Mon, 02/11/2013 - 13:17

Tampa Bay: Agent laid groundwork for Centeno's stakes win

Tom Cooley Photography
Spectacular Sky wins the Manatee in stakes-record time.

OLDSMAR, Fla. – When a jockey is battling for leading rider, it’s the little things he and his agent may do that can spell the difference between being on a winning mount and an also-ran.

Mon, 02/11/2013 - 12:27

Gulfstream Park: Point of Entry won’t go to Dubai for Sheema Classic

Barbara D. Livingston
Point of Entry will not be shipping to Dubai for the Sheema Classic on March 30 at Meydan.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Despite turning in a huge effort to defeat Animal Kingdom in Saturday’s Grade 1 Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap, Point of Entry will not be heading to Dubai for the $5 million Sheema Classic on March 30.

Sun, 02/10/2013 - 19:43

Santa Anita: Stevens completes weekend stakes sweep aboard Purim's Dancer in Wishing Well

Benoit & Associates
Gary Stevens collects his second stakes victory since launching his comeback aboard Purim's Dancer in Sunday's Wishing Well Stakes.

ARCADIA, Calif. -  A session of video homework helped Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens win Sunday’s $86,500 Wishing Well Stakes at Santa Anita on the highly promising Purim’s Dancer.

Stevens rode Purim’s Dancer for the first time in the Wishing Well Stakes for female turf sprinters. In advance of the race, Stevens watched the replay of the filly’s win in an optional claimer on the hillside turf course on Jan. 18.

Sun, 02/10/2013 - 19:06

Sunland: Red Lead captures Curribot for second time

Coady Photography
Red Lead, ridden by Enrique Gomez, wins the Curribot Handicap, a prep for the Sunland Park Handicap.

Red Lead won the Curribot Handicap at Sunland Park for the second time in his career on Sunday,  when he was always prominent for a 1 1/4-length score over Hurricane Lake. Red Lead also won the Curribot for 3-year-olds and up in 2010. 

Red Lead ($10) settled in third early on Sunday, as Warren’s Knockout took the field through fractions of 23.78 seconds for the opening quarter and 47.49 for the half-mile. Red Lead took over through six furlongs in 1:11.08, and went on to cover 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.84.

Enrique Gomez was aboard for trainer Chris Hartman.

Sun, 02/10/2013 - 18:01

Gulfstream Park: Golden Mystery enhances worth at Fasig-Tipton sale by winning Hurricane Bertie

Barbara D. Livingston
Golden Mystery, making her final start for Farnsworth Stables before going through the sales ring at Fasig-Tipton on Monday night in Kentucky, wins the Hurricane Bertie under Luis Saez.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. -  Golden Mystery warmed up for her long van ride to Kentucky on Monday morning with a convincing 3 1/2- length victory over Fantasy of Flight in Sunday’s $150,000 Hurricane Bertie at Gulfstream Park.

Sun, 02/10/2013 - 16:40

Santa Anita: More Chocolate likely to skip Santa Maria in favor of Santa Margarita

Shigeki Kikkawa
More Chocolate will skip the Santa Maria Stakes and point toward the Santa Margarita Stakes on March 16.

More Chocolate, the winner of the Grade 2 La Canada Stakes for 4-year-old fillies on Jan. 20, is unlikely to start in Saturday’s $200,000 Santa Maria Stakes for fillies and mares over 1 1/16 miles.

Trainer John Sadler said on Sunday that he is leaning toward passing the Grade 2 Santa Maria in favor of the $300,000 Santa Margarita Stakes, a Grade 1 over 1 1/8 miles on March 16.

“I could change my mind and run,” Sadler said. “She’s doing fine.”

Sun, 02/10/2013 - 16:32

Santa Anita: Slim Shadey earns vacation until May at Churchill Downs

Shigeki Kikkawa
Slim Shadey, winner of the San Marcos under Gary Stevens, will be pointed to the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic at Churchill Downs in early May.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Slim Shadey’s win in Saturday’s $151,750 San Marcos Stakes at Santa Anita will result in a brief vacation and a resumption of his career in Kentucky this spring.

Trainer Simon Callaghan said on Sunday that he plans to keep Slim Shadey at distances of 1 1/8 miles to 1 1/4 miles on turf in coming starts. The next objective for the 5-year-old gelding is the $500,000 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic over 1 1/8 miles on turf at Churchill Downs on May 4.

Sun, 02/10/2013 - 11:37

Sam Houston: Manyriverstocross makes Tomball her first stakes win

Manyriverstocross became a stakes winner Saturday night at Sam Houston Race Park, when she held off Vilao by a neck in the $50,000 Tomball. It was another neck back in third to pacesetter Sera’s Tunnel. The Tomball, at 1 1/16 miles on turf, was restricted to fillies and mares bred in Texas.

Manyriverstocross  ($27.20) raced close to the pace set by Sera’s Tunnel, who put up fractions of 24.36 seconds for the opening quarter, 46.85 for the half-mile, and 1:12.41 for six furlongs. Manyriverstocross overtook the leader and went on to cover the distance on firm ground in 1:44.56.

Sat, 02/09/2013 - 20:24

Santa Anita pick six carryover of $97,259 for Sunday's card

ARCADIA, Calif.- There were no winning favorites in Saturday’s pick six races, leading to a carryover of $97,259 for Sunday’s nine-race program at Santa Anita.

The pick six races are the fourth through ninth races on Sunday.

Three of those races had scratches early on Saturday. In the fourth race, Cravin’ the Heat has been withdrawn. In the sixth race, Truism, Obsess, and Typhoon Slew will not start. In the eighth, Sizzling Gold is out of the $75,000 Wishing Well Stakes.

Sat, 02/09/2013 - 20:16

Santa Anita: Slim Shadey enables Stevens to win first stakes since 2005 in San Marcos

Benoit & Associates
Slim Shadey, under 49-year-old Gary Stevens, gets away with an uncontested early lead and goes all the way to snap a three-race losing streak in the San Marcos.

ARCADIA, Calif.- Slim Shadey and Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens had stakes-winning comebacks in Saturday’s $151,750 San Marcos Stakes at Santa Anita.

Stevens, who resumed riding full-time after a retirement of more than seven years on Jan. 6, won his first stakes since October 2005 when Slim Shadey led throughout the Grade 2 San Marcos Stakes over 1 1/4 miles on turf.