Wed, 11/05/2014 - 15:12

Tonalist getting downtime before 2015 campaign

Barbara D. Livingston
Tonalist may run in the Donn Handicap or Dubai World Cup next year.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Tonalist, the Belmont Stakes and Jockey Club Gold Cup winner who finished fifth in Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup Classic, arrived in Payson Park in Florida on Wednesday. Tonalist will get a break before preparing for a 4-year-old campaign that could include a start in the $10 million Dubai World Cup.

Wed, 11/05/2014 - 15:06

Big Macher possible for Cary Grant

Barbara D. Livingston
Big Macher is possible for the Cary Grant Stakes on Nov. 23 at Del Mar.

Big Macher, who finished ninth in the $1,380,000 Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Santa Anita last Saturday, may start at the Del Mar autumn meeting.

Trainer Richard Baltas said Big Macher will be considered for the $100,000 Cary Grant Stakes for California-breds over seven furlongs on Nov. 23. The Cary Grant was formerly known as the On Trust Stakes when run in the past at Hollywood Park.

Big Macher stumbled at the start of the BC Sprint and never recovered. He was last of 14 until early stretch and was beaten 4 1/4 lengths by the 19-1 winner Work All Week.

Wed, 11/05/2014 - 15:04

Pontchatrain, Top Kisser retired

Shigeki Kikkawa
Pontchatrain wins the Buena Vista in February at Santa Anita.

California stakes winners Pontchatrain and Top Kisser have been retired and will be bred in 2015.

Pontchatrain finished seventh in the Grade 2 Goldikova Stakes at Santa Anita last Sunday. Following the race, Craig Bernick of owner Glen Hill Farm said on Twitter that it was time for Pontchatrain "to be a mom" and that the 4-year-old was having breathing difficulties.

By War Front, Pontchatrain won 6 of 10 starts and earned $446,392 for Glen Hill Farm and trainer Tom Proctor. Pontchatrain won four consecutive turf stakes from September 2013 until February of this year.

Wed, 11/05/2014 - 14:58

Talamo will serve suspension this weekend

Shigeki Kikkawa
Jockey Joe Talamo can resume riding at Del Mar on Nov. 13 after he serves a three-day suspension this weekend.

Jockey Joe Talamo, who finished in a tie for seventh at the Del Mar summer meeting with 19 wins, will miss the first weekend of the meeting because of a suspension.

Recently, Talamo lost an appeal of a three-day suspension given in July for causing interference in the Oceanside Stakes at Del Mar on July 18. Talamo rode Texas Ryano, who was disqualified from eighth and placed 10th.

The suspension runs from Friday through Sunday. Talamo can resume riding at Del Mar on Nov. 13.

Wed, 11/05/2014 - 14:42

Veterans Desormeaux, Stevens retain youthful enthusiasm for riding

Barbara D. Livingston
Kent Desormeaux after winning the 2014 Breeders' Cup Juvenile with Texas Red.

Hall of Fame jockeys Kent Desormeaux and Gary Stevens may be a combined 95 years old, but they are looking toward the Del Mar autumn meeting that begins Friday with the enthusiasm of 20-somethings.

Both approach the meeting with something to prove.

Wed, 11/05/2014 - 14:25

Officials may try to lure BC Classic rematch for Clark Handicap

Emily Shields
Bayern (right) defeats Toast of New York (center) and California Chrome in Saturday's Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita Park.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – A do-over in the Clark Handicap for the principals in the Breeders’ Cup Classic scrum would be fantastic for racing fans, although the liklihood of it actually occurring appears iffy at best.

Churchill Downs officials acknowledged Wednesday that an attempt to attract any or all of Bayern, California Chrome, and Shared Belief to the Nov. 28 Clark is being discussed within the company, although they were unwilling to divulge any particulars.

Wed, 11/05/2014 - 14:00

Michael Ferraro, Vergara approaching career milestones

Michael S. Ferraro, who has won 18 training titles at Finger Lakes, is closing in on 3,000 career wins. Through Tuesday, Ferraro had won 2,998 races from 12,148 starters, a 25 percent win average. Ferraro is third in the Finger Lakes trainers’ standings with 61 wins.

Rider Daniel Vergara currently has 998 career victories. Vergara is seventh in the Finger Lakes jockeys’ standings with 59 wins.

Wed, 11/05/2014 - 13:55

Cedeno intends to ride in Mid-Atlantic region this winter

Tom Keyser
Carol Cedeno, the leading rider at Delaware Park this season, is currently riding at Laurel Park and Penn National.

Jockey Carol Cedeno’s career has taken a lot of twists and turns since she came to the United States from her native Puerto Rico in 2007.

She came to the United States after winning her fifth race, and officially beginning her apprenticeship, at Hipodromo Camarero. She started out at Parx Racing; had a successful stint in New York – she is 42 for 416 at Aqueduct; married fellow rider Angel Serpa, and had two children, Angelika and Dylan. In August 2013, she fractured vertebrae in a spill at Penn National, which sidelined her until last February.

Wed, 11/05/2014 - 13:35

Hardest Core will wait until next year

Four-Footed Fotos
Hardest Core, shown winning the Arlington Million, is back in Chester County, Pa., where he will begin jogging in January towards his 2015 campaign.

Hardest Core’s journey to California for the Breeders’ Cup Turf did not turn out as planned. He ended up too close to a hot pace, took the lead five furlongs from home, and was swallowed by the pack in upper stretch.

The good news is that he came out of the race in fine shape and will race again as a 5-year-old. As a matter of fact, as a gelding, he should have a lot of racing in front of him.

Wed, 11/05/2014 - 11:35

Futurity, Starlet highlight Los Alamitos stakes

Debra A. Roma
Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies winner Take Charge Brandi is nominated for the Starlet.

Los Alamitos will host five stakes, including two Grade 1 races for juveniles, during its three-week December meeting. All five stakes are worth $200,000 or more.