Wed, 04/03/2024 - 14:15

West Omaha to skip Kentucky Oaks, target Black-Eyed Susan

Coady Photography

West Omaha finished second last out in the Grade 2 Fantasy at Oaklawn.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – West Omaha will most likely make her next start in the Grade 2, $300,000 Black-Eyed Susan on May 17 at Pimlico Race Course, trainer Brad Cox said Tuesday.

West Omaha is coming off a runner-up finish in the Grade 2, $750,000 Fantasy at Oaklawn and ranks fourth in Kentucky Oaks points with 90. She was to have shipped Tuesday to Churchill Downs for owners Gary and Mary West.

“After talking it over with Mr. West, it looks like we’ll probably pursue the Black-Eyed Susan,” Cox said. “We’ll just see how everything plays out.”

Wed, 04/03/2024 - 14:15

Wet Paint possible for Apple Blossom

By Mary Rampellini

Debra A. Roma

Wet Paint won the Grade 1 Coaching Club Oaks last summer at Saratoga.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Wet Paint, who swept the 3-year-old filly series last year at Oaklawn Park, could launch her 4-year-old season here in the Grade 1, $1.25 Apple Blossom Handicap, trainer Brad Cox said Tuesday.

Wet Paint won the Martha Washington, Honeybee, and Fantasy at Oaklawn for breeder Godolphin, before going on to run a good fourth in the Kentucky Oaks. She later won the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga. Wet Paint last raced Nov. 4 and was eighth in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff.

The Apple Blossom, which will be run over 1 1/16 miles, is April 13.

Wed, 04/03/2024 - 12:35

Dinerman named track announcer at Monmouth

By Matt Hegarty

Emily Shields

Matt Dinerman is also the track announcer at Oaklawn Park.

Matt Dinerman, the current track announcer at Oaklawn Park in Arkansas, has been hired as the new track announcer at Monmouth Park in New Jersey, which opens its meet on May 11.

Dinerman, 31, was the track announcer at Golden Gate Fields in California for six years prior to moving to Oaklawn Park last year. The Oaklawn Park and Monmouth Park meets do not currently overlap.

Tue, 04/02/2024 - 16:50

Sierra Leone, Dornoch to meet again in Blue Grass Stakes

By Marcus Hersh

Barbara D. Livingston

Dornoch (right) re-rallies to edge Sierra Leone in the Grade 2 Remsen at Aqueduct.

Sierra Leone versus Dornoch, Round 2, is on for the $1 million Blue Grass Stakes on Saturday at Keeneland.

Those two colts met Dec. 2 in the Remsen Stakes at Aqueduct, where Dornoch rode an inside-speed bias to a narrow victory over Sierra Leone, who rallied to take the lead in the final furlong before losing it again at the wire. While Dornoch’s performance was bias-aided, it also was brave, the colt regaining the lead after contesting a fast pace.

Tue, 04/02/2024 - 16:02

Turfway handle continues to rise at 2023-2024 meet

By Matt Hegarty

Barbara D. Livingston

Turfway averaged 9.5 horses per race during it's 70-day season that began in November and concluded last Sunday.

Total handle during Turfway Park’s 70-day race meet that concluded Sunday was up 29.0 percent compared to last year’s 66-day meet, according to figures compiled by Daily Racing Form from Equibase charts.

Total handle was $246.6 million for the meet, which started on Nov. 29, or $3.52 million per day. During the previous meet, total handle was $191.1 million, or $2.90 million per day.

Tue, 04/02/2024 - 14:25

Total wagering, average daily handle down at winter meet

By David Grening

Barbara D. Livingston

Daily average handle was $5.78 million at the 45-day Aqueduct winter meet, a decline of 9.6 percent from 2023.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - All-sources handle at Aqueduct’s winter meet was $260,157,869, a 3.1 percent decrease from the 2023 figure of $268,596,695, according to figures provided Tuesday by the New York Racing Association.

Ontrack handle was $25,195,179, a 3.2percent decline from the $26,030,989 handled ontrack in the winter of 2023.

Tue, 04/02/2024 - 09:55

Kentucky Derby Future Wager: Fierceness made 7-2 morning-line favorite in final pool

By Matt Hegarty

Barbara D. Livingston

Fierceness is the 7-2 morning-line favorite in the final pool of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager.

Fierceness, runaway winner of last Saturday’s Florida Derby, has been made the 7-2 morning-line favorite for the final Kentucky Derby Future Wager pool, according to a list of entrants distributed by Churchill Downs on Tuesday.

Fierceness, who won the Florida Derby by 13 1/2 lengths in his final Derby prep, was listed as the solid favorite among 39 individual entrants and the “all others” entry. Sierra Leone, who is pointing to this Saturday’s Blue Grass Stakes, is listed as the second choice at 6-1, while Catching Freedom, winner of the Louisiana Derby, is third choice at 8-1.

Mon, 04/01/2024 - 16:37

Stabile named Finger Lakes announcer

By Matt Hegarty

Anthony Stabile, a former co-host of NYRA’s Talking Horses handicapping show, has been hired to be the track announcer at Finger Lakes racetrack in upstate New York, the track announced on Monday.

Stabile will take over a job vacated by Tony Calo, who was hired last week to be the track announcer at Ellis Park in Kentucky. Calo had also been hired to call the races at Turfway Park in the winter.

Mon, 04/01/2024 - 14:15

Joseph has another live longshot in the Wood

By David Grening

Debra A. Roma

At odds of 59-1, Lord Miles won last year's Wood Memorial for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – There’s nothing like New York in spring time, especially if you’re trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. and running horses in stakes races at Aqueduct.

It was just a year ago, Lord Miles, with one win from four previous starts to his credit, upset the Wood Memorial at 59-1, the third longest shot in a field of 12. In 2022, Joseph ran third and fourth in the Wood with Skippylongstocking and A. P.’s Secret, sent off at odds of 17-1 and 49-1, respectively. In 2019, Math Wizard finished fourth at 64-1, the longest price on the board.

Mon, 04/01/2024 - 14:10

Maker runners eyeing more stakes

By Mary Rampellini

Coady Photography

Misty Veil, second in the Azeri, will make her next start in the Grade 1 Apple Blossom.

Frosted Grace, who went over $1 million in career earnings with his Saturday victory in the Grade 3, $500,000 Oaklawn Mile, could see stakes action later in the meet.

Trainer Mike Maker said Monday plans for the horse are to be determined, but options include the $200,000 Lake Ouachita here May 3.

Frosted Grace won the Oaklawn Mile by 1 1/2 lengths and for the effort, the 8-year-old earned a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 101.

“Very pleased with his race, obviously” Maker said. “Just an old classy horse, you wish you had a whole barnful of.”

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