ELMONT, N.Y. – Itsmyluckyday, third as the 3-5 favorite in Saturday’s Grade 2 Kelso Handicap at Belmont, will not be supplemented to the Breeders’ Cup and instead will make his next start in the Grade 1 Cigar Mile at Aqueduct on Nov. 29, trainer Eddie Plesa said Monday.
Itsmyluckyday was to leave Monmouth Park by van Monday and ship to Calder, where he will train. The Cigar Mile is expected to be Itsmyluckyday’s final start before he goes to Spendthrift Farm to stand at stud.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Trainer Barbara Minshall celebrated another stakes victory in Sunday’s Classy ’n Smart Stakes at Woodbine with Strut the Course, but the 4-year-old filly’s younger half-sister Bambarra Bold also could make a name for herself in the near future.
Bambarra Bold has reeled off three straight wins in Ontario-sired allowance company, saving her best race for her most recent start over seven furlongs Sept. 17, when she won by 5 3/4 lengths and earned a 74 Beyer Speed Figure.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – U S Marshal closed to be third in the Grade 2 Summer Stakes on Sept. 13 at Woodbine and now has several options for his next start. Trainer Ian Black said U S Marshal could run in the Grade 3, $150,000 Grey Stakes for 2-year-olds here Sunday or a maiden allowance over seven furlongs on turf here Saturday. U S Marshall also could be sent to Keeneland for the Grade 3, $250,000 Bourbon Stakes on Sunday.
“We’re probably leaning toward staying here,” Black said. “I’d like to put him in a winning situation.”
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Muskoka Stakes winner Brooklynsway and runner-up Quidi Vidi appear poised for a rematch in Sunday’s Grade 3, $150,000 Mazarine Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at Woodbine.
Trainer John Ross said he was pleased with Brooklynsway’s 1 1/4-length victory in the Muskoka on Aug. 27, when she sat behind horses before driving clear in the stretch.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Don’t count Rajiv Maragh out of the Breeders’ Cup just yet.
According to his agent, Tony Micallef, Maragh has been told by doctors that his broken right arm could heal in time allow him to ride in the Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita on Oct. 31-Nov.1.
“The doctor said the bone will heal in two weeks, and he wants to see him again in two weeks,” Micallef said Monday morning.
“There is a chance he could ride the Breeders’ Cup, the doctor said.”
ELMONT, N.Y. – Trainer Bob Baffert has won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile three times. However, he is winless with four favorites in the race dating back to 1999.
That streak most certainly will be tested in this year’s $2 million Juvenile on Nov. 1, when Baffert sends out American Pharoah, who solidified his status as the Juvenile favorite with a devastatingly easy 3 1/4-length victory in Saturday’s Grade 1 FrontRunner Stakes at Santa Anita, the site of this year’s Breeders’ Cup.
Fed Biz and Sky Kingdom, who were second and last in the seven-runner Awesome Again Stakes, will start in stakes on Breeders’ Cup weekend.
Fed Biz will be pointed for the $1 million BC Dirt Mile on Oct. 31 and not the $5 million BC Classic, Baffert said.
“He answered the question,” Baffert said of a preferred race for Fed Biz.
In the Awesome Again, Fed Biz finished a neck behind Shared Belief, who had a wide trip.
Secret Circle, the winner of the Breeders’ Cup Sprint last year, worked five furlongs in 59 seconds Sunday, preparing for Saturday’s $300,000 Santa Anita Sprint Championship.
Secret Circle has not raced since finishing second in the Grade 2 Palos Verdes Stakes here last February. He was in training last spring and was rested until resuming workouts in late July.
“He looked good,” trainer Bob Baffert said of the workout. “I think he should get a lot out of it.”
Punctuate will be a 2-year-old to follow after the well-bred colt won his debut in a maiden race over 6 1/2 furlongs Saturday.
On Sunday, trainer Bob Baffert stopped short of committing Punctuate for a Breeders’ Cup race.
Owned by Arnold Zetcher, Punctuate ($20) is by Distorted Humor out of Peppers Pride, who was undefeated in 19 starts in New Mexico from 2005 to 2008. Punctuate was purchased for $300,000 as a yearling at Keeneland in 2013.
In Saturday’s race, Punctuate closed from last of 12 to win by 1 3/4 lengths over Bronze Star.
ARCADIA, Calif – Moulin de Mougin will be trained toward the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Santa Anita on Nov. 1 despite falling in Saturday’s Grade 1 Rodeo Drive Stakes.
Trainer Richard Mandella said Sunday that Moulin de Mougin escaped injury in the incident, which occurred about a quarter-mile from the finish of the race over 1 1/4 miles on turf. Moullin de Mougin was racing on the outside of the field and making progress on the leaders when she fell. Jockey Mike Smith told Mandella that Moulin de Mougin clipped heels with a rival.
