Fri, 10/18/2013 - 15:43

Santa Anita: Sunshine Millions-California Cup Day slated for Jan. 25

ARCADIA, Calif. - A combined Sunshine Millions-California Cup Day will be run at Santa Anita on Jan. 25.

Earlier this year, officials with the California Thoroughbred Breeders Association announced that the California Cup, held annually each autumn since 1990, would be merged with the Sunshine Millions Day stakes for California-breds.

On Jan. 25, there will be seven stakes, with three $250,000 races – the California Cup Classic for older horses over 1 1/8 miles, and the Cal Cup Derby for 3-year-olds and Cal Cup Oaks for 3-year-old fillies, each over 1 1/16 miles.

Fri, 10/18/2013 - 15:37

Santa Anita: Trinniberg flies in Breeders' Cup Sprint work

Tom Keyser
Trinniberg will look to regain his good form after two sub-par performances to launch his 2013 campaign.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Trinniberg, winner of the 2012 BC Sprint, worked a half-mile in a quick 46.60 seconds on Friday, the fastest of 21 works at the distance.

The workout was the first for Trinniberg since he finished last of seven in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Sprint Championship on Oct. 5. Trained by Bisnath Parboo, Trinniberg was ridden in the workout by Kevin Krigger, though it was unclear as of Friday morning who would ride Trinniberg in the $1.5 million BC Sprint on Nov. 2.

Fri, 10/18/2013 - 15:06

Santa Anita: Goldencents ready to go long in Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile

Shig Kikkawa
Goldencents works five furlongs in 59 seconds Friday at Santa Anita.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Santa Anita Derby winner Goldencents worked five furlongs in 59 seconds Friday for a scheduled start in the $1 million BC Dirt Mile on Nov. 1. The Grade 1 BC Dirt Mile will be Goldencents’s first start around two turns since a fifth-place finish in the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico on May 18.

Since the Preakness, Goldencents has been second three times, all in sprints, including a runner-up finish to Points Offthebench in the Santa Anita Sprint Championship on Oct. 5.

Fri, 10/18/2013 - 14:51

Breeders' Cup: Henry Dominguez, Pish eye big time

Dustin Orona Photography
Wine Police is under consideration for several upcoming races, including the Breeders' Cup Sprint.

Trainers Henry Dominguez and Danny Pish operate two of the winningest stables at their respective bases of New Mexico and Texas. Next month, both will chart new territory with starters in the Breeders’ Cup.

Dominguez, 55, is pointing Wine Police for the $1.5 million Sprint on Nov. 2, and has secured Rafael Bejarano to ride. Pish, 47, will send out Got Shades in the $1 million Juvenile Turf on Nov. 1, and has given the mount to Gary Stevens.

Fri, 10/18/2013 - 14:47

Santa Anita: Mizdirection gets green light for Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint

Shigeki Kikkawa
Mizdirection, winning the Las Cienegas, flopped when stretched out in the Just a Game and is being given some time off by trainer Mike Puype.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Mizdirection, winner of the 2012 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint, was described by trainer Mike Puype as “100 percent” ready for this year’s $1 million BC Turf Sprint after working seven furlongs in 1:24 on turf Friday at Santa Anita.

Ridden in the workout by Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith, Mizdirection worked the opening quarter-mile in 23.80 seconds, five furlongs in 59, and six furlongs in 1:11.20, according to track clockers. Puype said that Mizdirection will have one more workout next weekend before the BC Turf Sprint here Nov. 2.

Fri, 10/18/2013 - 14:19

Woodbine notes: Canadian International card firming up

Michael Burns
Forte Dei Marmi (white cap), trained by Roger Attfield, remains on target for the Sept. 27 Canadian International Stakes at Woodbine.

Trainer Roger Attfield also is looking forward to next Sunday with Forte Dei Marmi and Perfect Timber on target for the $1 million Canadian International and Moment of Majesty set for the $500,000 E.P. Taylor Stakes.

Both the 1 1/2-mile Canadian International, for 3-year-olds and up, and the 1 1/4-mile E.P. Taylor, for fillies and mares, are Grade 1 turf races.

The fillies Irish Mission and Nancy O are the only other locals slated to compete in the Grade 1 features, with Irish Mission nominated to both races but with a current lean to the Canadian International.

Fri, 10/18/2013 - 14:17

Belmont: Artemis Agrotera preps for Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies with bullet work

Tom Keyser
Mike Hushion plans to give Artemis Agrotera two maintenance works prior to the Breeders' Cup.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Though Artemis Agrotera won the Grade 1 Frizette here at Belmont Park on Oct. 5, most of the talk immediately following the race was about the trouble favored Sweet Reason overcame to be second.

While Mike Hushion, the trainer of Artemis Agrotera didn’t want to speculate about the outcome of the Frizette, “it would have been very interesting if she came to our neck what my filly would have done,” Hushion said.

Perhaps that circumstance will play out in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Santa Anita on Nov. 2.

Fri, 10/18/2013 - 13:44

Hawthorne: Fabulous Union poses dilemma for bettors

Four-Footed Fotos
Ioya Bigtime wins the 1 1/2-mile Stars and Stripes at Arlington.

STICKNEY, Ill. – For handicappers, one the most pressing questions early in Hawthorne’s fall-winter meet is which horses that have run well over Arlington’s synthetic Polytrack surface will transfer their form to dirt. Direct form correspondence between the two surfaces is rare, and can lead to heavy favorites going down in flames, and horses that looked hapless on the other side of Chicagoland coming in at long odds.

Fri, 10/18/2013 - 13:22

Keeneland: Wise Dan tunes up on Polytrack

Michael Burns
Wise Dan, shown winning the Woodbine MIle, breezed an easy half-mile on Keeneland's Polytrack on Friday.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Wise Dan had his first workout since his lengthy win streak was halted when he breezed a half-mile in 47.40 seconds before dawn Friday on the Polytrack course at Keeneland.

Trainer Charlie LoPresti had wanted to breeze Wise Dan, the 2012 Horse of the Year, on the turf, but recent rain led him to settle on the Polytrack.

“I thought the grass might be a little soft, so we went ahead with this,” he said. “It was really no big deal either way.”

Thu, 10/17/2013 - 15:30

Breeders' Cup Sprint: The Lumber Guy confirmed starter

Barbara D. Livingston
The Lumber Guy will seek a repeat win in the Grade 1 Vosburgh on Saturday.

The Lumber Guy, runner-up in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Sprint, was confirmed as a starter for this year’s Sprint, trainer Mike Hushion said Thursday.

[BREEDERS’ CUP 2013: See DRF’s top contenders]

On Thursday, The Lumber Guy worked four furlongs in 48.63 over the Belmont main track. He went his first quarter in 24.09 and his second quarter in 23.54. He galloped out five furlongs in 1:02.03 under Mike Luzzi, who will ride him in the Sprint.