OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Though a cut below being graded stakes material to this point in her career, R Gypsy Gold looks to be a cut above the competition she meets in Saturday’s $75,000 Affectionately Stakes at Aqueduct.
R Gypsy Gold is winless in six graded stakes tries, but she has two wins and two narrow losses in listed stakes. The Affectionately lost its graded status beginning with the 2005 running.
Six of the 10 fillies and mares in the main body of the field for Saturday’s $75,000 Nellie Morse Stakes at Laurel Park finished first or second last time out. Although that indicates their current form is sharp, the group is lacking in stakes success.
Collectively, those six runners are 2 for 27 in stakes competition, a percentage that is dragged down by the 1-for-16 stakes record of Withgreatpleasure, who is cross-entered in Saturday’s $75,000 Affectionately at Aqueduct and is expected to run in New York.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Beholder, the 2012 champion juvenile filly, had an alibi for her disappointing runner-up finish as the odds-on favorite in Monday’s Grade 2 Santa Ynez at Santa Anita.
Beholder was scoped soon after the 6 1/2-furlong race and showed no signs of internal bleeding. But trainer Richard Mandella said Thursday that a more extensive subsequent examination revealed an ulcer in the back of her throat. Although the ulcer was small, it was enough to compromise her performance.
Suddenly he doesn’t seem so invincible. Derive, last year’s horse of the meet at Turf Paradise after compiling an impressive 6-for-6 local mark, looked on his way to another superb meet after an initial first win in the fall. But he was unexpectedly defeated in his last two starts.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – At a Woodbine press conference Thursday, which was conducted on an upbeat note but proved short on detail, the Woodbine Entertainment Group and the Ontario Government presented the beginnings of a blueprint under which Thoroughbred racing at Woodbine will operate for the next two seasons.
The Grade 3, $300,000 Lone Star Park Handicap will again anchor Lone Star Park’s stakes schedule and serve as the middle leg of the Global Gaming Triple that was introduced last meet. In all, the Dallas area track will run 11 stakes worth $1.1 million during the 50-date meet that opens April 11. The season runs through July 7.
Thursday’s nine-race card at Aqueduct was canceled due to extreme cold, New York Racing Association officials announced early Thursday morning. Aqueduct and Belmont Park remained open for simulcasting.
Thursday’s forecast was for sunny skies but temperatures in the low 20s and wind chills in the single digits.
It is the second cancellation of the winter meet. The Dec. 29 card was canceled due to a forecast for snow that never came.
Live racing is expected to resume on Friday, though it is expected to remain cold and snow is forecast for mid-afternoon.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Woodbine Entertainment Group announced Wednesday that it has reached an agreement in principle with the Ontario government that will ensure the continuation of live racing at Woodbine and Mohawk racetracks for the next two years.
Flashback, a sharp maiden race winner in his 2-year-old debut at Hollywood Park on Dec. 8, worked five furlongs in 58.60 seconds Wednesday.
Trainer Bob Baffert said that Flashback is expected to make his next start in the $200,000 Robert Lewis Stakes over 1 1/16 miles on Feb. 2.
In Wednesday’s workout, Flashback worked in company with a stablemate, starting about two lengths behind. He moved alongside with a wide move on the turn and finished slightly in front under jockey Martin Garcia.
Though he successfully navigated two turns and a mile in his victory in Sunday’s Turnofthecentury Stakes here, Brigand will return to one turn and seven furlongs for the Grade 2, $250,000 General George Handicap at Laurel on Feb. 18.
Brigand, a New York-bred son of Flatter, won the Turnofthecentury by 2 3/4 lengths on the front end. Under Irad Ortiz Jr., Brigand ran a mile in 1:36.70 and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 98.
