Tue, 03/05/2013 - 15:34

Gulfstream Park: Aigue Marine starts campaign on Thursday

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Galileo has been Europe’s champion sire for the past three seasons. He’s also going to have a major influence on Thursday’s $57,500 main event at Gulfstream Park with two of his up-and-coming progeny, the English-bred Aigue Marine and Irish-foaled Twirl, likely to vie for favoritism in the 1 3/8 mile turf feature.

Tue, 03/05/2013 - 14:04

Golden Gate: Camilla Urso coming up with short field

Eighteen fillies and mares were nominated to Saturday’s $50,000 Camilla Urso at six furlongs, but early in the week only three runners were considered definite, with a fourth on the fence.

The Camilla Urso was added to the Golden Gate Fields stakes schedule this year to provide a sprint for fillies and mares.

Racing secretary David Jerkens said that Distinctive Yolie, English Royal, and Personal Sunset, who finished necks apart in a Feb. 10 prep, are considered definite for the Camilla Urso. I’m Tops, who would be making her first start since last March, could join them.

Tue, 03/05/2013 - 13:34

Santa Anita: Yorkshire Icon making U.S. debut at a mile on turf

ARCADIA, Calif. – The 3-year-old colt Yorkshire Icon spent most of 2012 running at racecourses in and around Yorkshire, England, winning 2 of 9 starts.

Thursday, Yorkshire Icon can become a California icon when he makes his American debut in an optional claimer for 3-year-olds over a mile on turf at Santa Anita.

Trained by Dan Blacker for Jim Ford and Robert Maycock, Yorkshire Icon drew the rail in a field of seven and will be ridden by Hall of Famer Gary Stevens.

Tue, 03/05/2013 - 13:27

Aqueduct: Easter Gift won't mind wet track in Thursday allowance

Alyssa Spakowski/Equi-Photo
Easter Gift ships up from Florida for Thursday's allowance race at Aqueduct.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Despite an ominous forecast, there are signs that spring is on the horizon.

This is the last week of racing over Aqueduct’s inner track; the clocks move ahead one hour Sunday morning; and a south Florida shipper heads the allowance feature on Thursday’s nine-race program at Aqueduct.

Easter Gift, a graded-stakes-winning 3-year-old of 2012, heads a contentious, albeit compact, five-horse field entered in a $71,000 third-level allowance race going one mile.

Tue, 03/05/2013 - 09:17

Oaklawn: Oxbow staying home for Rebel

Lynn Roberts/Hodges Photography
Lecomte winner Oxbow, who is on the Triple Crown trail, will race under a Calumet Farm stable name in his next start.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Oxbow is to make his next start in the Grade 2, $600,000 Rebel at Oaklawn Park on March 16 and will be ridden by Mike Smith, trainer D. Wayne Lukas said on Tuesday.

Oxbow had been under consideration for the Louisiana Derby after winning the Grade 3 Lecomte at Fair Grounds in January and returning to New Orleans last month and finishing a close fourth in the Grade 2 Risen Star.

Mon, 03/04/2013 - 18:01

Turf Paradise: Collins rides 2,000th winner

Coady Photography
Jockey Dennis Collins notched his 2,000th career Thoroughbred win when riding Justcallheraggie to victory Monday at Turf Paradise.

PHOENIX – Veteran rider Dennis Collins notched career Thoroughbred winner No. 2,000 when he guided Justcallheraggie to victory in the third race at Turf Paradise on Monday.

The 50-year-old reinsman put the 5-year-old mare right on the lead in the about 7 1/2-furlong grass test. She held a clear lead and continued to play keep away to the wire, winning by 1 1/4 lengths at 11-1. Justcallheraggie is owned by Harry Richardson and trained by Ty Garrett.

Mon, 03/04/2013 - 17:15

Fair Grounds: Up With the Birds targets Keeneland stakes, Queen's Plate

Lynn Roberts/Hodges Photography
Up With the Birds (left) won the Black Gold Stakes in his first start of 2013.

Up With the Birds, a determined quarter-length winner of the Black Gold Stakes on Saturday in his 3-year-old debut, is likely to start next at the Keeneland meet, trainer Malcolm Pierce said Monday.

Being an Ontario-bred, Up With the Birds, a Sam-Son Farms homebred, has the Queen’s Plate in July at Woodbine as a primary summer goal. But that does not mean he won’t have a chance at significant races in the interim. Pierce said Up With the Birds would be considered for three Keeneland stakes: the Transylvania on turf and the Blue Grass and Lexington on Polytrack.

Mon, 03/04/2013 - 16:56

Fair Grounds: Departing ready for bigger stakes after easy win in Texas Heritage

Coady Photography
Departing won the Texas Heritage Stakes to improve his record to 3 for 3.

If trainer Al Stall should happen to make it to the Kentucky Derby this year, it will not be through a conventional route.

Mon, 03/04/2013 - 15:32

Aqueduct: Summer Applause eyes Apple Blossom at Oaklawn

Michael Amoruso
Summer Applause wins the Top Flight at Aqueduct on Saturday in her first start for trainer Chad Brown.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Summer Applause, winner of Saturday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Top Flight Handicap, could make her next start in the Grade 1 Apple Blossom at Oaklawn Park on April 12, trainer Chad Brown said Monday.

Summer Applause went back to south Florida by plane Sunday morning, returning to the Palm Meadows training center where she had been stabled since being transferred to Brown in late January.

Mon, 03/04/2013 - 15:03

Gulfstream Park notes: Spiral Stakes at Turfway next for Balance the Books

Barbara D. Livingston
Balance the Books (left) and Noble Tune work earlier this year at Palm Meadows Training Center. Balance the Books had to miss the Palm Beach because he got sick and will train up the the Spiral Stakes March 23 at Turfway Park.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Trainer Chad Brown said he’d been looking forward to starting Balance the Books in Sunday’s Grade 3 Palm Beach, which was won impressively by Rydilluc, but had to pass the race after Balance the Books took ill. The third-place finisher in the 2012 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, Balance the Books worked a bullet half-mile in 48.18 seconds over the main track at Palm Meadows on Sunday.

He will run next in the Grade 3 Spiral Stakes at Turfway Park on March 23, Brown said.