Mon, 11/27/2023 - 11:15

Straight Arrow headed back to turf

Chelsea Durand/NYRA

Straight Arrow was found to have the thumps after a misfire in the Clark.

Straight Arrow arrived back at Tampa Bay Downs over the weekend following his seventh-place finish in Friday’s Grade 2 Clark Stakes at Churchill Downs and will be pointed to a turf race for his next start, most likely at Gulfstream Park, trainer Mike Dini said.

Dini said Straight Arrow had a case of the thumps, an electrolyte imbalance, coming out of the race.

“I don’t know if the track was too loose that he couldn’t get a hold of it,” Dini said. “He had thumps real bad where they don’t get their breath.”

Fri, 11/24/2023 - 15:41

Churchill pulls plug on turf racing for remainder of meet

By Marcus Hersh

Chelsea Durand/NYRA

The morning-line favorite Northern Invader is expected to stay in the Commonwealth Turf despite the race being run on the main track.

Churchill Downs on Friday canceled turf racing for the remainder of its race meeting, which concludes Sunday, the latest setback for a $10 million course installed before the start of the track’s 2022 racing season.

On Thursday, the Cardinal Stakes was contested on turf, the first grass race at Churchill since Nov. 11, when the track began moving turf races to dirt after some riders said that the course wasn’t safe, describing it, variously, as soft, loose, and slippery. A horse named English Treasure fell during a turf race Nov. 9.

Fri, 11/24/2023 - 14:42

Del Mar pick six soars

By Steve Andersen

Benoit Photo

Thursday's pick six at Del Mar returned $10,763 to tickets with six winners, and $111 to ticketholders with five winners.

Boosted by a carryover of $94,601 from Sunday, bettors added a robust $910,910 to the $1 pick six at Del Mar on Thursday.

The bet returned $10,763 to tickets with six winners, and $111 to ticketholders with five winners.

The bet covered the third through eighth races. The winners of the pick six races were Nokie ($6), Standing O ($20.20), Stay in Line ($24.80), Linda’s Gift ($7.80), Cliquish ($4.40), and Asada Fries ($5).

Cliquish and Asada Fries were favored, while Nokie and Linda’s Gift were the second choices.

Fri, 11/24/2023 - 14:37

Kimura to ride in California again for winter

By Steve Andersen

Benoit Photo

For the second year in a row, leading Woodbine rider Kazushi Kimura will ride at Santa Anita for the winter meet.

Kazushi Kimura, the leading rider at the current Woodbine meeting near Toronto, will spend a second consecutive winter at Santa Anita, according to his new agent, Brian Beach.

Kimura will begin riding in California on Dec. 26, the opening day of the Santa Anita meeting. Woodbine’s meeting ends on Dec. 17.

Through Thursday, Kimura was the clear leader at Woodbine with 144 wins, 26 more than second-place Sahin Civaci. Kimura won riding titles at Woodbine in 2021 and 2022.

Fri, 11/24/2023 - 13:25

Shimmering Allure to try stretchout in Demoiselle

By David Grening

Joe Labozzetta

Shimmering Allure will stretchout to 1 1/8 miles for the Grade 2 Demoiselle.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Shimmering Allure, three-length winner of the Tempted Stakes on Nov. 5 at Aqueduct, is confirmed to run in the Grade 2, $250,000 Demoiselle Stakes here Dec. 2, trainer Kenny McPeek said this week.

Shimmering Allure, a daughter of Enticed, has already run six times this year, with a maiden victory at Churchill Downs on Sept. 20 and the Tempted – both one-turn mile races – to her credit. The Demoiselle is run at 1 1/8 miles.

Fri, 11/24/2023 - 13:25

Pletcher assistant Byron Hughes leaves to become vet

By David Grening

Barbara D. Livingston

Byron Hughes, longtime assistant to trainer Todd Pletcher, is leaving training to pursue becoming a vet.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Byron Hughes, who has worked as Todd Pletcher’s Belmont Park assistant for the last 10 years, will leave Pletcher’s employ at the end of the month. He plans to continue his studies and hopes to become an equine veterinarian.

“Over the years I gained an interest in veterinarian studies and after many discussions and seeking advice, I thought this was something I’d like to do and I have a lot of support for it too,” said Hughes, 37.

Fri, 11/24/2023 - 13:25

Soldier Rising gears up for trip to Hong Kong

By David Grening

Barbara D. Livingston

Soldier Rising has yet to win a stake and is winless this year but will make the trip to Hong Kong for the $3 million Hong Kong Vase.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Soldier Rising, still in search of his first stakes victory, will travel to Hong Kong to try and achieve it.

Soldier Rising is being pointed to the Group 1, $3.06 million Hong Kong Vase on Dec. 10 at Sha Tin, according to trainer Christophe Clement. Soldier Rising was expected to work at Belmont Park over the weekend and ship to Hong Kong on Dec. 1.

Thu, 11/23/2023 - 10:50

Woodbine to rebuild part of E.P. Taylor turf course

By Ron Gierkink

Julie Wright

Expected to begin in 2025 by the earliest, Woodbine will redo a portion of the E.P. Taylor turf course.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario — Woodbine Entertainment has announced plans to rebuild a portion of the main turf at Woodbine, which is known as the E.P. Taylor turf course.

Woodbine has purchased new Kentucky bluegrass that will be laid over a five-furlong section of the main course backstretch and a new drainage system will be installed, allowing for the possibility of an extended turf season. The project will not begin until 2025 at the earliest.

Wed, 11/22/2023 - 15:05

King's Plate switched to a Saturday in 2024

By Ron Gierkink

Julie Wright

Paramount Prince wins this year's King's Plate. The race will be held on Aug. 17 in 2024.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Woodbine Entertainment has announced the 165th running of the $1 million King’s Plate will be switched from a Sunday to a Saturday in 2024 and will be run on Aug. 17. This year’s Plate card on Aug. 20 produced a record handle of $18.1 million.

“This year’s King’s Plate was a big success, delivering a record handle, a sold-out crowd and really exciting racing,” said Woodbine Entertainment CEO Michael Copeland. “The third weekend in August has been a good spot for attracting a quality field on the track and an energetic crowd off the track.”

Wed, 11/22/2023 - 15:00

Echo Zulu progressing in recovery

By Steve Andersen

Barbara D. Livingston

After an impressive campaign this year, Echo Zulu suffered a career-ending injury ahead of a try in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint.

Nearly six weeks after she suffered a severe leg injury in a workout at Santa Anita, the 2021 champion Echo Zulu has shown progress in her recovery and could be moved from a local veterinary clinic in early winter.

Scott Blasi, assistant to trainer Steve Asmussen, said Echo Zulu is grazing briefly twice a day.

Echo Zulu sustained fractured sesamoids in a workout on Oct. 13 in preparation for a scheduled start in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Santa Anita on Nov. 4. Echo Zulu underwent emergency surgery the following day.

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