ARCADIA, Calif. – Big Macher won his stakes debut in the California Cup Sprint at Santa Anita on Jan. 25, a reason for trainer Richard Baltas to point the 4-year-old to the $250,000 San Carlos Stakes on March 8.
Run at seven furlongs, the Grade 2 San Carlos will be a test for Big Macher, who has won 3 of 8 starts and $146,428.
“I think he wants all of seven-eighths,” Baltas said. “He needs to step it up a bit, but he’s a horse with a ton of spirit.”
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Trainer Todd Pletcher has confirmed that Belmont Stakes winner Palace Malice will launch his 2014 campaign here next Saturday in the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Handicap. He is one of two major players from last year’s Triple Crown expected to begin their year in the one-mile Gulfstream Park Handicap, along with Preakness runner-up Itsmyluckyday.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia – The 51-day 2014 Hastings live meet begins Sunday, April 27, and concludes Monday, Oct. 13. If business is brisk through October, another four days will be added and the meet could stretch to Oct. 25.
Last year, 69 days were scheduled, but six days were canceled due to a lack of horses. Hastings management is hoping fewer days will result in no cancellations and a better overall product. Last year, the average field size was 7.12.
NEW ORLEANS – The win pictures, displayed side by side, start on one wall, extend the length of a second wall, and go halfway down a third wall in trainer Wes Hawley’s office in his Fair Grounds barn.
“We try to make it all the way around,” Hawley said. “We’ve got about six more to go.”
HOT SPRINGS, Ark.– Will Take Charge will have some company when he ships from Oaklawn Park to Southern California on Monday to run in the Santa Anita Handicap. Will Take Charge will be joined on his trip by Optimizer, who is to run in the Frank E. Kilroe Mile, and Unstoppable Colby, who goes in the San Felipe, trainer D. Wayne Lukas said on Friday.
The three races are March 8. Luis Saez, the regular rider on Will Take Charge, has the mount on each of the horses, said Lukas.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Mean Season, who impressed with an eight-length first-level allowance win in his New York debut Dec. 22, will make his 4-year-old debut Saturday in a second-level allowance race that goes as race 3 on the 10-race card.
Mean Season was entered in a spot similar to this Jan. 18 but scratched due to a temperature he spiked a few days before the race. Mean Season, who is 2 for 2, has worked three times since Feb. 10, including a half-mile in 47.60 seconds Feb. 24 that was the fastest of 119 works at the distance over the Belmont training track.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Noble Moon, hampered by foot problems since winning the Grade 2 Jerome Stakes on Jan. 4, worked a half-mile in 51.46 seconds Thursday over the Belmont training track as he attempts to make it back for the Grade 1 Wood Memorial on April 5.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Leading jockey Rafael Bejarano will ride Silentio in the Grade 1 Kilroe Mile on March 8.
Bejarano has won stakes aboard Silentio and Winning Prize, and both are expected to run in the Kilroe. Silentio, third in the BC Mile last November, has not raced since winning the Grade 2 Citation Handicap under Bejarano at Hollywood Park last November.
Mucho Macho Man, who won the Sunshine Millions Classic at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 18 in his only start since winning the Breeders’ Cup Classic, galloped a mile on the training track Thursday for his start in the $750,000 Santa Anita Handicap.
The Santa Anita main track was not open for training on Thursday after approximately a half-inch of rain fell on the sealed surface, track officials said.
Trainer Kathy Ritvo said Mucho Macho Man is likely to have a final workout for the March 8 Big Cap on Sunday or Monday.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Clubhouse Ride is running in a stakes at Santa Anita on March 8, and there is no shortage of races to choose from.
“I can say with certainty he is going to run that day,” trainer Craig Lewis said.
A decision on which race may not be made until next Wednesday, when entries are due. Lewis has three options for the 6-year-old horse – the $750,000 Santa Anita Handicap at 1 1/4 miles on dirt, the $350,000 Frank Kilroe Mile on turf, and the $250,000 San Carlos Stakes at seven furlongs on dirt.
