Wed, 07/16/2014 - 15:25

Sheza Smoke show looks to stand out from the pack in San Clemente

Benoit Photo
Sheza Smoke Show was pressured to the wire to win the first stakes of her career Saturday in the Senorita Stakes at Santa Anita Park.

A win in the Grade 3 Senorita Stakes at Santa Anita on June 28 is the defining performance in the career of Sheza Smoke Show. But it only makes her one of several contenders in Saturday’s $200,000 San Clemente Stakes at Del Mar.

With conditions similar to the Senorita – 3-year-old fillies running a mile on turf – trainer Peter Eurton is confident that Sheza Smoke Show can repeat that effort in the Grade 2 San Clemente.

“Her energy level is good,” Eurton said. “It won’t be an easy spot, but it never is in a Grade 2.”

Wed, 07/16/2014 - 15:24

Social Inclusion zips half-mile in Haskell work

Barbara D. Livingston
Social Inclusion will make his next start in the Haskell at Monmouth Park.

Social Inclusion, who finished third as the favorite behind runaway winner Bayern in the Grade 2 Woody Stephens on June 7 at Belmont Park, sizzled a half-mile in 45.65 at Gulfstream Park on Wednesday as he continues to prepare for the Grade 1 Haskell at Monmouth a week from Sunday.

According to the track clockers, Social Inclusion was all out most of the way while posting a 22.63 opening quarter split and he galloped out five-eighths in 59.61. 

Wed, 07/16/2014 - 15:18

Bayern works, keeps focus on Haskell

Emily Shields
Woody Stephens Stakes winner Bayern will be pointed for the Haskell Stakes at Monmouth.

Bayern, who won the Woody Stephens Stakes on the Belmont Stakes undercard last month, worked five furlongs on Polytrack in 1:02.80 Wednesday at Del Mar in preparation for a scheduled start July 27 in the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational at Monmouth.

Bayern worked at 6:30 a.m., before the mid-morning renovation break.

“He went good,” said his trainer, Bob Baffert. “The track was really slow early this morning. He was just cruising around there.”

Wed, 07/16/2014 - 15:07

Summer Front to ship again, this time for Eddie Read Stakes

Barbara D. Livingston
Summer Front, ridden by Joe Bravo, runs down pacesetter Tetradrachm to win the Grade 2 Fort Lauderdale on Saturday.

Summer Front is on the road again. After shipping to Santa Anita to finish second in the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile last month, he is returning anew from New York for the Grade 1, $300,000 Eddie Read Stakes on Sunday at Del Mar, trainer Christophe Clement said Wednesday from Saratoga.

“He’s leaving today and will be with you tonight,” Clement said.

Joe Bravo, who rode Summer Front in the Shoemaker Mile, will be back aboard, Clement said.

“I thought he gave him a very good ride in the Shoemaker, and he knows the horse very well,” Clement said.

Wed, 07/16/2014 - 14:58

Caracortado hopes to make comeback in optional claimer

Barbara D. Livingston
Mike Machowsky, seen here with Caracortado last October, is hopeful the 7-year-old will make his first start in nearly 10 months Friday.

DEL MAR, Calif. – Caracortado is entered Friday at Del Mar. One might normally say Caracortado is racing Friday at Del Mar, but why risk jinxing things? He’s gotten this far before in recent years, but repeated setbacks have kept him from the races.

Wed, 07/16/2014 - 14:08

Saratoga placing even greater emphasis on quality

Barbara D. Livingston
The New York Racing Association has shifted its focus this summer for Saratoga, placing an emphasis on quality of racing over quantity of races.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The 146th meeting at Saratoga could answer these questions: Is less more, and will more mean less?

Hoping to emphasize quality over quantity at the 40-day Saratoga meet that begins Friday, the New York Racing Association plans to run approximately 15 to 20 fewer races than the 420 conducted in 2013. Martin Panza, NYRA’s senior vice president of racing operations, said he wants to write fewer cheaper races if possible, but he also knows he’s dealing with a foal crop that has shrunk over the last several years, making for fewer high-level horses.

Wed, 07/16/2014 - 13:54

Noble Mission possible starter in Arlington Million

Four-Footed Fotos
A fractured sesamoid ended the career of multiple stakes winner Nikki's Sandcastle.

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. – Noble Mission, one of the better older horses in Europe this season, is under consideration for the Arlington Million, Juddmonte Farms racing manager Teddy Grimthorpe said Wednesday.

Juddmonte has a strong older U.S.-based grass horse in Seek Again, but trainer Bill Mott said this week that Seek Again might bypass the Million in favor of the Fourstardave at Saratoga since Juddmonte had another horse potentially pointed to the Million.

Wed, 07/16/2014 - 13:13

Low-profile trainers to watch closely

Barbara D. Livingston
David Cannizzo hopes to win seven to 10 races at Saratoga.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – It is a virtual certainty that Todd Pletcher will win his 11th consecutive training title at Saratoga. Chad Brown, Christophe Clement, David Jacobson, Kiaran McLaughlin, Linda Rice, and Steve Asmussen also figure to be frequent visitors to the newly widened Saratoga winner’s circle.

But there are several under-the-radar trainers who, while they may not be vying for top honors in the standings, bear watching, perhaps paying big dividends when their horses win.

We’ll call these trainers the unusual suspects.

Wed, 07/16/2014 - 13:05

Contenders line up for Haskell despite Untapable's presence

Tom Keyster
Untapable (outside), in company with 3-year-old colt Wizardly, breezes five furlongs on Monday morning on the Oklahoma training track under Rosie Napravnik.

OCEANPORT, N.J. – The decision by owner-breeder Ron Winchell and trainer Steve Asmussen to run Untapable against males in the Haskell Invitational assures a packed grandstand on Monmouth Park’s biggest day of the year next Sunday. Despite Untapable’s presence, a good-sized crowd also is expected in the starting gate.

As of Wednesday, eight colts were preparing to take on the nation’s leading 3-year-old filly at 1 1/8 miles. Her main challenger figures to be Bayern, the winner of the Woody Stephens with a 107 Beyer Speed Figure for Bob Baffert.

Wed, 07/16/2014 - 12:46

Posse Dreamin tries to make third time the charm in Friday maiden race

OCEANPORT, N.J. – Trainer Edwin Broome will send out his 2-year-old New Jersey homebred Posse Dreamin for his third try in a maiden race Friday at Monmouth Park. So far, Posse Dreamin has finished second twice behind some high-priced stock.

In his debut at 4 1/2 furlongs June 7, Posse Dreamin chased home Souper Colossal, a $350,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling purchase last summer who is trained by Eddie Plesa Jr. Posse Dreamin was beaten 1 3/4 lengths while finishing a length in front of the third-place Distinctivelyforu.