Trainers Michael Aro and Lupe Preciado literally have the opposition outnumbered in Tuesday’s $75,000 Langhorne Stakes for fillies and mares. Aro and Preciado have four of the six starters in the 6 1/2-furlong overnight stakes, including defending champion Winning Image.
But due to different ownership, both sets of stablemates will race uncoupled, leaving bettors to ponder which horse has the best chance of winning the featured eighth race.
Stickcrossmountain will have to overcome a near four-month layoff on Monday to remain perfect at Will Rogers Downs. He goes in the fifth race, a six-furlong allowance for Oklahoma-breds that should produce starters for the $55,000 TRAO Classic Sprint on April 9.
Stickcrossmountain won the TRAO last year at Will Rogers in one of two wins he has had at the Claremore, Okla., track. He also accounted for the race’s allowance prep, last March. Monday, the horse will face five others, including fellow stakes winners Ridge Road and Hollywood Ice.
ARCADIA, Calif. – The March 2 program at Santa Anita will rightfully be remembered for Game On Dude’s emphatic win in the $750,000 Santa Anita Handicap. It turns out two maiden race winners on that day – the 3-year-olds Storm Fighter and Summer Exclusive – may be deserving of attention over time.
Storm Fighter, who won a race for California-breds over 1 1/16 miles in his third start, and Summer Exclusive, who won over 6 1/2 furlongs in his career debut that day, are being prepared for the $750,000 Santa Anita Derby on April 6.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Itsmyluckyday has made great strides this winter by learning to relax. He’s obviously taken his cue from his trainer, Eddie Plesa Jr., who remains remarkably calm in the face of all the pressure associated with having a leading Kentucky Derby contender in his barn.
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.
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.
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.”
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]
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.
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.
