OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Risky Rachel, who returned from a 15-month layoff to win two stakes at Tampa Bay Downs this winter, has returned to New York, where she will take aim at next Saturday’s Broadway Stakes at Aqueduct, a race she won in 2012.
Risky Rachel, a 7-year-old daughter of Limehouse owned and bred by Sanford Bacon, suffered a tendon injury when finishing fifth in the Iroquois Stakes at Belmont in October 2012, according to her trainer, Juan Coronel.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Itsmyluckyday finished a tiring fourth while making his first start since June in the Gulfstream Park Handicap on March 8 and has bounced back “110 percent,” trainer Eddie Plesa Jr. said.
Itsmyluckyday lost the second half of his 3-year-old campaign last year when he fractured his pelvis during the Grade 3 Pegasus at Monmouth Park.
[Clocker Reports: Get Mike Welsch’s clocker reports from Gulfstream Park and Palm Meadows]
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Most everybody was surprised to see Declan’s Warrior fighting for the lead under jockey Jose Lezcano when launching his comeback from a seven-month layoff in Thursday’s eighth race. But nobody was more surprised than his trainer, Nick Zito, who was hoping to see him laying several lengths off the pace in his first start since being eased after running less than a quarter-mile of the Grade 1 King’s Bishop last August at Saratoga.
Intense Holiday, Albano, and Vicar’s in Trouble – the first three finishers in the Risen Star Stakes – are among eight 3-year-olds headed to the Louisiana Derby, Fair Grounds stakes coordinator Scott Jones said Wednesday. The others are Commanding Curve, Gold Hawk, In Trouble, Louies Flower, and Rise Up.
Dont Walk Peacefully was a quiet fourth in his debut in a maiden race for 2-year-olds for trainer Jose De La Torre at Los Alamitos in August.
When he won his second start, which came last Sunday in a division of the time trials for the $202,100 El Primero Del Ano Derby, a lot had changed.
De La Torre is gone, denied stalls by Los Alamitos management for a series of clenbuterol positives in recent years. Dont Walk Peacefully is now trained by Danny Montes and has been gelded since his debut.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Although War Dancer was considered to be primarily a turf horse following his victory in the Grade 2 Virginia Derby last year at 3, trainer Ken McPeek will switch the horse back to the main track here next Saturday in the Grade 3 Skip Away.
NEW ORLEANS – For trainer Bret Calhoun, the death last month of owner/breeder Clarence Scharbauer Jr. adds emotional incentive to win the Fair Grounds Oaks with Fiftyshadesofgold.
“When she had her little run through Churchill and Saratoga, it kept him going,” Calhoun said. “When she ran at Houston, he got really excited. He kind of lived through that filly.”
Scharbauer, a pillar of Texas racing, died at age 88 on Feb. 21, six days after his homebred filly Fiftyshadesofgold won the seven-furlong Two Altazano Stakes at Sam Houston in her first start as a 3-year-old.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Bond Holder, fourth in the 2013 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, continues being treated for laminitis at a Florida veterinary clinic, trainer Doug O’Neill said Thursday.
“It’s so far, so good,” O’Neill said. “He had a good night.”
[ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY: Prep races, point standings, replays]
ARCADIA, Calif. - Bayern, the unbeaten 3-year-old who has yet to run in a stakes, worked a half-mile in 47.40 seconds Thursday, preparing for a possible start in the $1 million Santa Anita Derby on April 5.
Bayern has led or disputed the pace in his two starts – a maiden race and an allowance race. He worked in company Thursday.
“He sat behind a horse, and he relaxed,” trainer Bob Baffert said.
[ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY: Prep races, point standings, replays]
