Fri, 02/16/2024 - 11:00

Bolzy stepping up to stakes in Razorback Handicap

Coady Photography
Bolzy earned a 96 Beyer Speed Figure for an allowance win on Jan. 28 at Oaklawn Park.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Trainer Donnie Von Hemel will attempt to win the Grade 3 Razorback Handicap for the fourth time next Saturday at Oaklawn Park when he saddles the well-bred Bolzy.

The $600,000 race is one of four stakes scheduled to be run on a card led by the Grade 2, $1.25 million Rebel.

Bolzy is a son of Gun Runner and the Grade 3-winning millionaire She’s All In. He will be making his stakes debut after a Jan. 28 allowance win at the Razorback’s 1 1/16-mile distance. Bolzy popped a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 96.

Thu, 02/15/2024 - 15:02

Locked, Born Noble set for works ahead of Fountain of Youth

Debra A. Roma
Locked hasn't started since a third-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Trainer Todd Pletcher said he plans to send out two of his potential candidates for the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth on March 2 at Gulfstream Park – Locked and Born Noble – for key workouts Friday at his winter headquarters at the Palm Beach Downs training center.

Thu, 02/15/2024 - 14:00

Ryan Moore fined, suspended over Breeders' Cup whip violation

Barbara D. Livingston
Aboard Auguste Rodin, jockey Ryan Moore won the 2023 Breeders' Cup Turf, his fifth victory in that race.

Jockey Ryan Moore, the most high-profile rider in the world, has been fined $20,800 and suspended one day after losing an appeal of a ruling originally issued on Breeders’ Cup weekend last November, according to a decision published by Santa Anita stewards last weekend.

Moore was originally sanctioned for a whip violation aboard Auguste Rodin in the $4 million BC Turf on Nov. 4, the nation’s richest turf race. Auguste Rodin closed along the inside in the stretch to win by three-quarters of a length over Up to the Mark.

Thu, 02/15/2024 - 13:50

Newgrange to prep for Dubai World Cup with Santa Anita Handicap

Benoit Photo
Newgrange will go for his third stakes win of the current meet in the Santa Anita Handicap.

Newgrange, the dominant older horse at the current Santa Anita winter-spring meeting, will start in the March 2 Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap as a potential prep for the Group 1 Dubai World Cup in the United Arab Emirates on March 30.

Newgrange won the Grade 2 San Pasqual Stakes on Jan. 27 for his second consecutive stakes win of the winter. Trainer Phil D’Amato said after the San Pasqual that the $12 million Dubai World Cup would be Newgrange’s next start.

Wed, 02/14/2024 - 14:54

Canterbury Park to offer upfront incentives to trainers in effort to boost field size

Canterbury Park in Shakopee, Minn., will pay trainers upfront money prior to its meet under a novel incentive program that seeks to boost field sizes at the track, Canterbury officials announced Wednesday.

Wed, 02/14/2024 - 14:53

Tampa postpones two turf stakes due to wet forecast

Tom Keyser
The Leinster Turf Dash and the Leinster Lightning City Stakes will now be run Feb. 24

Due to a forecast that calls for rain, Tampa Bay Downs has postponed two turf stakes scheduled for Saturday until Feb. 24, the track announced Wednesday.

Entries for the $100,000 Leinster Turf Dash for 4-year-olds and up and the $100,000 Leinster Lightning City Stakes for fillies and mares 4 and up were to be taken Wednesday. But the decision was made earlier in the day not to draw those five-furlong turf stakes and push them back by one week.

Wed, 02/14/2024 - 14:27

Tapalo could head to Turfway for Jeff Ruby

Benoit Photo
According to trainer John Sadler, Slider could start on the Kentucky Derby trail in the Grade 3 Gotham at Aqueduct.

Tapalo, second in the El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate Fields on Saturday, is under consideration for the March 23 Grade 3 Jeff Ruby Steaks at Turfway Park, trainer John Sadler said.

Tapalo had his stakes debut in the El Camino Real Derby at 1 1/8 miles on a synthetic track. The $700,000 Jeff Ruby is also run at 1 1/8 miles on a synthetic track.

The El Camino Real Derby did not award qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby, while the Ruby offers 100-50-25-15-10 points for the first five finishers.

Wed, 02/14/2024 - 14:05

Fonner set to open with increased purses

Barbara D. Livingston
Backed by a new casino and a contribution from the Nebraska HBPA, Fonner Park is set to open Saturday with purses being increased by 20 percent.

Fonner Park, a Nebraska tradition, opens Saturday in a meet that runs through May 4. Purses are up for the new season, and the meet’s signature race, the $75,000 Bosselman/Fonner will share a card with a new offering, the $30,000 Elite Sprint Cup.

Wed, 02/14/2024 - 14:00

Eric Jackson, senior vice president of Oaklawn, to enter two Halls of Fame

Eric Jackson, the senior vice president of Oaklawn, is set to enter the Arkansas Business Hall of Fame on Friday in Little Rock. It’s the first of two inductions for statewide Halls of Fame for Jackson. Later this year, Jackson will enter the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame.

Wed, 02/14/2024 - 14:00

Touchuponastar to return to Fair Grounds for Star Guitar

Coady Photography
After a successful meet at Delta Downs, Touchuponastar will head to Fair Grounds for the Star Guitar.

Touchuponastar ran his Delta Downs record to 5 for 5 with his win in the $150,000 Louisiana Premier Night Championship on Feb. 3 to cap an outstanding run at the meet that closes Feb. 24.

Touchuponastar earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 101, the highest number of the current stand in which he owns the top three Beyers. Touchuponastar earned a 97 Beyer for his win in the Oct. 6 Gold Cup and a 95 for his victory in the Nov. 3 Delta Downs Mile.