Tue, 10/07/2014 - 11:58

Paths diverge for Remington Sprint Championship exacta Mico Margarita, Heitai

Coady Photography
Mico Margarita will get a shot at the Grade 1, $1.5 million Breeders' Cup Sprint on Nov. 1 at Santa Anita.

Mico Margarita and Heitai made for a dramatic one-two finish in last month’s $150,000 Remington Park Sprint Championship, each earning a triple-digit Beyer Speed Figure. Now, the pair is heading down different roads.

Mico Margarita is scheduled to make his next start in the Grade 1, $1.5 million Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Santa Anita on Nov. 1, trainer Steve Asmussen said Monday. Heitai’s focus moving forward will be turf racing, according to trainer Karl Broberg.

Tue, 10/07/2014 - 11:49

Big Cazanova eyes Breeders' Cup Classic

Barbara D. Livingston
Big Cazanova was eighth in the Jockey Club Gold Cup last out.

When Big Cazanova went to New York last month for the Jockey Club Gold Cup, trainer Peter Miller was hoping to learn just how far the South American import had progressed. But Miller said he never got the chance to find out, and he’s willing to try once more, this time on racing’s biggest late-season stage.

Mon, 10/06/2014 - 16:23

Velazquez bags five wins on Saturday

Keeneland/Coady Photography
John Velazquez won with five of his seven mounts on the Saturday card at Keeneland.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez won with five of seven mounts on Saturday at Keeneland, marking the 18th time that has been done. Velazquez swept the late pick four (races 7-10), including three straight Grade 1 wins on Dayatthespa in the First Lady, Carpe Diem in the Breeders’ Futurity, and Wise Dan in the Shadwell Turf Mile.

The Keeneland record for the most wins on a card is shared by three jockeys: Randy Romero and Craig Perret both won six in a day at the 1990 spring meet, and Julien Leparoux did it at the 2012 spring meet.

Mon, 10/06/2014 - 16:19

Handle down opening weekend at Keeneland

LEXINGTON, Ky. – All-sources wagering on Keeneland racing on the opening three-day Fall Stars Weekend was down marginally from 2013, according to figures released by the track.

Total handle was $29.4 million, down 5 percent from the $31.1 million handle on opening weekend last year. Saturday and Sunday handle actually were up from last year, but handle on the Friday opener, which marked the debut of the new dirt surface amid nasty weather, was down 24 percent.

Mon, 10/06/2014 - 16:19

Euro Charline to skip Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup

Four-Footed Fotos
Euro Charline will not start in Saturday's $500,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland.

Euro Charline has been declared from consideration for the final Grade 1 race of the Keeneland fall meet, the $500,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup on Saturday, after trainer Todd Pletcher did not work the filly as scheduled Monday at Belmont. The British-bred filly loomed a solid favorite in the QE II.

Mon, 10/06/2014 - 16:10

Lawn Ranger improving ahead of BC Juvenile Turf

Coady Photography
Chris Landeros guides Lawn Ranger to a half-length victory in the Dixiana Bourbon for 2-year-olds.

The winners of last weekend’s Breeders’ Cup challenge races for the Grade 1, $1 million Juvenile Turf appear headed in different directions. Lawn Ranger, who won the Bourbon Stakes at Keeneland, is on board for the Breeders’ Cup, while Full Mast, placed first in the Jean-Luc Lagardere at Longchamp, is calling it a season.

The races were the final Win and You’re In preps for the BC Juvenile Turf at Santa Anita on Oct. 31.

Mon, 10/06/2014 - 16:04

Pletcher-Baffert matchup looms in Breeders' Cup Juvenile

Tom Keyser
Daredevil scampers to a clear victory in the Champagne and will be one of the favorites in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile...

The landscape of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile field changed over the weekend, but one thing that remained the same is that trainers Bob Baffert and Todd Pletcher once again will be front and center in the $2 million race.

Mon, 10/06/2014 - 15:59

Up With the Birds more likely for Knickerbocker start

Michael Burns
Up With the Birds is nominated for the $1 million Canadian International but is more likely for Saturday's $200,000 Knickerbocker Stakes at Belmont.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Up With the Birds headlined the list of 23 nominees for the Grade 1, $1 million Canadian International on Oct. 19 at Woodbine, but trainer Malcolm Pierce said Up With the Birds likely will head to Belmont Park for Saturday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Knickerbocker Stakes instead.

Up With the Birds would be returning to the scene of his first career Grade 1 victory for the Knickerbocker, as he captured the Jamaica Handicap at the same distance on Belmont Park’s inner turf course last October.

Mon, 10/06/2014 - 15:56

Parente eyes Canadian International for Reporting Star

Michael Burns
Reporting Star (far right) finishes second to Karibu Gardens (yellow cap) in the Sky Classic on Aug. 16 at Woodbine.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – With Up With the Birds off to New York, Grade 1 Northern Dancer Turf Stakes runner-up Dynamic Sky and third-place finisher Reporting Star could be the lone local entries for the Grade 1, $1 million Canadian International at Woodbine on Oct. 19. Karibu Gardens also is under consideration.

Trainer Pat Parente said he was pleased with Reporting Star’s effort in the Northern Dancer on Sept. 14.

Mon, 10/06/2014 - 15:53

BC Distaff: Race shape changes after Spinster flop by Close Hatches

Barbara D. Livingston
Close Hatches's poor Spinster performance jeopardizes her Breeders' Cup Distaff status, though no decision has been made.

ARCADIA, Calif. – The field for the Breeders’ Cup Distaff was expected to be trimmed, and the odds for early favorite Close Hatches were expected to drop. Instead, the opposite occurred over the weekend.

Close Hatches misfired Sunday at Keeneland, finishing fourth as the 1-5 favorite in the Grade 1 Spinster Stakes. It was the first loss of the season for the Bill Mott-trained, Juddmonte Farms-owned filly.