Kulik Lodge ran his win streak to three in an optional claimer over 1 1/8 miles on turf on Friday at Santa Anita and may run next in a stakes.
Ridden by Mike Smith, Kulik Lodge ($5) stalked pacesetter Ethnic Dance to the final furlong before winning by a length. Ethnic Dance is best known for winning a division of the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby in September 2013.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Candy Boy and Sweet Swap, two of trainer John Sadler’s hopes for Breeders’ Cup races on Nov. 1, worked at Santa Anita on Saturday.
Candy Boy, a candidate for the BC Classic, worked five furlongs in 1:00.80. Sadler timed the 3-year-old Candy Boy galloping out six furlongs in 1:13.40. Candy Boy has had two workouts since finishing third in the Grade 2 Pennsylvania Derby at Parx Racing on Sept. 20. Candy Boy worked a half-mile in 47.80 seconds on Oct. 4.
“He looked good last week and this week,” Sadler said.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Trainers Kathy Ritvo and Carlo Vaccarezza were all smiles after watching their respective Breeders’ Cup candidates Fast Anna and Little Alexis work over a very quick main track Saturday morning at Gulfstream Park.
Apprentice Nik Juarez, who was injured when his mount fell in the eighth race at Monmouth Park on Sept. 28, has been cleared to begin rehab.
Juarez sustained a mid-grade tear to the muscles in his buttocks and upper leg when his mount fell on the first turn of the race at one mile and 70 yards. He is scheduled to rehab and then revisit his doctors Oct. 27.
ELMONT, N.Y. – The multiple Grade 1-winning sprinter Palace worked a strong four furlongs in 48.41 seconds over the Belmont training track Friday in preparation for the Breeders’ Cup Sprint. It was his first work since finishing third in the Grade 1 Vosburgh on Sept. 27 and the fastest of 41 works at the distance Friday.
Palace, under Cornelio Velasquez, galloped out a strong five furlongs in 1:00.63 and six furlongs in 1:12.91.
ELMONT, N.Y. – With inclement weather forecast for Friday evening into Saturday morning, trainer Chad Brown moved up by a day workouts for a couple of his Breeders’ Cup contenders.
Zivo, the runner-up to Tonalist in the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup here Sept. 27, worked four furlongs in 49.01 seconds in preparation for the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita on Nov. 1.
ELMONT, N.Y. – An early-season star of the 3-year-old division, Constitution looks to get a head start on his 4-year-old campaign when he returns to the races in an $85,000 allowance race Sunday at Belmont Park.
During the winter at Gulfstream, Constitution won the first three starts of his career, including the Grade 1 Florida Derby, and was seemingly on his way to the Kentucky Derby when he sustained a cracked shin during training in April.
Trainer Craig MacPherson has wrapped up his second straight training title, and after Monday, he’ll be heading to Woodbine, where he’ll have seven horses in training. Six are owned by Chad Joe, who races under the stable name Copper Water Thoroughbred Co.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Lakerville, a stakes winner on the hillside turf course, has been retired, trainer Barry Abrams said Friday.
The 6-year-old Lakerville won 5 of 11 starts and $318,910 in a career highlighted by a win in the Clocker’s Corner Stakes last January. Lakerville was in training for a potential start in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint on Nov. 1 when he was injured.
“It’s minor, but he would need two months off,” Abrams said. “It’s time for him to be a stallion.”
