Mon, 07/21/2014 - 16:21

Hot Stones to try Shuvee

Joe Labozzetta/NYRA
Hot Stones (white cap) wins the Bed o' Roses Handicap last month.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Hot Stones, winner of the Grade 3 Bed o’ Roses Handicap at seven furlongs last month, will attempt to stretch out to 1 1/8 miles in Sunday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Shuvee Handicap at Saratoga.

Hot Stones, a 4-year-old daughter of Bustin Stones, has raced around two turns twice, both over Aqueduct’s inner track and both going a mile. She won an open-company allowance race by 4 3/4 lengths and finished sixth, beaten 8 3/4 lengths, in a New York-bred optional claimer on Feb. 23.

Mon, 07/21/2014 - 16:12

Montanez remains hospitalized after spill

Barbara D. Livingston
Rosario Montanez was injured in a spill at Saratoga on Saturday.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Jockey Rosario Montanez, injured in a spill at Saratoga on Saturday, will likely remain hospitalized until at least Thursday, his agent, Mike Monroe, said.

Montanez underwent surgery on Sunday to the outer structure of his left eye and may need a second surgery, said Monroe, who added that Montanez “was able to see out of both eyes.”

Montanez, who is at Albany Medical Center, also suffered a fractured pelvis, three broken ribs on his right side, a broken nose, and facial lacerations.

Mon, 07/21/2014 - 15:55

Commanding Curve favors Curlin start over Jim Dandy

Barbara D. Livingston
Commanding Curve (outside) works with Golden Soul on July 19 at Saratoga.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The connections of Kentucky Derby runner-up Commanding Curve hope to take the path of least resistance to the $1.25 million Travers Stakes on Aug. 23 by running in Friday’s $100,000 Curlin Stakes instead of Saturday’s Grade 2, $600,000 Jim Dandy at Saratoga.

Commanding Curve was one of 10 horses entered Monday in the Curlin, which is restricted to horses who have not won a graded stakes over a mile this year. The Curlin, like the Jim Dandy, is run at 1 1/8 miles.

Mon, 07/21/2014 - 14:08

Frac Daddy invades for San Diego

Michael Burns
Frac Daddy runs Saturday in the San Diego on the Del Mar Polytrack. He won the Eclipse at Woodbine (above) and the Ben Ali at Keeneland on Polytrack.

DE MAR, Calif. - Frac Daddy, sent to Del Mar because of his aptitude on synthetic surfaces, worked five furlongs in 59.80 seconds on Monday morning for trainer Kenny McPeek in his final drill for the Grade 2, $200,000 San Diego Handicap for 3-year-olds and up on Saturday.

Frac Daddy comes off a second-place finish in the Dominion Day Stakes at Woodbine on July 1. Earlier this year, he won the Eclipse at Woodbine, and the Ben Ali at Keeneland. Both those races were run on Polytrack, the same surface as at Del Mar.

Mon, 07/21/2014 - 13:25

Untapable caps Haskell preparation

Barbara D. Livingston
Untapable works a half-mile in 50.28 under exercise rider Mike Callaham on Monday over the Oklahoma training track.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Untapable, who will attempt to become the third 3-year-old filly to win the $1 million Haskell Invitational on Sunday, completed her serious preparations for the Haskell by working a half-mile in 50.28 seconds over Saratoga’s Oklahoma training track Monday morning.

Working by herself shortly after 6 a.m., Untapable, under exercise rider Mike Callaham, seemed a bit eager galloping to the pole. She went her first quarter-mile in 24.87 seconds and her second quarter in 25.41.

Mon, 07/21/2014 - 12:58

Bayern punches ticket to Haskell with strong work

Justin N. Lane
Bayern, winning the Woody Stephens at Belmont, worked five furlongs in 59.80 at Del Mar on Monday.

DEL MAR, Calif. – When trainer Bob Baffert got to work on Monday morning at Del Mar, he wasn’t sure what he was going to do with Bayern.

Though Bayern was scheduled to work a couple hours later, Baffert was weighing the merits of running him in the Grade 1, $1 million Haskell at Monmouth on Sunday, or bypassing that 1 1/8-mile race, keeping Bayern around one turn, and awaiting the Grade 1 King’s Bishop at seven furlongs next month at Saratoga.

Mon, 07/21/2014 - 12:23

Lafontaine wins stakes debut in Toronto Cup

Michael Burns
Lafontaine wins the $128,500 Toronto Cup on Sunday at Woodbine.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Lafontaine (18-1) sprung the upset as the longest shot on the board when he won his stakes debut in the $128,500 Toronto Cup Stakes at Woodbine on Sunday for 3-year-olds over 1 1/8 miles.

Lafontaine tracked the front-running Heart to Heart in third along the rail early and got up in the final strides after a determined stretch drive under Steven Bahen.

Mon, 07/21/2014 - 12:22

Regal Conqueror takes to turf in Ontario Damsel

Michael Burns
Regal Conqueror wins the Ontario Damsel Stakes on Saturday at Woodbine.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Given the success of her sire and dam on the grass throughout their racing careers, it shouldn’t have been a surprise that Regal Conqueror would find success on turf as well.

After two out-of-the-money finishes sprinting on the Polytrack to start the year, Regal Conqueror went off at 7-1 in her turf debut in the $150,000 Ontario Damsel Stakes on Saturday at Woodbine. She rallied down the lane under jockey Eurico Da Silva to win by a half-length over Skylander Girl.

Mon, 07/21/2014 - 12:08

Up With the Birds, Aldous Snow pointing to Canadian International

Michael Burns
Up With the Birds wins the Grade 2, $236,400 Nijinsky Stakes on Saturday at Woodbine.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – After two disappointing results to start the season, 2013 Canadian Horse of the Year Up With the Birds appeared to relish a return to his home track on Saturday as he captured the Grade 2, $236,400 Nijinsky Stakes by four lengths over Dynamic Sky and earned a career-best 98 Beyer Speed Figure.

Mon, 07/21/2014 - 11:57

Business strong opening week at Del Mar

DEL MAR, Calif. – The four-day opening week of the Del Mar summer meeting from Thursday through Sunday showed strong attendance and handle figures compared to opening week in 2013, according to figures released by the track on Sunday.