It is well documented that the connections of Wood Memorial winner Wicked Strong named their horse in honor of the victims of the Boston Marathon bombing of 2013. Initially, they put in for the name Boston Strong, which became the rallying cry of Bostonians in the aftermath of the bombings. But that name was taken.
On Friday, Boston Strong makes his career debut in a six-furlong turf race that goes as the finale on Belmont Park’s nine-race card.
A month ago, the New York racing office struggled to get six horses to enter the Grade 3 Vagrancy Handicap, and only four started.
There was no such dearth of entries for Saturday’s Grade 3, $150,000 Bed o’ Roses Handicap at Belmont Park, which drew a field of 11 fillies and mares.
The co-highweights at 118 pounds are Merry Meadow, who won the Vagrancy at 6-1, and Street Girl, the runner-up in the Grade 1 Humana Distaff at 21-1. Merry Meadow, who will be ridden by Rajiv Maragh, drew post 8, while Street Girl, with Jose Lezcano up, will break from post 10.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Jockeys Rafael Bejarano and Martin Pedroza are preparing for comebacks from injury.
Bejarano injured his collarbone, shoulder blade, and a rib in a one-horse spill May 10 and has targeted a return to riding for opening day at Del Mar on July 17, his agent, Joe Ferrer, said Wednesday.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Game On Dude, who won the final two runnings of the Hollywood Gold Cup at Hollywood Park in 2012 and 2013, worked six furlongs in 1:13.20 on Wednesday in preparation for the first Gold Cup at Santa Anita on June 28.
While the Gold Cup’s venue has changed following the closure of Hollywood Park last December, one thing remains the same – Game On Dude will be favored.
ARCADIA, Calif. – The $200,000 Summertime Oaks at Santa Anita on Saturday has a projected field of eight 3-year-old fillies, but the leading name among the 17 nominees is staying in the stable.
She’s a Tiger, the champion 2-year-old filly of 2013, is expected to make her next start during the Del Mar meeting that begins July 17, trainer Jeff Bonde said Wednesday.
She’s a Tiger has started once this year, finishing seventh in the Eight Belles Stakes at Churchill Downs on May 2.
“We’ll run when we’re ready,” Bonde said.
ELMONT, N.Y. – With the presence of Kentucky Oaks winner Untapable, the field for the Grade 1, $300,000 Mother Goose at Belmont Park on June 28 figured to be short. It got a little shorter Wednesday, when the connections of Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies winner Ria Antonia had to cancel their planned trip to New York due to a medication issue.
Delta Downs in Vinton, La., has a card of 14 trial races Saturday night, all for the $662,650 Lee Berwick Futurity. The finale is July 12.
The Berwick, which is restricted to 2-year-olds bred in Louisiana, will be the richest Quarter Horse race in Delta history, , according to track representative Don Stevens.
Far Niente, the winner of the Golden State Derby last August, is the fastest qualifier for the $163,100 Vessels Maturity at Los Alamitos on July 6, a race that will include Last to Fire, the 2013 World Champion Running Quarter Horse.
Kiss My Hocks, the nation’s leading 2-year-old Quarter Horse, is being pointed for the Rainbow Futurity trials at Ruidoso Downs in New Mexico, said his trainer, Toby Keeton. The trials are July 3-4, with the Grade 1, $900,000 finale July 20.
Kiss My Hocks ran his record to 4 for 4 earlier this month, when he darted to a half-length win in the Grade 1, $700,000 Ruidoso Futurity. Kiss My Hocks led throughout, one start after winning his trial for the race by three lengths. His other successes include the Grade 2, $563,950 Sam Houston Futurity.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Social Inclusion, a somewhat disappointing third as the even-money favorite behind runaway winner Bayern in the Grade 2 Woody Stephens on Belmont Stakes Day, is back home at Gulfstream Park, where he’s getting a bit of a break before launching the second half of his 3-year-old campaign July 27 at Monmouth Park in the Grade 1 Haskell.
