Fri, 03/22/2013 - 20:24

Santa Anita pick-six carryover Saturday is $191K

ARCADIA, Calif. - There is a two-day pick six carryover of $191,838 for Saturday’s nine-race program at Santa Anita.

The carryover was clinched when Rintoo ($33) caught 3-5 favorite Saint Loup in Friday’s 7th race, an optional claimer over 1 1/2 miles on turf.

Saturday, the pick six covers the fourth through ninth races. The pool of new money could surpass $1 million.

There were no early scratches for Saturday’s pick six races as of Friday evening. The fields are not particularly large, with 7, 8, 8, 8, 8, and 9 runners.

Fri, 03/22/2013 - 18:02

Oaklawn Park notes: Win Willy eyes $1 million

Coady Photography/Oaklawn Park
Win Willy has won 10 of 29 starts for earnings of $977,887.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Win Willy can become a millionaire Sunday at Oaklawn if he wins the seventh race. He should start as a solid favorite in the $75,000 optional claimer for 4-year-olds and up at 1 1/16 miles. Others in the seven-horse field include Sabercat, the 2011 winner of the Grade 3, $1  million Delta Downs Jackpot.

Fri, 03/22/2013 - 17:31

Santa Anita: Joy Scott continues treatment; fund-raising established

Shigeki Kikkawa
Joy Scott was injured on the racetrack when a horse reared and fell.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Jockey Joy Scott, who suffered a severely broken leg in a morning training accident on March 12, continues to be treated for infection related to the injury, trainer Howard Zucker said on Friday.

Zucker has been in daily contact with Scott’s son, Jesse Sanchez.

Zucker said that Scott’s doctors have informed her that more tests will be done in coming days to ensure that the leg is free of infection before surgery can proceed.

“They seem to be getting ahold of it,” Zucker said. “They’ll know more in a week. They could operate next Friday.”

Fri, 03/22/2013 - 17:25

Santa Anita: Demonic pointed for Arkansas Derby or Blue Grass Stakes

Shigeki Kikkawa
Demonic missed a scheduled start in the San Felipe Stakes.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Demonic, the winner of a maiden race over seven furlongs on Jan. 13, is being pointed for the $1 million Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park or the $750,000 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland, trainer John Sadler said.

Both races are run on April 13.

[ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY: Prep races, point standings, replays]

Fri, 03/22/2013 - 17:17

Santa Anita Derby may have three from Baffert barn

Shigeki Kikkawa
Flashback was second to Santa Anita Derby hopeful Hear the Ghost in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes.

ARCADIA, Calif. - The $750,000 Santa Anita Derby on April 6 may include three runners trained by Bob Baffert.

Baffert plans to start Flashback, who was second to Santa Anita Derby hopeful Hear the Ghost in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes over 1 1/16 miles on March 9.

Fri, 03/22/2013 - 16:39

Oaklawn Park: Jan’s Perfect Star no sure thing

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – On paper, Jan’s Perfect Star is the favorite in Sunday’s $60,000 Arkansas Breeders’ at Oaklawn Park on the strength of a 12-length maiden win for which she earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 89.

In reality, she’s not definite to start.

Fri, 03/22/2013 - 16:30

My Miss Aurelia getting a breather at Florida farm

Barbara D. Livingston
My Miss Aurelia has lost her last three races.

ARCADIA, Calif. – My Miss Aurelia, the champion 2-year-old filly of 2011, has been sent to co-owner Barbara Banke’s Florida training center for a springtime break and physical evaluation, co-owner George Bolton said on Friday.

Bolton said that My Miss Aurelia is likely to resume racing this summer, with the goal of a campaign in the second half of 2013.

My Miss Aurelia finished third as the 4-5 favorite in the Grade 3 Azeri Stakes over 1 1/16 miles at Oaklawn Park on March 16.

Fri, 03/22/2013 - 16:21

Gulfstream Park: Live Lively, Dreaming of Julia get rematch in Oaks

Tom Keyser
Live Lively won the Grade 2 Davona Dale on Feb. 23 and will return March 30 in the Grade 2 Gulfstream Oaks.

The fields are starting to take shape for several of the other graded stakes on Florida Derby Day, March 30, at Gulfstream Park.

The best of the undercard races will be the Grade 2 Gulfstream Oaks, which is expected to feature a rematch between Live Lively and Dreaming of Julia, the first- and second-place finishers in the Grade 2, 1 1/16-mile Davona Dale on Feb. 23.

Fri, 03/22/2013 - 16:10

Sunland: Isn't He Clever primed for peak effort in Bill Thomas sprint

Lisa Dominguez/Coady Photography
Isn't He Clever, winner of last month's Borderland Derby, will try to use his affinity for Sunland Park to his advantage in Sunday's Sunland Derby.

It was a year ago this week that Isn’t He Clever established himself as the top 3-year-old in New Mexico with his runner-up finish in the Sunland Derby. Fast forward to Sunday, and he is a leading candidate to win the top sprint race held at Sunland Park.

Fri, 03/22/2013 - 16:07

Sunland Oaks led by lightly raced but talented fillies

Shigeki Kikkawa
Midnight Lucky was impressive in her 7 1/4-length maiden victory.

Though they are lightly raced, the raw talent thus far displayed by Majestic River and Midnight Lucky make them the primary contenders against six other 3-year-old fillies in the $200,000 Sunland Oaks on Sunday at Sunland Park.