Mon, 04/15/2013 - 16:20

Aqueduct notes: Incognito has Peter Pan among possibilities after eventful win

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Wherever he runs next, Incognito won’t be able to sneak up on anybody.

While most followers of 3-year-old Thoroughbreds were focused on the Blue Grass and Arkansas Derby on Saturday, Incognito won a one-mile first-level allowance race by a nose after nearly falling down in midstretch and squeezing through a narrow opening in deep stretch.

It was the second straight victory for Incognito, a son of champion A.P. Indy out of the two-time Grade 1 winner Octave.

Mon, 04/15/2013 - 15:58

Hawthorne: Departing just what the Illinois Derby ordered

Ethel Castaneda/Coady Photography
Departing worked a sharp half-mile on Sunday at Churchill Downs.

STICKNEY, Ill. – Departing, who is likely to be favored over an expected 13 rivals Saturday in the Grade 3, $750,000 Illinois Derby, is just the kind of horse Hawthorne Race Course hoped to attract when it moved the signature race of its winter-spring season back on the calendar this year.

Mon, 04/15/2013 - 15:12

Keeneland: Rydilluc headed back to grass

Coady Photography/Keeneland
Rydilluc had the Blue Grass lead past the quarter pole, but wound up finishing fourth to Java’s War.

[bc_video_id:289292:]LEXINGTON, Ky. – For a fleeting moment, Gary Contessa had visions of roses. But then Rydilluc began tiring under Edgar Prado in the final furlong of the Blue Grass Stakes, and soon it was back to reality.

That reality is turf, not dirt, as Rydilluc is out of the Kentucky Derby picture and likely will run next in the May 25 Arlington Classic or the new Penn Mile on June 1 at Penn National, Contessa said Monday.

Mon, 04/15/2013 - 14:57

Aqueduct: Pinball in tough for Wednesday allowance

Barbara D. Livingston
Pinball won a New York-bred allowance by 7 1/4 lengths in February, but was scratched from a race last month with a quarter crack.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Pinball was a 2-5 morning-line favorite for a second-level allowance restricted to New York-breds on March 15, but had to scratch from that race due to a quarter crack.

On Wednesday, he returns in a similar spot, and while he figures to be favored again, the competition for this one-mile race at Aqueduct looks a little deeper than the group he would have faced a month ago.

Mon, 04/15/2013 - 14:15

Keeneland: Magical Season a solid choice in Wednesday turf sprint

Barbara D. Livingston
Perregaux is making just his second start in nearly 18 months.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Old-timers wanting to be here for an entire racing program and yet still make the early bird dinner special in town can have their wish Wednesday, when another abbreviated card is run at Keeneland.

The first of eight Wednesday races will be run at 1:05 p.m. Eastern, with the nominal feature, the sixth race, going at 3:40 and the last race at 4:42.

Mon, 04/15/2013 - 13:57

Evangeline Downs opens first meet under Boyd Gaming

OPELOUSAS, La. – Evangeline Downs begins its first season under new owner Boyd Gaming on Wednesday night. The 84-night stand will run on a Wednesday through Saturday night schedule through Sept. 7. First post each evening will be 5:40 p.m. Central.

Purchased late last year, Evangeline joins fellow Boyd track Delta Downs in Vinton, La., and gives the gaming giant a full 50 percent stake in state’s total number of racing dates.

Mon, 04/15/2013 - 13:35

Tampa Bay Downs notes: Coa back on track with help from agent Sanchez

Coady Photography/Keeneland
Java's War (left) wins the Blue Grass Stakes one start after finishing second in the Tampa Bay Derby.

OLDSMAR, Fla. – Jockey Daniel Coa bounced up off the deck after going down in a spill during last Friday’s fifth race at Tampa Bay Downs, let the doctors check him out, took off his next mount as the rules dictated, and then promptly went back out and posted his third and fourth wins on the card. That’s the new Danny Coa.

Coa had gotten off to a quick start, but midway through the meet fell into a slump and was not riding in good form. He was lackluster at times and seemed to have lost the focus that is so crucial to a rider.

Sun, 04/14/2013 - 19:23

Sunland Handicap: Forest Mouse outfights Red Lead in stretch duel

Coady Photography
Forest Mouse, the 3-5 favorite under Ry Eikleberry, draws clear late in the Sunland Park Handicap.

Forest Mouse had to work harder than expected, but still got the job done as the 3-5 favorite in Sunday’s $100,000 Sunland Park Handicap.

Sun, 04/14/2013 - 18:39

Santa Anita: Four turf stakes on closing weekend

Benoit & Associates
Lady of Shamrock will be pointed to the Rodeo Drive at Santa Anita on Sept. 29.

Hollywood Park opens its spring-summer meeting on April 25. The Santa Anita winter-spring meeting closes on Sunday.

There are four turf stakes on Saturday and Sunday at Santa Anita, including the $150,000 San Juan Capistrano Handicap over about 1 3/4 miles.

Saturday’s main race is the $150,000 Santa Barbara Handicap over 1 1/4 miles for fillies and mares. Lady of Shamrock, who won two Grade 1 races last summer – the American Oaks and Del Mar Oaks – will be a short-priced favorite in her second start of 2013.

Sun, 04/14/2013 - 18:27

Aqueduct: Street Game regains good form in Dave Stakes

Chelsea Durand
Street Game, ridden by Alex Solis, scores as the longest shot in a five-horse field in the Dave Stakes.

Street Game discovered the form that made him the champion 3-year-old New York-bred male in 2011 by cruising to a 2 3/4-length victory in Sunday’s $75,000 Dave Stakes at Aqueduct.

 Alex Solis, who was riding one day after high-blood pressure issues forced his removal from his mount on Saturday, was aboard for the front-running victory.

Lubash, another New York-bred, rallied to get second by three-quarters of a length over Hyper. Abilio was fourth and Seal Cove, the 6-5 favorite, finished last.