OZONE PARK, N.Y. – On paper, Cubicle Queen stepping up into a stakes race from a maiden win would be considered a significant step up in class.
But given the competition Cubicle Queen has already faced, that may not be the case in Saturday’s $75,000 Dearly Precious Stakes at Aqueduct. Only five fillies were entered for the Dearly Precious, scheduled for six furlongs. A winter storm that could bring a foot of snow to New York by Saturday morning, could force this 10-race card to be canceled.
Gary Contessa became the 89th trainer to win at least 2,000 races when Al’s Rosie rallied ($9.70) along the rail to win Thursday’s seventh race at Aqueduct.
Contessa, 55, won his first race at Monmouth Park in 1985 with Legendary Wealth.
“I can’t believe I won 2,000 races,” Contessa said in the winner’s circle standing alongside his wife Jennifer.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Rose to Gold begins her path toward the Kentucky Oaks Saturday, when she launches her 3-year-old season in the $75,000 Martha Washington at Oaklawn Park. The one-mile race, which will end at the sixteenth pole, drew nine including Broken Spell, the runner-up in last year’s Grade 1 Alcibiades at Keeneland; American Sugar, a three-time stakes winner; and Liberty Girl, a half-sister to Grade 1 winner Ruler On Ice.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Vyjack, the undefeated winner of the Jerome Stakes, stepped up his preparations for next month’s Grade 3, $400,000 Gotham Stakes by working five furlongs in 1:00.73 Thursday morning over Aqueduct’s inner track.
Trainer Rudy Rodriguez was aboard the gelding, who started about two lengths behind a stablemate and finished on even terms before galloping out well in front.
“He worked very good today,” Rodriguez said. “I put one horse in front of him, let him do a little bit more than what we were doing with him. He’s comfortable, very happy.”
ARCADIA, Calif. – Beholder and Executiveprivilege, the first two finishers in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies in November, may not have a rematch in the $250,000 Las Virgenes Stakes at Santa Anita on March 2.
Beholder, the champion 2-year-old filly of 2012, worked five furlongs in 1:01.80 at Santa Anita on Thursday and could run in the Grade 1 Las Virgenes Stakes over a mile for 3-year-old fillies.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – After allowing Abaco to take the conservative route and run through her allowance conditions, trainer Shug McGaughey will finally give her the opportunity to test the stakes waters in Saturday’s $150,000 Suwannee River at Gulfstream Park.
The 1 1/8-mile Suwannee River is one of two Grade 3 races on Saturday’s 12-race program that also includes the $150,000 Gulfstream Park Sprint Championship for older horses to be decided at seven furlongs.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Considering the way trainer Ron McAnally’s South Americans imports are running this month, Interaction deserves to be favored in Saturday’s $150,000 San Marcos Stakes at Santa Anita.
Last Saturday, the McAnally-trained Suggestive Boy scored a convincing win in the Grade 2 Arcadia Stakes, vaulting to the fore of the California turf mile division.
Interaction could have the same role in the turf marathon division in coming months.
OLDSMAR, Fla. – Starship Truffles has turned out to be one of the bargain claims of 2012, winning seven of nine starts since trainer Marty Wolfson took her for $6,250 in July. Starship Truffles will be seeking her fifth win in a row Saturday in the $50,000 Manatee Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs.
The Manatee, a seven-furlong race for fillies and mares, has drawn a field of 12.
Two starts ago, Starship Truffles won her first stakes, the $100,000 Claiming Crown Glass Slipper Stakes at Gulfstream Park.
As part of the various promotions to mark the 150th year of racing at Saratoga, fans will be able to win the chance to place a $15,000 win wager on a select Saturday stakes race during the summer meet.
Beginning with the Whitney Invitational Handicap on Aug. 3 – the date of the first race run at Saratoga in 1863 – one fan will be chosen to place a $15,000 win wager on one horse. If correct, the bettor will get whatever the track payoff odds are.
The promotion is being underwritten by philanthropist and Saratoga native Marylou Whitney and her husband John Hendrickson.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Although both have the date March 30 prominently circled on their calendars, trainers Graham Motion and Shug McGaughey are certainly not looking past Saturday, Feb. 9, when they send out Animal Kingdom and Point of Entry to kick off their 2013 campaigns in the $300,000 Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap.
Animal Kingdom is using the Gulfstream Park Turf as a prep for the $10 million Dubai World Cup on March 30. If all goes according to plan, Point of Entry would run earlier that same evening at Meydan in the $5 million Dubai Sheema Classic.
