DEL MAR, Calif. – Bal a Bali, the winner of four Group 1 races in Brazil this year, including the Rio Triple Crown, will arrive Tuesday at trainer Richard Mandella’s stable to be trained for the Breeders’ Cup Turf on Nov. 1 at Santa Anita.
A 4-year-old colt by Put It Back, Bal a Bali has won 10 of 11 starts, including his last seven starts since September. He won the Grande Premio Brasil on June 8, a race that was part of the B.C. Win and You’re In program for the B.C. Turf.
DEL MAR, Calif. – Jockey Eswan Flores was suspended 90 days by Del Mar stewards Thursday for testing in excess of the prescription medication Xanax on June 29 at Santa Anita.
The suspension was made retroactive to Aug. 3 and runs through Oct. 31. During the suspension, Flores, 21, is banned from the racetrack and must undergo counseling with the Winners Foundation and comply with that organization’s recommendations before he is allowed to participate in a hearing for possible reinstatement.
CYPRESS, Calif. – Almost nine weeks after finishing fourth in the Belmont Stakes in a bid to sweep the Triple Crown, California Chrome had the first workout of his comeback at Los Alamitos on Friday, going three furlongs in 37.60 seconds.
The way California Chrome finished left trainer Art Sherman anxious for the start of the popular colt’s autumn campaign next month.
DEL MAR, Calif. – Serious, a 4-year-old filly who suffered fractured sesamoids in a turf sprint July 31 at Del Mar, is recovering without the need of surgery and could be bred next year, trainer Vince Smith said Wednesday.
A former $5,000 claimer, Serious was pulled up on the turn in the race and is the most recent horse injured in a race on the turf course. Immediately following her injury, there was concern that Serious would have to be euthanized.
Four horses were euthanized as a result of injuries in turf races from July 17-26.
DEL MAR, Calif. – Jockey Rafael Bejarano will ride Miss Serendipity in Sunday’s $250,000 John Mabee Stakes for fillies and mares over 1 1/8 miles on Del Mar's turf.
Bejarano replaces Brice Blanc, who injured a shoulder in a spill on turf July 25 and has yet to return to riding.
On Thursday, Bejarano worked Miss Serendipity five furlongs in 1:01.40. Miss Serendipity won the Grade 1 Gamely Stakes at Santa Anita in May, her fifth start of 2014 and her first win in the United States. Miss Serendipity, 6, was a Group 1 winner in Argentina in 2013.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – There certainly was no shortage of interest when entries were drawn Thursday for Sunday’s Grade 2 Saratoga Special, with 11 juveniles looking to become graded stakes winners for the first time, including Cinco Charlie and Nonna’s Boy, the third and fourth finishers in the Grade 3 Sanford Stakes three weeks ago.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – After dominating mostly New York-bred maidens July 6 in the $125,000 Lynbrook Stakes at Belmont Park, Wonder Gal will race in open company in Sunday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Adirondack Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs.
Wonder Gal, a daughter of Tiz Wonderful trained by Leah Gyarmati, will take on six rivals in the Adirondack, including the Texas-bred stakes winner Vivian Da Bling and the Schuylerville Stakes runner-up Take Charge Brandi, as well as maiden winners Angela Renee, Cavorting, Empressive Humor, and Phoenix Park.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Bayern, the dominant winner of the Grade 1, $1 million Haskell Invitational in his last start, will make his next start on Aug. 23 in the Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers, trainer Bob Baffert confirmed Thursday.
Baffert announced his decision after watching Bayern work a half-mile in 48.60 seconds over Del Mar’s synthetic surface.
“I love the way he went,” Baffert said by phone from Southern California. “He came out of that race really, really well. He looks sharp. He looks like he’s holding his weight.”
DEL MAR, Calif. – After four races at four tracks, Sunset Glow is staying at Del Mar for the rest of the summer following her win in Wednesday’s $200,000 Sorrento Stakes for 2-year-old fillies.
Trainer Wesley Ward said immediately after the race that Sunset Glow will be pointed for the $300,000 Del Mar Debutante over seven furlongs here Aug. 30.
His reasons are twofold. Ward wants to try Sunset Glow in a Grade 1 such as the Del Mar Debutante and wants to find a race within a month for a filly who he said has a voracious appetite.
