tuesday at Golden Gate Fields, the second of four scheduled workouts he will have prior to the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic on Nov. 1 at Santa Anita.
As usual, Russell Baze, the Hall of Fame jockey, was aboard for the work for his longtime supporter, trainer Jerry Hollendorfer. Mike Smith has the mount in the Breeders’ Cup.
Hollendorfer said Shared Belief began his work “a few lengths behind a set of horses,” then breezed past them.
