Thu, 09/11/2014 - 12:14

Little Mike won't race again until 2015

Barbara D. Livingston
Little Mike will probably make his 2014 debut in the Woodford Reserve at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Derby Day, May 3.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. -  Little Mike, who has started just once in 2014, will not race again this year, owner-trainer Carlo Vaccarezza said on Thursday.

Little Mike, winner of the 2012 Breeders’ Cup Turf, cruised to an easy victory in the Flying Pidgeon overnight stakes here at Gulfstream Park on May 17 in his first start since closing out his 2013 campaign with a ninth-place finish in the Honk Kong Cup. He has been stabled at Gulfstream throughout the summer, but nagging foot issues have kept him out of training for much of that time.

Thu, 09/11/2014 - 11:38

Little Alexis works for Grade 1 Cotillion

Leslie Martin/Coglianese Photos
Little Alexis wins the Cash Run Stakes at Gulfstream, her only start against stakes competition.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Little Alexis, who finished a troubled and late-running third in the Grade 1 Test Stakes, worked six furlongs in 1:15.85 on Thursday at Gulfstream Park in her final major prep for the Grade 1 Cotillion at Parx on Sept. 20.

Little Alexis broke off at the five-furlong pole, cruised through an easy opening three-eighths in 37.91 seconds, hit the wire in 1:03.41 while still in hand, then finished strong, completing her work at the mile pole on the clubhouse turn.

Wed, 09/10/2014 - 15:52

Artemis Agrotera will use Gallant Bloom as Breeders' Cup prep

Barbara D. Livingston
Artemis Agrotera wins the Grade 1 Ballerina by 6 1/2 lengths Saturday under jockey Rajiv Maragh.

Artemis Agrotera, the dominant winner of the Grade 1 Ballerina on Aug. 23, will run in the Grade 2, $300,000 Gallant Bloom Handicap on Sept. 20 as a prep for the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint, trainer Mike Hushion said Wednesday.

Hushion said he would rather run the New York-bred 3-year-old filly again as opposed to simply training up to the Breeders’ Cup.

“To train her 10 weeks and work her seven times, I’d rather get one good race in her. That would fit the bill the best,” he said.

Wed, 09/10/2014 - 15:50

Alert Bay draws post 5 for B.C. Derby

Benoit & Associates
Alert Bay is on track to start in the $250,000 Snow Chief Stakes on April 26 at Santa Anita.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Ten 3-year-olds were entered at Hastings on Wednesday for the Grade 3, $150,000 British Columbia Derby. The 1 1/8-mile feature headlines a solid 10-race card Sunday that includes the $100,000 British Columbia Oaks.

Wed, 09/10/2014 - 15:48

Half-brother to Mine That Bird set to make debut

Barbara D. Livingston
Thirtysevenleveson is a half-brother to 2009 Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird (pictured above).

A half-brother to 2009 Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird and multiple Grade 1 winner Dullahan will make his career debut in the seventh race Saturday at Churchill.

Thirtysevenliveson, a 2-year-old colt by Giant’s Causeway out of Mining My Own, shows 10 official workouts dating to late May.

“You can only hope he can run like his big brothers,” said Dale Romans, who trains the $675,000 yearling purchase for Zayat Stables.

Wed, 09/10/2014 - 15:48

Eighttofasttocatch eyes Maryland Million Classic

Jim McCue/Maryland Jockey Club
Eighttofasttocatch capitalized as the lone speed to win the Maryland Million Classic for the second time.

Eighttofasttocatch, a Maryland mainstay since 2008, made his first start since December in the $100,000 Japan Racing Association last Saturday at Laurel. Even though the race did not go according to plan, trainer Timothy Keefe said the 8-year-old got enough out of it to be ready for the Oct. 9 Maryland Million Classic, a 1 1/8-mile race Eighttofasttocatch won in both 2011 and 2013.

Wed, 09/10/2014 - 15:47

Churchill notes: Ride On Curlin returns to barn

Barbara D. Livingston
Ride On Curlin, pictured with trainer Billy Gowan, has not started since the Belmont Stakes on June 7.

Ride On Curlin, unraced since being eased in the June 7 Belmont Stakes following his second-place finish in the Preakness, will return to his Churchill barn this weekend, said trainer Billy Gowan, who has been giving the colt time off at his Shepherdsville, Ky., farm.

“I’d intended to bring him back a couple weeks earlier but had a little setback,” said Gowan. “We should be fine, though.”

Meanwhile, a yearling half-brother to Ride On Curlin did not sell Monday at Keeneland when failing to meet his reserve price.

Wed, 09/10/2014 - 15:44

McPeek back for Turf Cup Day with likely favorite War Dancer

Churchill Downs/Reed Palmer Photography
War Dancer (left) is the likely favorite in Saturday's Turf Cup at Kentucky Downs.

Running a horse in the biggest race of the Kentucky Downs meet never fails to remind Ken McPeek of what occurred in the 2003 running, when one of his horses, Art Variety, was disqualified from first to third.

“Still one of the worst calls I’ve ever seen in racing,” said McPeek, a trainer since 1985.

Wed, 09/10/2014 - 15:36

Somali Lemonade may go to Keeneland for First Lady

Barbara D. Livingston
Somali Lemonade, coming from slightly off the pace instead of leading, earns her first Grade 1 victory in the Diana under jockey Luis Saez.

After finishing fifth in the Grade 1 Beverly D. at 1 3/16 miles in her last start, Somali Lemonade may shorten up to a mile in the Grade 1 First Lady at Keeneland on Oct. 4, trainer Michael Matz said Wednesday.

Matz had been considering running Somali Lemonade in the Grade 1 Flower Bowl at 1 1/4 miles at Belmont on Sept. 27. Somali Lemonade finished sixth in last year’s Flower Bowl.

Wed, 09/10/2014 - 14:53

Motion hopes turf is firm for Daring Dancer in Sands Point

Tom Keyser
Daring Dancer would prefer good-to-firm turf for Saturday's Grade 2 Sands Point.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Trainer Graham Motion will be keeping close tabs on the weekend weather in New York as he plans to run Daring Dancer in Saturday’s Grade 2, $500,000 Sands Point Stakes at Belmont Park.

Daring Dancer was one of 10 3-year-old fillies – including one main-track-only entrant – entered Wednesday for the Sands Point, a 1 1/8-mile race that was switched on the calendar with the Grade 1 Garden City. The Garden City was moved to the summer meet and renamed the Belmont Oaks Invitational.