ARCADIA, Calif. – The red-hot Fanticola, a winner of three consecutive races from September to December, makes her stakes debut in Saturday’s $75,000 Megahertz Stakes at Santa Anita. The winning streak is likely to remain intact, trainer Mike Mitchell said Thursday.
“For her to win the race, she’ll have to improve, and she showed me she can improve,” Mitchell said. “She’s trained well and showed me signs that she’s better than an allowance horse or a high-priced claimer.”
NEW ORLEANS – If 3-year-old Fair Grounds stakes races have taught us anything the last two years, it is this: Don’t forget the longshots.
In the 2013 Risen Star Stakes, Ive Stuck a Nerve beat what turned out to be a strong group at odds of 135-1. In the 2012 Louisiana Derby, it was Hero of Order who pulled a shocker, nipping Mark Valeski at 109-1.
There probably are no 100-1 shots in the Grade 3, $200,000 Lecomte Stakes on Saturday, but with attention focused on likely favorites Albano and Gold Hawk, there will definitely be overlooked entrants.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Bob Baffert has three runners in Friday’s sixth race, a $56,000 maiden race for 3-year-olds over 1 1/16 miles which could produce stakes runners.
Baffert starts The Admiral, who was second as the 4-5 favorite in a one-mile race on Dec. 27; Icy Ride, fourth in that race on Dec. 27; and the first-time starter Day of Fury. He considers The Admiral to be his leading chance and said the colt was too close to the pace on Dec. 27.
Del Mar confirmed the racing dates for its summer and autumn meetings this year in a statement released on Wednesday.
The summer meeting will run for 36 days, from Thursday, July 17 to Wednesday, Sept. 3. The meeting will open a day later than normal to give the track an additional day to prepare the racing surface and grandstand for racing following the conclusion of the San Diego County Fair on July 6. The racetrack is situated on the property of the fair grounds.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Dice Flavor is due for an upset win in Saturday’s $200,000 Strub Stakes at Santa Anita.
Last February, Dice Flavor won his stakes debut as a 9-1 shot in the Grade 3 El Camino Real Derby on the synthetic track at Golden Gate Fields. He lost his next three races, including an eighth in the $2 million United Arab Emirates Derby in Dubai, before rebounding with a thrilling win as an 8-1 shot in the Grade 2 La Jolla Handicap on turf at Del Mar in August.
Race 1 |
Vulnerable FavoriteSEVE (#2, 3-1) certainly fits on Beyers as he drops into a tag for the first time but he's a stone closer in a race lacking speed and he's one-for-19 lifetime; could win this on class alone but he could just as easily be too late once again.—Kenny Peck |
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Jockey Norberto Arroyo Jr. has two goals for the Oaklawn meet that began last Friday: win the jockeys’ title and find a 3-year-old who can take him to the Kentucky Derby.
He made significant inroads toward those objectives over last week’s three-day opener, when he went 6 for 13 to take the early lead in the standings. Arroyo’s winners included an impressive pair of 3-year-olds in Bourbonize, now 2 for 2 following an allowance win Friday, and Paganol, who overcame adversity to win his debut in a maiden race Saturday.
NEW ORLEANS – Larry Jones does not believe in the separation of the sexes – not when it comes to working young horses.
On a sloppy Monday morning in New Orleans, Jones sent out the colt Albano and the filly Divine Beauty, his respective contenders for the Lecomte and Silverbulletday stakes here Saturday, for an in-company five-furlong workout. The pair was given the same time by Fair Grounds clockers, 1:00.60, the second-fastest among 34 works at the distance.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Normandy Invasion, who has not started since his fourth-place finish in the 2013 Kentucky Derby, continues to train regularly in preparation for his 2014 debut, which could come here at Gulfstream Park next month, trainer Chad Brown said this weekend.
Normandy Invasion breezed four furlongs in 49.20 seconds on Sunday at Palm Meadows. The work was the fourth for the son of Tapit since his arrival at the training center late in fall.
Trainer Shug McGaughey said he is eyeing a February return for his top Kentucky Derby prospect Honor Code, who will make his 3-year-old debut in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth here at Gulfstream Park on Feb. 22.
McGaughey said Honor Code has done well since arriving at Payson Park shortly after he closed out his 2-year-old campaign with a game victory over Cairo Prince in the Grade 2 Remsen.
[ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY: Prep races, point standings, replays]
