Havelock remained in England after finishing 11th at 33-1 under Frankie Dettori in the Group 1 Diamond Jubilee last Saturday at Royal Ascot and likely will run back July 13 in the Group 1 July Cup, a six-furlong race at Newmarket, Churchill-based trainer Darrin Milller said.
Havelock, a multiple graded stakes winner in the United States, is in the care of Miller’s 19-year-old son, Chase, at the same yard, Abington Place, used by such well-known trainers as Michael de Kock and Jane Chapple-Hyam.
Stephanie’s Kitten, arguably the top female turf runner in North America this year, has not worked since her victory in the Grade 1 Just a Game on the June 8 Belmont Stakes undercard but continues to train forwardly at Churchill, according to trainer Wayne Catalano.
Another Grade 1 race – the July 27 Diana at Saratoga or the Aug. 17 Beverly D. at Arlington Park – is next, Catalano said.
“We were thinking about a prep in between, but it doesn’t look like we’ll do that,” he said. “We’ll just go straight into one of those big ones.”
Jimmy Creed may be favored in Saturday's Triple Bend Handicap, which has a projected field of nine, including defending champion Camp Victory as well as Centralinteligence, Comma to the Top, Cyclometer, Drill, Morning Line, Rail Trip, and Tres Borrachos.
A couple of horses expected to participate in Calder’s Summit of Speed turned in sharp workouts over the track Wednesday.
Close It Out, the runner-up in the June 8 Ponche Handicap, sizzled four furlongs in 46.82 seconds and galloped out five-eighths in 59.73 under jockey Manoel Cruz in preparation for the Grade 2 Smile Sprint Handicap, a Win and You’re In event for the Breeders’ Cup Sprint.
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. – Saturday’s Chicago Handicap at Arlington has landed a plum entrant in Aubby K, winner of the Grade 1 Humana Distaff at Churchill Downs in her most recent start.
Trained by Ralph Nicks, the 4-year-old Aubby K won the Grade 2 Inside Information at Gulfstream Park to start her season before capturing the May 4 Humana Distaff by 1 1/2 lengths. The Gulfstream win came on fast track, the Churchill win in slop, and on Saturday, Aubby K, a daughter of Street Sense, will try an all-weather racetrack for the first time.
Isn’t He Clever could be headed to Del Mar following his 16 3/4-length win in the $75,000 San Juan County Commissioners Handicap at SunRay Park last Sunday. His trainer, Henry Dominguez, plans to have a 10-horse division at the Southern California meet, and said with few options for the horse in New Mexico right now, Isn’t He Clever could summer at Del Mar before returning for the Zia Park meet that opens in September.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Wise Dan is scheduled to face seven other older horses Saturday night on the Churchill Downs turf when breaking from post 2 in the Grade 2, $175,000 Firecracker Handicap, but there’s a good chance at least one of those will scratch.
Trainer Tom Proctor entered Corporate Jungle in the Firecracker but said Wednesday it was only in case Wise Dan doesn’t actually make it to the starting gate.
An eclectic group of 3-year-olds will contest Friday’s $100,000 Gone Fishin overnight stakes, a six-furlong dash scheduled for the inner turf.
With 10 grass races under his belt already, Bernie the Jet has more turf-racing experience than Dark Roast, Skylander, Spiral Stair, Officer Alex, and Weekend Hideaway combined.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Jockey Garrett Gomez will not ride in the two Grade 1 stakes at Betfair Hollywood Park on Saturday while continuing to deal with personal issues, his agent, Tony Matos, said on Wednesday.
Gomez’s absence could extend into July. Wednesday, trainer Craig Lewis said that he has arranged for jockey Joe Talamo to replace Gomez on Clubhouse Ride in the $500,000 Hollywood Gold Cup on July 6, if Gomez has not returned.
Gomez took off his mounts on June 13, citing personal issues. On June 19, on his Twitter feed, Gomez said he was “working on his marriage.”
ALTOONA, Iowa – The Iowa Festival of Racing concludes Saturday night with Prairie Meadows’ most prestigious races: the Grade 3, $300,000 Cornhusker Handicap, the Grade 3, $250,000 Iowa Derby, and the Grade 3, $200,000 Iowa Oaks.
The Iowa Oaks, at 1 1/16 miles, has come up very strong this year with a field of 10 headed by graded stakes winners Fiftyshadesofhay, So Many Ways, and Seaneen Girl.
