Thu, 01/17/2013 - 14:00

Tampa Bay Downs: Allie's Event launches comeback over his favorite course

Allie’s Event seems to save his best races for the Tampa Bay Downs turf course. On Saturday, he will make his first start since May as part of an overflow field of 13 turf runners entered in the $30,000 allowance prep for the Grade 3, $150,000 Tampa Bay Stakes.

Allie’s Event finished a fast-closing fourth, beaten just a length, in last year’s edition of the Tampa Bay Stakes. A model of consistency, Allie’s Event has won or finished second in 16 of his 27 career starts while racking up earnings of $251,012. He will be shooting for his fourth local win in Saturday’s one-mile race.

Thu, 01/17/2013 - 13:48

Hollywood Park commits to running fall meet

ARCADIA, Calif. – Betfair Hollywood Park will run a fall meeting in November and December, ending months of speculation whether the track would continue to conduct racing or be closed for development at the end of the summer.

In a brief speech to the racing board, track president Jack Liebau said, “We can confirm that Hollywood Park will run the fall dates.”

The seven-week fall meeting is scheduled from Nov. 6 through Dec. 22.

Wed, 01/16/2013 - 17:20

Fair Grounds: Oxbow, Circle Unbroken top nine-horse lineup for Lecomte

Churchill Downs/Reed Palmer Photography
Circle Unbroken (second from left) will be making his first start since winning the Bashford Manor Stakes at Churchill Downs last June.

Officials at Fair Grounds Race Course made a preemptive and prudent decision Wednesday to postpone two of the five stakes scheduled for its “Road to the Derby Kickoff Day” program Saturday in New Orleans.

Both of those grass races, the $125,000 Col. E.R. Bradley and the $75,000 Marie Krantz Memorial, will be run a week from Saturday, on Jan.  26. The move was made because of a heavily saturated turf course and the fear that those stakes would be decimated if they were carded this Saturday and had to be transferred to the main track.

Wed, 01/16/2013 - 16:59

Sam Houston: New $400,000 Houston Ladies Classic highlight of meet

Reed Palmer Photography
Joy’s Paradise is back to defend her title in the $50,000 Yellow Rose

Sam Houston Race Park opens Friday night with a number of changes to its racing program, led by the creation of the $400,000 Houston Ladies Classic. The 1 1/16-mile race for fillies and mares on Jan. 26 will be the richest Thoroughbred stakes run during the past year in Texas, and it will share a card with the Grade 3, $200,000 Connally Turf Cup.

Wed, 01/16/2013 - 16:51

Gulfstream Park: Mucho Macho Man, Ron the Greek top attractions in Sunshine Millions

Barbara D. Livingston
Mucho Macho Man and Ron the Greek (above), the one-two finishers last year, are rematched in the Sunshine Millions Classic.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Mucho Macho Man, runner-up in the Breeders’ Cup Classic to close out his outstanding 2012 campaign, will be the marquee name on Saturday’s Florida Sunshine Millions program at Gulfstream Park.

Wed, 01/16/2013 - 15:48

Oaklawn Park notes: Get Happy Mister, winner of Gold Rush Futurity, in Von Hemel's barn

Coady Photography
Get Happy Mister has won his four career starts by a combined margin of 31 1/4 lengths.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Get Happy Mister, who won the $100,000 Gold Rush Futurity at Arapahoe Park in August with a Beyer Speed Figure of 91, is now based at Oaklawn. The horse was freshened after the futurity by trainer Butch Gleason, who this fall made arrangements to send Get Happy Mister to trainer Kelly Von Hemel.

"He's a big, good-looking colt," said Von Hemel, who is based at Oaklawn.

Wed, 01/16/2013 - 15:43

Gulfstream Park: The consistent Slew's Exchange has work cut out for her in Friday turf sprint

Tom Keyser
Stopshoppingmaria comes off a victory in a turf sprint earlier in the Gulfstream meet.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Slew’s Exchange has been a model of consistency every time she’s been sent five furlongs on the turf, having finished third or better in all five such starts. But even trainer Eddie Plesa Jr. knows the waters will get even deeper when Slew’s Exchange goes postward among the key contenders in Friday’s $57,500 main event at Gulfstream Park, an optional $62,500 claimer at five furlongs on the grass.

Wed, 01/16/2013 - 15:40

Oaklawn: Training resumes with Borel watching, on the mend

Barbara D. Livingston
Jockey Calvin Borel is sitting at 4,999 career victories.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Horses were back training at Oaklawn Park on Wednesday after a three-day hiatus, and jockey Calvin Borel found himself in the unusual position of watching the proceedings. Borel has been healing from an injury to his left wrist that has put his bid for 5,000 career victories on hold. But during a visit to Oaklawn on Wednesday, he said he was quite hopeful the cast he is wearing will be removed in 14 days.

“I’m doing good,” he said. “I go back to the doctor on Tuesday.”

Wed, 01/16/2013 - 15:19

Santa Anita: The Lumber Guy will miss Palos Verdes with quarter crack

Barbara D. Livingston
Because of a minor injury, The Lumber Guy will be redirected to the San Carlos Stakes on Feb. 26.

A quarter crack will keep The Lumber Guy from starting in Saturday’s $150,000 Palos Verdes Stakes at Santa Anita.

Trainer Neil Drysdale said on Wednesday that The Lumber Guy was not entered in the Grade 2 Palos Verdes over six furlongs.

Owned by Barry Schwartz, The Lumber Guy has won 4 of 8 starts and $736,050. He was second in the BC Sprint here on Nov. 3, but was seventh as the 4-5 favorite in the Malibu Stakes here on Dec. 26.

“He came up with a quarter crack after the Malibu,” Drysdale said. “We’re being very conservative.”

Wed, 01/16/2013 - 14:59

Santa Anita: Apple Blossom first major goal for My Miss Aurelia

Barbara D. Livingston
My Miss Aurelia, with trainer Steve Asmussen, may have one prep race in California, where she is in training, before heading to Oaklawn Park in April for the Apple Blossom Handicap.

ARCADIA, Calif. – My Miss Aurelia, the champion 2-year-old filly of 2011 and a finalist for champion 3-year-old filly of 2012, will have a late winter and early spring campaign geared toward the $500,000 Apple Blossom Handicap at Oaklawn Park on April 12, co-owner George Bolton said.

My Miss Aurelia is currently in training with Steve Asmussen at Santa Anita, and could have a prep race in February or March before the trip to Oaklawn.

“The Apple Blossom is the goal,” Bolton said. “We’re considering giving her a prep and then the Apple Blossom.”