OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Fresh faces are always a welcome sight at Aqueduct at this time of year, and there are two such animals entered in Friday’s quasi-featured second-level allowance for fillies and mares at six furlongs.
Silverette, who arrived this week from southern Florida, looms as the horse to catch and beat, while Chance Encounter appears to be the major off-the-pace threat in the $64,000 race, which also carries an optional-claiming clause of $62,500.
At the Pulpit is only 4, but already he has the look of a tried-and-true warrior. The gelding battled his way to a nose victory in his last start at Fair Grounds, continuing a string of solid efforts that have come to define him in just 14 starts.
Trainer Michelle Lovell called At the Pulpit “a gamer” earlier in a four-month Fair Grounds meet that is quickly winding its way to an end. When At the Pulpit steps up into second-level allowance company Friday at the New Orleans track, he will be looking to keep plugging away.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Six new horses are in the lineup of 23 separately listed wagering interests and Verrazano is a lukewarm morning-line favorite in Pool 3 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager, which opens its customary three-day run Friday at noon Eastern.
Churchill Downs linemaker Mike Battaglia has listed Verrazano as the 7-2 choice for Pool 3, with the mutuel field, the 24th or “all others” option, next at 6-1.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Justin Phillip returns to the overnight ranks for the first time in close to a year in Thursday’s eighth race at Oaklawn, a $50,000 optional claimer at six furlongs that figures to produce starters for next month’s Grade 3, $250,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap. In all, a field of seven older horses will start Thursday, including Humble Smarty, the 9-year-old who has won both of his starts this year, each with a Beyer Speed Figure of 94.
Joyful Victory, who earned her first Grade 1 win in the Santa Margarita Stakes last Saturday, will get a brief freshening over the next few months, but trainer Larry Jones already is plotting his return to Santa Anita for the fall meet, not only for the Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic but for other races too.
With the defection of Titletown Five, there are now nine horses considered probable for the Grade 3, $800,000 Sunland Derby on Sunday. Sunland Park officials said Shakin It Up, winner of the Grade 2 San Vicente, and Govenor Charlie, an impressive maiden special weight winner at Santa Anita, are both expected for trainer Bob Baffert.
ARCADIA, Calif. – With a perfect record on turf, including a world record for 1 1/2 miles in the San Luis Rey Stakes at Santa Anita last Saturday, Bright Thought already has accomplished a lot in California. Now, he’s going to take his act on the road.
Jorge Gutierrez, trainer of Bright Thought, said the Grade 1, $500,000 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Derby Day, May 4, is the likely next spot for Bright Thought, who won his third straight grass race in the San Luis Rey.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – After getting an opportunity to test his lungs last month in stretching out to 12 furlongs for the first time, Twigazuri Strait will turn back to a mile on turf for Thursday’s $58,850 entry-level allowance feature at Gulfstream Park.
Twigazuri Strait, a son of the top turf sire English Channel and trained by Michelle Nihei, prompted the pace going 1 1/2 miles but could not kick on late in his three-turn debut, finishing sixth, although beaten less than three lengths by the long-winded veteran Livingston Street.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Southern California bettors are having a hard time picking winners of first-level allowance routes, specifically older horses on the main track.
Favorites are 0 for 3 at Santa Anita and 0 for 7 in Southern California the past six months in N1X routes for older horses at standard distances. The only winning favorite in that span was at Betfair Hollywood Park on Nov. 30, when the odds-on Dreamcatcher won at 1 1/4 miles.
