OZONE PARK, N.Y. – His last name is not Ortiz, but there are some who hold apprentice rider Manuel Franco in the same high regard as brothers Irad and Jose Ortiz, who rank second and third, respectively, in races won on the New York Racing Association circuit in 2013.
OLDSMAR, Fla. – Jockey Fernando De La Cruz has started the Tampa Bay Downs meeting on a tear, winning 16 races through the first six programs of the meet, which began Dec. 4, while winning at a blistering 39 percent clip. But news out of Maryland may have a profound effect on the De La Cruz express. Daniel Centeno, who won four straight riding titles at Tampa from the 2006-07 meet through the 2009-10 meet, is returning to ride at Tampa Bay Downs.
Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer showed on Saturday why his 2014 stable is full of more than just promising 2-year-olds.
Hollendorfer-trained runners were first and third in the $750,000 CashCall Futurity with the unbeaten Shared Belief, and Tamarando, who won the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity in September.
Earlier in the day, Hollendorfer swept the first three positions in the $150,500 Native Diver Stakes over 1 1/8 miles with Blueskiesnrainbows, Hear the Ghost, and Rousing Sermon. They are scheduled to start in major stakes in the opening month of the Santa Anita meeting.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Lucayan, the winner of Saturday’s $250,500 Hollywood Turf Cup, will have a 2014 campaign geared toward further starts in turf marathon stakes, trainer Neil Drysdale said on Sunday.
The Grade 2 Hollywood Turf Cup, run over 1 1/2 miles, was the first American stakes win for Lucayan, who won the Group 1 French 2000 Guineas at Longchamp in a 27-1 upset. In the Turf Cup, Lucayan was the 8-5 second choice and ran accordingly, closing from last in a field of six to win by a half-length over 7-5 favorite Temeraine.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Shared Belief, the runaway winner of the Grade 1 CashCall Futurity on Saturday at Betfair Hollywood Park, came out of the race in good order and will now head to Santa Anita, where he will be stabled and make his next start.
ELMONT, N.Y. – A light, steady snow turned Belmont Park into a winter wonderland for training Saturday morning as at least 200 horses put in timed workouts over the training track, led by a pair of soon-to-be 3-year-olds trainer Leah Gyarmati hopes to get on the Triple Crown trail in 2014.
ELMONT, N.Y. – A light, steady snow turned Belmont Park into a winter wonderland for training Saturday morning as at least 200 horses put in timed workouts over the training track, led by a pair of soon-to-be 3-year-olds trainer Leah Gyarmati hopes to get on the Triple Crown trail in 2014.
Noble Moon, who finished a troubled third in the Grade 2 Nashua on Nov. 3, breezed five furlongs in 1:02.97. About 30 minutes later, Street Gent, a recent maiden winner at 1 1/8 miles, worked four furlongs in 50.23 seconds. Though snow lay on the track, it was listed fast.
Distinctiv Passion has had a tumultuous 2013 season.
Distinctiv Passion won the San Pedro Stakes for 3-year-olds at Santa Anita in January, but was disqualified from first to third in the Green Flash Handicap against older horses on turf at Del Mar on Aug. 14. He followed that with a third to the ill-fated Points Offthebench in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Sprint Championship on Oct. 5.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Zaikov picked up a legion of fans after launching his career with a sensational 14-length victory here at Gulfstream Park last winter. But nagging shin issues forced his supporters to wait before getting to see the promising 3-year-old run again.
As it turned out, the wait was more than worthwhile.
Jockey Norberto Arroyo Jr. is headed to Oaklawn Park at the end of the month, forsaking Turfway Park, where he dominated last winter in a successful effort to rebuild his career.
Arroyo, a Puerto Rico native who once was a leading jockey in New York, has been riding sparingly at the current holiday meet at Turfway in northern Kentucky. He was easily the leading jockey at the 2012 holiday meet and the 2013 winter-spring meet at Turfway.
