Del Mar has reduced stakes purses by $400,000 for its upcoming summer meeting from July 20 to Sept. 8 in an attempt to offset a deficit in its purse account.
Purses have been reduced by $50,000 for four races – the La Jolla Handicap for 3-year-olds on turf, and Yellow Ribbon Handicap for fillies and mares on turf, and two sprints for juveniles – the Best Pal Stakes and Sorrento Stakes for fillies.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia – The 2024 Hastings season gets under way Saturday with a six-race card that begins at 2:30 p.m. Pacific.
There is a major change to the 45-day meet that concludes Oct. 20. Sundays have been dropped during the early part of the schedule, and racing will be conducted on Fridays and Saturdays. The first Friday is set for May 10. Sundays will replace Fridays on Sept. 15. Post times for Saturday, Sunday, and holiday Mondays are 2:30 p.m. Friday racing will begin at 7 p.m.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Woodbine launches its 2024 season Saturday with a slightly shorter meet that includes some noteworthy changes to its lucrative stakes schedule.
The meet is scheduled for 129 days, four less than previously, while going until Dec. 15. Racing will be conducted on weekends until May 10, when Fridays are added. Thursday cards begin May 23 with a post time of 4:50 p.m. Eastern. The post time for Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays is 1:10 p.m. The lone Monday program is Labor Day, Sept. 2.
In the last year, the geldings I’mgonnabesomebody and Lammas have combined to win six races in Northern California, two of the more consistent performers in the circuit’s older horse division.
How that form translates into the deeper statewide rankings will be better known in Saturday’s Grade 3 San Francisco Mile on turf at Golden Gate Fields.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Oaklawn leading jockey Cristian Torres will be riding at Churchill next Friday and Saturday, but will be back home for the closing day card in Arkansas on May 5, according to agent Cody Autrey.
Torres had three stakes mounts on the Kentucky Derby undercard as of Wednesday. Autrey said he’s scheduled to ride in the Grade 1 Churchill Downs, the Grade 2 Pat Day Mile, and the Grade 2 American Turf.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Winnable, who captured the $200,000 Valley of the Vapors on Saturday at Oaklawn, has been retired, trainer Kenny McPeek said Tuesday.
Winnable was injured in the race, he said. She is expected to begin a new career as a broodmare. McPeek said those plans are to be determined by her breeder and owner, Stoneleigh Farm. Winnable is a 3-year-old by Justify.
Neom Beach, who was second by a head in the Valley of the Vapors in her third stakes placing of the Oaklawn meet, could see action on turf down the line, according to trainer Steve Asmussen.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Owners Kirk and Judy Robison and trainer Steve Asmussen are taking a wait-and-see approach with Informed Patriot and the Preakness.
The horse earned a berth into the race Saturday with his win in the $200,000 Bath House Row Stakes at Oaklawn. Informed Patriot was a head winner over stablemate Imperial Gun. Informed Patriot, who was ridden by Ricardo Santana Jr., was winning his first stakes. Plans are to be determined, Asmussen said Tuesday.
When talking about a horse getting better with age, one might want to begin the conversation with Xy Speed, who posted a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 102 on March 29 at age 8 in his 35th lifetime start.
Xy Speed, a son of First Samurai, rallied from near the rear of the field to a 1 3/4-length victory against allowance opposition in his most recent start at five furlongs on turf. The win was the 11th of his career, 10 of which have come on turf, four of those over the local course, and the last two for his current trainer, Michael Lerman.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Skippylongstocking could see action next in Kentucky or New York after putting up the year’s highest Beyer Speed Figure for an older dirt horse in last weekend’s Grade 2, $1.25 million Oaklawn Handicap.
Skippylongstocking earned a Beyer of 107. It’s second among all dirt numbers, behind the 110 earned by Fierceness in the Florida Derby. Tape to Tape has the year’s second-highest older dirt horse Beyer, a 106 earned for an allowance sprint win April 21 at Lone Star Park.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Straight No Chaser, winner of the Grade 3 Maryland Sprint at Pimlico last spring with a 107 Beyer Speed Figure, is nominated to the $100,000 Kona Gold Stakes on Saturday at Santa Anita, but is likely to ship out of town for his comeback. Straight No Chaser has not started since he won the Maryland Sprint by more than seven lengths.
