ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Ruvee is getting some class relief for his first run of the year in Friday’s Woodbine feature and should be prominent in the 5 1/2-furlong Ontario-sired allowance worth $52,500.
Ruvee was slow to come around last year during his sophomore season, but he woke up dramatically in an open maiden special Nov. 18. He went straight to the lead that day and kept on going to score comfortably at 62-1. For covering six furlongs in 1:11.19, he was awarded a 74 Beyer Speed Figure.
ELMONT, N.Y. – When trainer Jane Cibelli looks back at 2013, she will always cringe when recalling her decision to run Purple Egg in the Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby.
Illness prevented Purple Egg from making a couple of starts before that race, thus he went into the two-turn, 1 1/16-mile heat against Verrazano off a three-month layoff having never run beyond six furlongs. He finished last, beaten 28 lengths.
“Sometimes you do things and you look back and say ‘Why did I do that?,’ ” said Cibelli, who noted that Purple Egg displaced his palate in the race.
ELMONT, N.Y. – When racing last convened at Belmont Park, Revolutionary was getting beat at 1-5 in a maiden race, Ramon Dominguez was wrapping up another riding title, and a devastating storm was just hours away from landfall.
When racing reconvenes at Belmont Park on Friday, Revolutionary will be in Louisville preparing for the Kentucky Derby, Ramon Dominguez will still be recovering from a head injury suffered in a January spill, and, hopefully, the only Sandy people will be talking about is Big Sandy.
The sort of company that Saint Loup has kept in the last year has left trainer Julio Canani hopeful that the colt can win his first race in the United States at Betfair Hollywood Park on Friday.
In February, Saint Loup finished a well-beaten second to Bright Thought in an optional claimer on turf at Santa Anita. Bright Thought returned to win the Grade 2 San Luis Rey Stakes in March.
In France last year, Saint Loup was second by a nose to Saonois in the Group 3 Prix La Force at Longchamp. Saonois later won the French Derby at Chantilly.
Arlington Park and the Illinois Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association announced Wednesday an agreement on a two-year contract setting terms for the 2013 and 2014 race meetings at the suburban Chicago track.
The agreement means Arlington’s 2013 meet starting May 3 should, unlike 2012, begin smoothly. A contractual dispute last year spilled into opening weekend and prompted a de facto horsemen’s boycott of entries. The meet’s first two days, featuring Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby simulcasts, drew extremely short fields.
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Another Keeneland race meet is ending, seemingly as soon as it began. Three flurried weeks of racing will come to a bittersweet halt Friday with a 10-race card highlighted by the Grade 2 Elkhorn Stakes, a turf marathon that will add a historical footnote to a meet sure to be remembered for the victorious return of a champion and a thrilling renewal of the Blue Grass Stakes.
2013 Racing Dates
April 19 - Nov. 17 (Wed., Fri., Sat., Sun., plus Monday, May 27) 
Post Time: 12:55 p.m. ET
Handicapping Information
[bc_video_id:290123:]LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The weather is beginning to warm up here, but action on the racetrack cooled down for Kentucky Derby prospects Tuesday at Churchill Downs following a flurry of activity the previous two mornings.[:slideshow-right:]
There were no official workouts from prospective Derby starters here Tuesday, although several did turn in strong gallops worthy of putting on the watch during the special training session that began at 8:30 a.m.
Jockey Gallyn Mitchell, the all-time leader in wins, stakes wins, and earnings at Emerald Downs, had three stents implanted Monday after suffering a heart attack at his home near Enumclaw, Wash.
Mitchell, 50, remained in the intensive care unit at MultiCare Auburn Medical Center on Tuesday, according to his wife and jockey agent Denise Mitchell.
Denise Mitchell told Emerald Downs track officials that her husband’s spirits were good and that he was seeing visitors.
“So far, so good,” Denise Mitchell said. “They could move him out of ICU soon.”
