Some horses get the winter off to recover from injuries or ailments, but in the case of Treasured Up, her time off was “pure vacation,” said trainer Al Stall Jr.
“The filly went straight from Keeneland to Spendthrift Farm and got 60-plus days of R and R,” said Stall.
Though retired as a trainer, Greg Gilchrist is still involved in horse racing.
Gilchrist, who trained Eclipse Award winner Lost in the Fog, picked out Camilla Urso winner Hidinginplainsight for the Blinkers On Racing Stable, paying $80,000 for her in a 2-year-old sale at Timonium, Md., in 2011.
Gilchrist said he liked the filly based on her looks, stride, and breeding.
“She didn’t have the fastest work,” Gilchrist said.
Gallant Son, Bailouttheminister, Hudson Landing, Control Seeker – what is this, a late edition to the Golden Gate Fields stakes schedule?
In fact, it’s one of Golden Gate Fields’ special conditioned allowance races that give stakes-quality runners a chance to prep for upcoming stakes.
The six-furlong race drew the four aforementioned stakes winners plus Handsome Harvey Jr., who despite being only a maiden and starter allowance winner has had a big impact on the race. He was the crucial fifth horse entered, which allowed the race to go.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Five-furlong turf races have been a staple throughout the winter at Gulfstream Park, with speed horses ruling the roost more often than not in these blink-and-they’re-over grass dashes.
Not surprisingly, there is plenty of speed signed on for Thursday’s $54,500 allowance feature, carded at five-eighths of a mile on grass for lower-level optional claimers. The field includes the front-running types Starship Wildcat, Drunken Love and The Chill Zone.
ARCADIA, Calif. - My Miss Aurelia will make her first start of the year on Saturday in the Grade 3, $150,000 Azeri Stakes at Oaklawn Park, trainer Steve Asmussen said Tuesday morning.
My Miss Aurelia also had been under consideration for the Grade 1, $300,000 Santa Margarita Stakes at Santa Anita, also to be run Saturday. The Azeri requires My Miss Aurelia to carry 119 pounds over 1 1/16 miles. In the Santa Margarita, My Miss Aurelia would have carried 123 pounds over 1 1/8 miles.
“It is the right spot to start her year,” Asmussen said.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Titletown Five will make his next start in the Grade 3, $800,000 Sunland Derby and is to be ridden by Gary Stevens, trainer D. Wayne Lukas said Tuesday. The 1 1/8-mile prep is March 24.
Titletown Five was one of the most impressive maiden winners of the fall meet at Churchill Downs. He made his 3-year-old debut March 2 at Oaklawn, finishing second in the $60,000 Gazebo. Tuesday morning, the horse breezed five furlongs in 1:01.20 under Quevedo.
With Believe You Can’s race this past weekend comfortably out of the way, trainer Larry Jones on Monday turned his attention to Joyful Victory’s scheduled start Saturday in the Grade 1 Santa Margarita at Santa Anita. With Rosie Napravnik in the irons, Joyful Victory worked five furlongs in a bullet 59.80 seconds over a sloppy main track, the mare’s last serious exercise before she attempts to win her first Grade 1 race.
Six-year-old Delaunay has run in 10 claiming races and zero graded stakes, and six months ago, only serious followers of the Midwest or Mid-Atlantic racing circuits would even have known his name. But in appearance, on the clock, and in the view of speed-figure makers, Delaunay is one of the best horses in the country at the moment.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - The 1:35.17 clocking Discreet Dancer posted winning the Gulfstream Park Handicap on Saturday turned out to be a magic number this weekend. His stablemate Cross Traffic posted the exact same time winning Sunday’s $54,500 co-feature by 7 1/2 lengths to remain undefeated in two starts for trainer Todd Pletcher. A 4-year-old son of Unbridled’s Song, Cross Traffic is owned by Gold Mark Farm.
