Lori Hendrickson might never return to training horses, although no one would blame her if she didn’t. Hendrickson lived through the nightmare of having all 10 of her horses killed in a barn fire last fall, and she is still trying to get over the terrible emotional wounds the accident inflicted on her.
During their nearly 30-year association as owner and trainer, Robert Meyerhoff and Dick Small have tasted great success, winning the 1994 Breeders’ Cup Classic with the Maryland-bred Concern and banking $2.7 million with Broad Brush during his three-year racing career from 1985-87.
Meyerhoff, who races as Fitzhugh LLC, and Small have a potential rising star in Dynamic Strike, one of three Triple Crown nominees among a lineup of eight 3-year-olds in Saturday’s $75,000 Miracle Wood Stakes at Laurel Park.
Penn National Race Course established a track record for all-sources handle during January.
The 13 live racing programs produced a total all-sources handle of $16,382,246, for a record daily average of $1,260,173. That topped the previous mark for average daily all-sources handle of $1,237,341, set in April 2009, when $22,272,146 was wagered over 18 live racing days.
January’s average daily export handle on Penn National’s races also established a record with $1,203,633 wagered per card.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - It's not too often you see a maiden assigned favoritism in a stakes race, but such is the case Saturday at Aqueduct, where the New York Racing Association’s linemaker, Eric Donovan, made Elghayoor the 9-5 morning-line favorite for the $75,000 Dearly Precious Stakes.
Elghayoor, a daughter of Ghostzapper, finished second in two maiden races – neither of which saw her as the favorite. She was beaten two lengths by Kiss the Lady – also in this field – before finishing second behind Dear to All.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - American Sugar, who dominated last month’s $60,000 Dixie Belle at Oaklawn, will be seeking her fourth stakes win Saturday when she runs in the $75,000 Martha Washington for 3-year-old fillies. Others that Oaklawn stakes coordinator Glenn Reeder expects for the Martha Washington include Rose to Gold, winner of the Grade 3, $500,000 Delta Downs Princess; Cloudy in Sandiego, a recent allowance winner at Fair Grounds; Liberty Girl, an allowance winner at Oaklawn; and possibly Awesome Mama, who is 2 for 2.
Demonic, winner of a maiden race over seven furlongs in his debut Jan. 13, is being considered for two graded stakes for 3-year-olds in coming weeks – the $150,000 San Vicente Stakes over seven furlongs on Feb. 17 or the $300,000 San Felipe Stakes over 1 1/16 miles on March 9.
Owned by Lee and Susan Searing and trained by John Sadler, Demonic worked five furlongs in 1:00.20 on Monday under jockey Garrett Gomez, who was aboard for the maiden win.
The $750,000 Santa Anita Handicap on March 2 may include Clubhouse Ride, if trainer Craig Lewis gets a break in the weights against expected favorite Game On Dude.
The Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap is run over 1 1/4 miles and is the top race of the winter-spring meeting for older horses.
In the $200,000 San Antonio Stakes over 1 1/8 miles last Sunday, Game On Dude won by 6 1/2 lengths over Clubhouse Ride. A 5-year-old horse, Clubhouse Ride has won 3 of 25 starts.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – A surprisingly large field of 10 horses was entered for Saturday’s $500,000 Donn Handicap at Gulfstream Park, adding a degree of drama to Wednesday’s post position draw for the Grade 1 fixture.
The Donn will share top billing on Saturday’s 12-race program along with the Grade 1, $300,000 Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap, which not surprisingly lured only six starters because of the imposing presence of Animal Kingdom, Point of Entry, and Unbridled Command, three of the top older grass runners in the country.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Always in a Tiz is to return to Oaklawn for the Grade 3, $300,000 Southwest on Feb. 18, setting up a rematch of the top three in last month’s $150,000 Smarty Jones. Always in a Tiz invaded from Florida for the Smarty Jones and was third by a neck, edged by winner Will Take Charge and runner-up Texas Bling, both of whom are scheduled to run back in the Southwest.
[ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY: Prep races, point standings, replays]
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Trainer John Parisella returned to New York from south Florida early Wednesday morning and headed right to his barn at Belmont Park.
A little jet-lagged, Parisella perked up at the sight of his two fabulous 4-year-old fillies, Sunny Desert and Centrique. Combined, Sunny Desert and Centrique have won 11 of their last 12 starts.
Centrique looks to keep the good times rolling Friday at Aqueduct when she heads a field of six entered in the $69,000 allowance feature going a mile.
