ARCADIA, Calif. – The wet-weather comeback by unbeaten stakes winner Ismene was a debacle. Fortunately, she had a convenient alibi – footing.
Ismene slipped and slid on the wet-fast track, her legs cross-fired, and she surrendered early at odds-on. Adding injury to insult, Ismene came out of the fifth-place finish with cuts and scrapes up and down the inside of her right hind leg.
“She did not go to the track for two weeks,” trainer Bill Spawr said.
NEW ORLEANS - Grade 3 Mineshaft winner Mark Valeski, being prepared by trainer Larry Jones for the Grade 2 New Orleans Handicap on March 30, worked a half-mile Wednesday in 47.20 seconds.
"We let him stretch his legs a little bit," Jones said. "We'll work him again Tuesday and the following Monday and be ready to roll."
Bourbon Courage, headed to the New Orleans Handicap, has trained well at the Fair Grounds since finishing second in the Grade 1 Donn at Gulfstream Park, said Evan Downing, assistant to trainer Kellyn Gorder.
NEW ORLEANS - Banjammer, who ran away with a two-turn starter/optional claiming race Wednesday by 7 1/2 lengths, has won two consecutive races since being claimed by trainer Tim Glyshaw on Feb. 8 for $10,000.
On Feb. 23, Banjammer defeated first-level optional claiming rivals in his first start for Glyshaw.
Banjammer, My My Maria, and Tiban - all claimed by Glyshaw from low-level races - combined for six of Glyshaw's 12 victories at this meet.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – The aggressiveness that Vyjack displayed earlier in his career was not evident Friday morning at Aqueduct as the undefeated 3-year-old worked an easy half-mile over the inner track in preparation for the $1 million Wood Memorial on April 6.
Taking his cues from his trainer and exercise rider Rudy Rodriguez, Vyjack breezed four furlongs in 51.23 seconds over the inner track. He went his first quarter in 26.44 and his second quarter in 24.79 with Rodriguez not moving his hands on the gelding. Vyjack galloped out five furlongs in 1:03.69.
NEW ORLEANS – The morning after Abstraction overpowered his opposition in one of the most impressive maiden performances of the Fair Grounds meet, trainer David Carroll was talking about taking a conservative approach with the colt.
On Wednesday, Abstraction showed exceptional talent, but he won’t be rushed into stakes.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Caixa Eletronica made a successful 8-year-old debut, recording a front-running, 2 3/4-length victory in Thursday’s $75,000 Uncle Mo Stakes at Aqueduct. Broad Rule, who challenged Caixa Eletronica on the lead, finished second.
The win was the 20th for Caixa Eletronica in his 61st career start. It was his first start since he won the Grade 3 Fall Highweight last Thanksgiving Day.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Golden Mystery, runaway winner of the Sunshine Million Filly and Mare Sprint and the Grade 3 Hurricane Bertie Stakes in her last two starts, is one of four horses trainer Marty Wolfson has entered for Sunday’s Grade 2 Inside Information. Golden Mystery now races in the interests of Regis Farms, who plucked the 7-year-old out of the sales ring in Kentucky the day after her victory in the Hurricane Bertie then sent her back to Wolfson several days later.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Rydilluc breezed five furlongs in 1:02.02 inside the dogs over the Palm Meadows turf course on Thursday with regular rider Edgar Prado aboard. It was Rydilluc’s first breeze since his smashing 3 1/2-length victory over Charming Kitten in the Grade 3 Palm Beach Stakes earlier this month. Rydilluc will make his next start at Keeneland in the Grade 1 Blue Grass on April 13.
Apparently, it’s not enough for trainer Tom Amoss to have won all three of the older-horse dirt-sprint stakes at the meet with Delaunay. On Saturday in the $75,000 Colonel Power Stakes, Amoss has a chance to make his mark in the older-horse turf-sprint division when he sends out Sum of the Parts for his seasonal debut.
