OZONE PARK, N.Y. - There are four Grade 1 marathon turf stakes for males on the New York Racing Association circuit and, this year, Solider Rising has finished second in the first three.
He’ll try to go one better in Saturday’s Grade 1, $500,000 Joe Hirsch Stakes scheduled for 1 1/2 miles at Aqueduct.
Soldier Rising finished second to Red Knight in the Man o’ War, and second to Up to the Mark in the Manhattan at Belmont Park. Last month, he was second best to Bolshoi Ballet in the Sword Dancer.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Law Professor sidled up alongside heavily favored Life Is Good at the top of the stretch of last year’s Grade 1 Woodward Stakes and for a brief moment, it appeared a major upset could be in the offing.
But in the final furlong, Life Is Good edged away from Law Professor to win by 1 1/2 lengths, with Law Professor settling for second.
Life Is Good will likely be running around his paddock at WinStar Farm Saturday afternoon when Law Professor takes another shot at the Woodward - run this year as a Grade 2 worth $400,000 - at Aqueduct.
Trainer Herman Wilensky’s first two starters at Remington Park won stakes on the Oklahoma Derby undercard Sunday and the horses – Chi Chi and My Destiny – are now bound for Keeneland.
Wilensky brought a handful of horses to Remington from Southern California, and after a few more run in overnight races in Oklahoma the group will head to Kentucky.
Chi Chi came to Remington a maiden and will leave a stakes winner by virtue of her victory in the $50,000 E.L. Gaylord Memorial. The 2-year-old filly won the 6 1/2-furlong race in 1:17.98 and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 81.
Macadamia, the 5-year-old Brazilian-bred mare who won three races at Santa Anita earlier this year, including the Grade 1 Gamely Stakes on turf on May 29, has been retired, trainer Phil D’Amato said on Wednesday.
Racing in Brazil and California, Macadamia won 5 of 13 starts and earned $444,413 for R Unicorn Stable.
D’Amato said Macadamia was recently sent to Kentucky. He said it was unclear whether she will be bred in that state in 2024 or sent to Japan where R Unicorn Stable has a base.
Jockey Antonio Fresu, who was suspended 32 days for a series of whip violations at Del Mar in late summer, has been granted a stay by the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority that allows him to ride the opening two weekends of the Santa Anita autumn meeting that begins on Friday until an appeal is heard.
Fresu’s agent, Tom Knust, said he requested a stay from HISA regarding two rulings against Fresu in the final two weeks of the Del Mar meeting. A hearing regarding an appeal is scheduled for Oct. 4.
ARCADIA, Calif. – While the festive return of Breeders’ Cup to Santa Anita brings renewed excitement to the fall meet, horseplayers may argue the season’s biggest development is the highly anticipated comeback of two popular wagers.
The How Did He Do That show is expected to move on to New Mexico.
Trainer Steve Asmussen said Sunday's winner of the Grade 3, $400,000 Oklahoma Derby at Remington Park will likely make his next start at Zia Park in Hobbs, N.M.
“He’ll probably go to the Zia Park Derby,” Asmussen said. “He won there last year.”
The $300,000 Zia Park Derby is Nov. 28. Last season, it was on the undercard of that race that How Did He Do That won the Zia Park Juvenile. He was the favorite – a far cry from the 44-1 that he went off in the Oklahoma Derby.
Ajax Downs has received approval from the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario to run mixed breed races involving Quarter horses and Thoroughbreds.
A Quarter horse track located east of Toronto, Ajax Downs has scheduled mixed breed races into the condition book for Oct. 4 and Oct. 18 and is hoping to run more such “Battle of the Breeds” races in 2024.
The two races are both going 870 yards around a bend. Other details have yet to be announced.
The versatile Honor D Lady will likely remain on dirt for at least the near future following her Sunday win in the Grade 3, $200,000 Remington Park Oaks, trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said.
Honor D Lady was making just her second start on dirt and for the effort earned a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 86.
The Remington Oaks was the second stakes win for Honor D Lady behind the Honey Ryder on turf in May at Gulfstream Park. She’s also Grade 3-placed on Tapeta, in the Selene at Woodbine, and she won her maiden on the same type of synthetic surface last year at Gulfstream.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. — Graded stakes winners Maryquitecontrary and Caramel Swirl top a list of 12 fillies and mares who have been invited to participate in the $200,000 Princess Rooney Invitational at Gulfstream Park on Oct. 7. The seven-furlong, Grade 3 Princess Rooney is a “Win and You’re In” automatic qualifier for the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Santa Anita on November 4.
