ETOBICOKE, Ontario – One notable absence from the Jacques Cartier Stakes on Sunday was Canada’s champion male sprinter of 2013, Phil’s Dream. While the Jacques Cartier appeared to be a logical starting point for Phil’s Dream’s 2014 campaign, owner and trainer Paul Buttigieg had other ideas.
“I never even considered [the race],” he said. “He had a tough campaign last year, so I wanted to give him a break.”
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Laurie Silvera hit a milestone during Sunday’s card when he recorded his 1,000th career training victory in the seventh race, an optional claimer open to Ontario-sired horses.
Sorry About That, the 8-5 favorite, took command in the final furlong and drove clear to a three-length victory.
“He was in a league of his own in this crowd,” Silvera said. “He’s a very nice horse, and it was no surprise.”
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Horses who wintered in Ontario held their own during Woodbine’s opening weekend, but winter-raced horses swept the top four positions in the only stakes race of the weekend, Sunday’s $125,000 Jacques Cartier Stakes.
Dan the Tin Man, who wintered in Florida with trainer Ricky Griffith, closed into a quick early pace and held off two other winter-raced horses, Victory Exchange and Really Sharp, to win his third career stakes race by a neck.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Dance With Fate, winner of the Blue Grass Stakes on Saturday at Keeneland, will return to California on Monday, and a decision as to whether he runs in the Kentucky Derby will be made by his owners, trainer Peter Eurton said Sunday at Santa Anita.
Eurton, as he did immediately following the race Saturday, said he would prefer not to run on dirt in the Derby on May 3, believing Dance With Fate is better on synthetic or grass. He also thinks coming back in three weeks would not be ideal for a horse who prefers time between races.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Getting Big Macher to the Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Santa Anita in November as inexpensively as possible has become a goal for owners Brendan Bakir and Tom Mansor and trainer Richard Baltas after the gelding’s win in Saturday’s $200,750 Potrero Grande Stakes.
Baltas said on Sunday that a Win and You’re In race will be a goal this summer for Big Macher. If a horse wins a Win and You’re In race, the Breeders’ Cup waives entry and starting fees.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Game On Dude worked six furlongs in 1:11 at Santa Anita on Sunday, his final major exercise before the $1.5 million Charles Town Classic in West Virginia on Saturday.
Jockey Martin Garcia worked Game On Dude for trainer Bob Baffert on Sunday, but Mike Smith will have the mount on the popular 7-year-old in the 1 1/8-mile Charles Town Classic.
Baffert said that Game On Dude galloped out seven furlongs in 1:25. “He looked awesome,” Baffert said.
ARCADIA, Calif. - The two-time champion Beholder will make her 2014 debut in the $75,000 Santa Lucia Stakes at Santa Anita next Sunday.
Beholder was the champion 2-year-old filly of 2012 and the champion 3-year-old filly of 2013. She has not raced since winning the Breeders’ Cup Distaff here last November.
Trainer Richard Mandella had been seeking a race for Beholder’s comeback, and chose the Santa Lucia, run over the track on which she trains daily. Beholder was supplemented to the stakes for $1,500.
Santa Anita Derby winner California Chrome will have his own training time at Los Alamitos for the next few weeks in the buildup to the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 3.
Track officials have dedicated 7:10 to 7:30 a.m. for California Chrome’s daily exercise. The decision was reached after a loose horse was on the track at the same time as California Chrome on Saturday morning, causing anxious moments.
[ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY: Prep races, point standings, replays]
ARCADIA, Calif. – Trainer Bob Baffert currently has three horses with sufficient points to run in the Kentucky Derby on May 3, and all soon will be traveling from California to Kentucky, where they will join Bayern, who was sent to Churchill Downs on Sunday following his third-place finish in the Arkansas Derby on Saturday.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Danza was en route to Churchill Downs on Sunday morning after earning a trip to the Kentucky Derby with his victory in the Grade 1, $1 million Arkansas Derby on Saturday. He was assigned a preliminary Beyer Speed Figure of 102 for his 4 3/4-length win in the Arkansas Derby.
Danza also earned 100 points towards Kentucky Derby eligibility, and becomes the fourth horse his trainer, Todd Pletcher, has on the road to the big dance alongside Constitution, Intense Holiday, and We Miss Artie.
“We’re very fortunate,” Pletcher said Sunday.
