2014 Racing Dates

April 3 - June 7

Post Times

12:35 p.m. ET (Thursday - Sunday); Black-Eyed Susan Day (5/16, 12:15 p.m.); Preakness Day (5/17, 10:45 a.m.).

Handicapping Information

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – The hottest topic around Gulfstream Park these days, other than the upcoming Florida Derby, is undoubtedly the Rainbow 6, with the jackpot eclipsing the $3 million mark last weekend.

With the daily pools regularly approaching or even exceeding $500,000, and field sizes starting to shrink as the championship meet nears an end, the chances of having the standalone, single winning ticket necessary to take down the jackpot continue to diminish. That means being able to ferret out a single or two during the sequence is of the utmost importance.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Jockey Patrick Valenzuela, who has not ridden since late January and was suspended Feb. 7 for failing to meet with track stewards, met with the same board of stewards Sunday, seeking an exercise rider’s license.

Valenzuela told Scott Chaney, Kim Sawyer, and Tom Ward that he no longer plans to ride but would like to stay involved in Southern California racing. He said he would like to work as an exercise rider or as a television commentator and has a long-term interest in training.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Trainer Bill Mott said Tuesday he will have two runners in Sunday’s $200,000 Santa Ana Stakes for fillies and mares on turf, including the three-time Grade 1 winner Emollient.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Champion Will Take Charge, the runner-up to Game On Dude in the Santa Anita Handicap last Saturday, was scheduled to return to his Oaklawn base Wednesday, trainer D. Wayne Lukas said this week. Lukas said the horse is being pointed for the Grade 2, $600,000 Oaklawn Handicap on April 12.

Will Take Charge earned a career-high Beyer of 113 for finishing 1 3/4 lengths behind wire-to-wire winner Game On Dude in the 1 1/4-mile Santa Anita Handicap, which went in 1:58.17.

On Tuesday, trainer Tom Amoss sent Delta Jackpot winner Rise Up out to work a bullet five furlongs in 1:00. It was Rise Up’s second work since he finished seventh in the Feb. 22 Risen Star Stakes, his 3-year-old debut.

Rise Up, a front-running horse, basically lost all chance at the start when he broke very poorly and had to rush into contention around the first turn. Rise Up has worn blinkers in both post-Risen Star works, and Amoss said he plans to employ the equipment March 29 in the Louisiana Derby.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – The Grade 2-winning 3-year-old Kobe’s Back lost all chance of winning his two-turn debut last December. He’ll get a second chance at the trip at Oaklawn Park on Saturday, when he runs in the Grade 2, $600,000 Rebel Stakes.

Kobe’s Back will be one of the top choices in the 1 1/16-mile race, which was expected to draw seven to nine horses when entries closed Wednesday. Other leading contenders include Tapiture and Strong Mandate, the one-two finishers in last month’s Grade 3, $300,000 Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn.

ARCADIA, Calif. – The $350,000 Santa Margarita Stakes for fillies and mares at Santa Anita on Saturday will be a race for locals.

After trainer Bill Mott said Tuesday that Close Hatches would start in Saturday’s $200,000 Azeri Stakes at Oaklawn Park, the Santa Margarita lost its potential shipper among the 12 nominees.

With an assist from an inside-speed-favoring racing surface Saturday, Heitai aced his first test against open stakes rivals since his connections began focusing him solely on sprint races. Beating race favorite and defending champion Delaunay to the lead – and giving him three pounds under the race’s allowance conditions – Heitai won the Duncan Kenner Stakes by five lengths.