ARCADIA, Calif. – The exciting two-start colt Geaux Rocket Ride is off the Kentucky Derby trail after he spiked a temperature Saturday that necessitated his scratch from the Grade 1 Runhappy Santa Anita Derby.
Richard Mandella trains Geaux Rocket Ride, who followed his debut sprint romp with an outstanding runner-up finish behind Practical Move in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes at a mile and a sixteenth. The Santa Anita Derby on Saturday would have been his third start.
Ellis Park will run 18 stakes worth a total of $3.075 million during its meet that runs from July 7 through Aug. 27, the Henderson, Ky., track announced Friday.
The stakes schedule, which includes funds distributed by the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund and is pending approval from the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, is up $1.65 million from last year.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Louisiana Derby winner Kingsbarns on Friday took his first step on the final road to the Kentucky Derby, breezing four furlongs in 49.74 seconds in company with stablemate Major Dude at Palm Beach Downs.
Trainer Todd Pletcher said he was very pleased with the work and the subsequent gallop-out for both 3-year-olds. They worked five furlongs in 1:02.99, up six furlongs in 1:16.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Rick Dutrow wrapped polo bandages on all four legs of the 3-year-old filly Recognize, watched as his brother Chip walked the filly a half-lap around barn 28, and then gave a leg up to an exercise rider and sent them on their way to the track
“That filly’s all right. We should win two or three with her this summer,” Dutrow said. “She’s live.”
With that, Rick Dutrow – one of the most successful albeit controversial trainers in racing – was back.
The owner of Pimlico Race Course plans to offer as many as 40 horses in a parimutuel future bet for the track’s Preakness Stakes this year, the acting president and general manager of the track said Thursday.
The Preakness Future Bet will open April 28 and close about 6 p.m. Eastern on May 6, about a half-hour prior to the scheduled post time of the Kentucky Derby, according to Mike Rogers, who oversees racing at Pimlico for the track’s parent company, 1/ST Racing. It will be the first parimutuel future bet offered on the Preakness.
Hit Show, the Grade 3 Withers winner, drew the extreme outside in a bulky field of 13 3-year-olds entered Wednesday for Saturday’s Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct.
The Wood’s top five finishers earn qualifying points (100-40-30-20-10) to the May 6 Kentucky Derby.
NOTEBOOK PRINCESS BETTINA SWITCHES SURFACES By Steve Andersen The last time Princess Bettina raced on dirt she finished last of 10 in a sprint at Del Mar in September. The loss has largely been forgot
Trainer Kenny McPeek comes into Saturday’s Blue Grass Stakes under the radar despite being expected to enter three in the Grade 1, $1 million race. Hayes Strike, last-out winner of the Private Terms Stakes at Laurel, headlines the trio, while McPeek also planned to saddle graded stakes-placed Sun Thunder and the unbeaten but lightly raced Mendelssohns March.
