ELMONT, N.Y. – After running five horses in the Kentucky Derby and none in the Preakness, trainer Todd Pletcher is preparing another small army for the $1 million Belmont Stakes on June 8.
Pletcher is likely to run four horses in the Belmont and possibly more, depending on owner Mike Repole.
ELMONT, N.Y. – For the second time in 12 days, Battier and Declan’s Warrior are entered in the same race, but their connections have different paths mapped out for their 3-year-olds moving forward.
Battier and Declan’s Warrior head a field of five entered in Wednesday’s seven-furlong, $85,000 Gygistar Stakes at Belmont Park. The Gygistar, was originally in the condition book for May 15 at 7 1/2 furlongs but did not have enough entries to be carded. The Gygistar, which goes as race 2, is not part of Wednesday’s pick six, which begins with a $30,513 carryover.
The drop from a Grade 1 race to an overnight stakes on a Wednesday at Delaware Park is usually a steep plunge. But not this time, in the $50,000 Winter Melody for fillies and mares going 1 1/16 miles.
Yes, Bryan’s Jewel is the one to beat following a traffic-hampered fifth-place effort in the Grade 1 Apple Blossom at Oaklawn Park on April 12. But the Winter Melody is hardly easy pickings.
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - Corey Nakatani, billed as bulwark of the Arlington season before the meet began, won’t be moving his tack here from California, according to the jockey agent Jay Fedor, who was to represent Nakatani at Arlington.
The upset victory by Oxbow in the Preakness on Saturday at Pimlico extinguished the Triple Crown chances of Orb, the Kentucky Derby winner.
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. – Nates Mineshaft, who for a period of about three months last year was one of the top horses in the country, is set to return from a lengthy layoff in the Hanshin Cup here at Arlington Park on Saturday.
Nates Mineshaft worked a half-mile in 50.20 seconds under E.T. Baird on Sunday here, a work that pleased his connections enough that they plan to enter Nates Mineshaft on Wednesday in the Hanshin, a one-turn mile on Polytrack.
CYPRESS, Calif. - Glitter in My Face remained unbeaten in three starts after the Quarter Horse filly won her stakes debut in Sunday’s $281,100 Kindergarten Futurity at Los Alamitos.
The Grade 2 Kindergarten was the first futurity of the year in Southern California.
Ridden by Cruz Mendez, Glitter in My Face ($8.80) ran 300 yards in 15.27 seconds. Glitter in My Face broke well, had a one-length lead midway through the race and finished a half-length in front of She Forgives, the 6-5 favorite and fastest qualifier. Hot Cappuccino, a 23-1 shot, finished third.
AUBURN, Wash. – Hoist jumped out to a quick lead and led every step of the way to score a mild upset Sunday in the $50,000 Governor’s Handicap at Emerald Downs.
Aaron Gryder, riding at Emerald Downs for the first time since 2008, was aboard Hoist, who races for Glenn Todd’s North American Thoroughbred Racing Co. and is based at Hastings in Vancouver, British Columbia. Trained north of the border by Troy Taylor, Hoist was saddled Sunday by Emerald-based trainer Mike Puhich.
