Wed, 02/07/2024 - 13:30

Stronghold hoping to make Sunland Park Derby

By Steve Andersen
Barbara D. Livingston
Stronghold was scratched from the Robert Lewis in favor of the Grade 3 Sunland Park Derby.

Stronghold was scratched from the Grade 3 Robert Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita last Saturday in favor of a scheduled start in the Grade 3 Sunland Park Derby on Feb. 18 in New Mexico.

Now, trainer Phil D’Amato needs the Southern California weather to cooperate in coming days to make the revised plan work.

Areas around Santa Anita, where Stronghold is based with D’Amato, sustained more than eight inches of rain from Saturday through late Tuesday, leaving the main track closed for activity from Sunday through Wednesday.

Wed, 02/07/2024 - 12:00

Dornoch works toward Fountain of Youth

By David Grening
Barbara D. Livingston
Dornoch is expected to make his 3-year-old debut in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth Stakes.

Dornoch, the Grade 2 Remsen winner, had his third work of the year Wednesday, breezing a half-mile in 49.10 seconds at the Palm Meadows training center in Florida. Dornoch, a full brother to 2023 Kentucky Derby winner Mage, is scheduled to make his 3-year-old debut in the Grade 2, $400,000 Fountain of Youth on March 2 at Gulfstream Park.

For the third straight time, Dornoch worked with the Barclay Tagg-trained turf maiden winner Marceau.

Wed, 02/07/2024 - 12:00

Hall of Fame, Track Phantom on target for Risen Star

By Marcus Hersh
Kristin Walker
Track Phantom, trained by Steve Asmussen, wins the Gun Runner Stakes at Fair Grounds.

Second in the 2022 Kentucky Derby with Epicenter, who wound up champion 3-year-old, and fourth in the 2023 Derby with Disarm, trainer Steve Asmussen saw favored Carbone finish seventh last weekend in the Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park, one of four Derby preps on Feb. 3. One place in front of Carbone came the Asmussen-trained Otto the Conqueror.

Tue, 02/06/2024 - 19:05

Quarantine of Belmont barn extended to Feb. 26

By David Grening

The quarantine of Barn 15 at Belmont Park has been extended by two days to Feb. 26 after a horse stabled in that barn was diagnosed with a fever, the New York Racing Association and New York State Gaming Commission announced Tuesday night.

Willful Desire, a 4-year-old filly trained by Gustavo Rodriguez, developed a fever Monday. Nasal swabs and blood tests taken on the horse at Cornell were negative for equine herpesvirus (EHV), the NYRA said.

Mon, 02/05/2024 - 13:52

My Boy Prince, Patches O'Houlihan head 2023 Sovereign Award finalists

By Ron Gierkink
Julie Wright
Cup and Saucer Stakes winner My Boy Prince is a Sovereign Awards finalist as champion 2-year-old male and champion male turf horse.

Accomplished 2-year-old My Boy Prince and crack sprinter Patches O’Houlihan are finalists in two categories in the 2023 Sovereign Award voting, The Jockey Club of Canada announced Monday.

The 49th annual Sovereign Awards ceremony takes place April 18 at the Paramount Eventspace in Woodbridge, Ontario, during which the award winners will be announced along with the 2023 Canadian Horse of the Year.

Mon, 02/05/2024 - 12:00

Goliad on a roll, targets Kilroe Mile

By Steve Andersen
Benoit Photo
Coming off consecutive wins for the first time in his career, including Saturday's Grade 3 Thunder Road at Santa Anita, Goliad will target the Grade 1 Frank Kilroe Mile.

He’s 7 and finally getting the hang of racing.

In two starts this year, Goliad has won consecutive races for the first time in his limited career, including Saturday’s Grade 3 Thunder Road Stakes at a mile on turf at Santa Anita in a dramatic style.

The win has led to plans for his first career Grade 1 start in the $300,000 Frank Kilroe Mile on March 2, a goal that would have seemed improbable as recently as a few months ago when Goliad was mired in a five-race losing streak.

Sat, 02/03/2024 - 14:24

Los Alamitos cancels Sunday card, alters racing schedule

By Steve Andersen
Barbara D. Livingston
Los Alamitos joins Santa Anita in cancelling racing on Sunday due to an expected storm.

Los Alamitos has cancelled its Sunday program because of expected widespread rain in Southern California, and has altered its racing schedule next weekend to add a day of racing.

Racing is scheduled to be held on Saturday this weekend, beginning at 6:10 p.m. Pacific, and will resume on Saturday, Feb. 10.

In late January, the track announced it would not race on the weekend of Feb. 10-11 to begin an annual maintenance program and to avoid racing opposite of the Super Bowl on Feb. 11.

Fri, 02/02/2024 - 18:12

Maycocks Bay scratched from Southwest Stakes due to illness

By Mary Rampellini
Barbara D. Livingston
Maycocks Bay was scratched from Saturday's Grade 3 Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park.

Maycocks Bay has been scratched from the Grade 3, $800,000 Southwest Stakes on Saturday at Oaklawn Park after spiking a temperature, trainer Michael Stidham said Friday.

The defection leaves a field of 11.

Maycocks Bay had shipped to Arkansas from Fair Grounds, where he dominated an entry-level allowance route in his last start, winning by more than 10 lengths. The Beyer Speed Figure of 95 that he earned was the best last-race number in the Southwest. Maycocks Bay was the 3-1 morning-line favorite for Saturday.

Fri, 02/02/2024 - 17:35

Rain cancels Sunday card at Santa Anita

By Steve Andersen
Emily Shields
Santa Anita has cancelled racing for Sunday, as more than two inches of rain is expected.

Santa Anita has cancelled Sunday’s eight-race program because of a forecast for a significant storm expected to bring more than two inches of rain to Southern California that day.

The decision was made early Friday afternoon. The track will race on Saturday this weekend before resuming live racing on Feb. 9.

The two Grade 3, $100,000 stakes scheduled for Sunday – the Las Virgenes Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at a mile and the San Marcos Stakes at 1 1/4 miles on turf – have been rescheduled for Feb. 10.

Fri, 02/02/2024 - 14:44

El Capi sidelined due to sore shins

By David Grening
Barbara D. Livingston
El Capi, a flashy debut winner on Dec. 2, has been taken out of training due to sore shins.

El Capi, who won his career debut Dec. 2 at Aqueduct by 9 1/2 lengths, earning a 99 Beyer Speed Figure, is sidelined for a few months due to shins, trainer Rick Dutrow Jr. said.

He was sent to a farm in Lexington, Ky., several weeks ago.

“He’ll probably be back to us in a month, month-and-a-half,” Dutrow said. “Nothing has to be done other than just getting him rest and getting him right.”

Meanwhile, Dutrow said he has no plans for Guanare, the 3-year-old son of Runhappy who won the three-horse Spectacular Bid Stakes on Jan. 27 at Laurel Park.

Subscribe to Track Notes