Phil D’Amato, the leading trainer at the Del Mar summer meeting that ended last weekend, is planning to have at least two runners in the Grade 2 Rodeo Drive Stakes for fillies and mares on turf at Santa Anita on Oct. 7.
D’Amato said earlier this week that he plans to run Turnerloose, who was second in the Grade 2 John C. Mabee Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on turf at Del Mar on Sept. 9, and Macadamia, who has not raced since a win in the Grade 1 Gamely Stakes at Santa Anita on May 29.
Abel Cedillo is planning a return to riding at Los Alamitos on Sept. 22, nearly two months after he sustained a neck injury at Del Mar, according to his agent, Mike Ciani.
Cedillo received doctor’s clearance on Wednesday to resume exercising horses and plans to be at Santa Anita for workouts beginning Friday, Ciani said.
“He’s been rehabbing and he’s back into it now and feeling good,” Ciani said.
Cedillo plans to ride the final weekend of the two-week Los Alamitos from Sept. 22-24. The Santa Anita autumn meeting begins on Sept. 29.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – If the stakes schedule for the 2023-24 Gulfstream Park championship meet, released Thursday, looks familiar, it should. The program nearly mirrors the schedule from last winter, highlighted once again by the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational and the $1 million Florida Derby.
The Championship meet will kick off three weeks earlier than a year ago, on Dec. 1, and run through March 31. A new turf course, currently scheduled to open in December, has been installed and will host 38 stakes, weather permitting.
No Nay Mets, winner of last Saturday’s Rosie’s Stakes at Colonial Downs, gives trainer George Weaver a third candidate for the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint on Nov. 3 at Santa Anita, joining Royal Ascot winner Crimson Advocate and Amidst Waves.
“It’d be nice to have three live horses for three different categories instead of three live horses for the same race, but it’s better than having no live horses,” Weaver said Wednesday.
Last Call will be wheeling back in 13 days when she runs in Saturday’s Grade 3, $350,000 Jockey Club Oaks Invitational at Aqueduct.
Last Call, trained in Canada by Kevin Attard, is coming out of a fourth-place finish in the $757,000 Dueling Grounds Oaks at Kentucky Downs on Sept. 3. Though Last Call shipped back to Woodbine after that race, trainer Kevin Attard said the Jockey Club Oaks was always a consideration. Though not among the initial list of invitees, Last Call was given an invitation by the New York Racing Association this week.
The two-time stakes winner Reincarnate is on schedule for his first start since early July in the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby at Parx Racing on Sept. 23, trainer Bob Baffert said in a text message on Wednesday.
Reincarnate has not raced since a front-running win in the Los Alamitos Derby at 1 1/8 miles on July 8. Sent off at even money, Reincarnate won by 2 1/2 lengths.
Next Level, who cost a mere $20,000 as a yearling last September, finished third in the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity on Sunday, a precursor to the colt’s two-turn debut in the Grade 1 American Pharoah Stakes at 1 1/16 miles at Santa Anita on Oct. 7.
“I know him physically and the horse is built more for distance,” trainer Keith Desormeaux said on Wednesday. “He wants distance and he’s going to get it.”
Stilleto Boy was eased in the Grade 1 Pacific Classic at Del Mar on Sept. 2, a loss trainer Ed Moger, Jr., is ready to forget in advance of the Santa Anita autumn meeting that begins later this month.
Stilleto Boy, winless in three starts since the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap in March, struck the side of his stall in the starting gate and was away awkwardly in the $1 million Pacific Classic. Stilleto Boy was at the back of the 10-horse field quickly and was not a factor before jockey Kent Desormeaux eased the 5-year-old gelding in the stretch.
Cue the theme song to the sitcom “Welcome Back, Kotter.”
Trainer Jose D’Angelo swept the first two divisions of the Florida Sire Stakes on Saturday at Gulfstream Park with the 2-year-olds Welcome Back and Bentornato, which means welcome back in Italian.
Bentornato ran his record to 3 for 3 in the $100,000 Dr. Fager division and is being pointed to the track’s $200,000 Affirmed, D’Angelo said Tuesday.
The seven-furlong race for eligible 2-year-olds is the next offering in the Florida Sire series that closes with the $300,000 In Reality on Dec. 2.
The unbeaten Grand Mo the First will travel from his Gulfstream Park base to Santa Anita in a few weeks to audition for a potential start in the Grade 1, $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf.
Trainer Victor Barboza Jr. said Tuesday that Grand Mo the First is scheduled to make his next start in the Grade 3, $200,000 Zuma Beach Stakes on Oct. 8 at Santa Anita. A good performance in the one-mile turf race for 2-year-olds could set him up for a Breeders’ Cup start on Nov. 3.
“It’s possible he could stay at Santa Anita,” Barboza said of running back in the Breeders’ Cup.
