Monday, being New Year’s Eve, is a day for revelry, for imbibing – a New Orleans kind of day. In a city that looks for excuses to party, plenty of folks will be Sittin At the Bar. At Fair Grounds, they will be betting on her.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – The racing office had its work cut out filling entries for several of the stakes races on Tuesday’s holiday program at Gulfstream Park. But there was no such problem when it came to the $75,000 Ginger Brew, which drew a field of 14 3-year-old fillies to go 1 1/16 miles on the turf.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Distinctiv Passion joined the list of candidates for the $150,000 San Vicente Stakes for 3-year-old sprinters in February after a convincing win in an allowance race on Friday.
Ridden by Edwin Maldonado, Distinctiv Passion led throughout, pulling clear in the final furlong to win by 2 1/2 lengths over 24-1 Disarm.
Super Ninety Nine, the 4-5 favorite, finished fourth, never threatening Distinctiv Passion, who ran six furlongs in 1:08.61.
ARCADIA, Calif. – After chasing Executiveprivilege, Midnight Ballet, and Pure Fun in autumn stakes, Scarlet Strike is starting the winter with a change of surface in Tuesday’s $75,000 Blue Norther Stakes at Santa Anita.
The Blue Norther, run over a mile on turf for 3-year-old fillies, will be Scarlet Strike’s first start on grass and does not necessarily reflect a long-term change in plans, trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said.
“I hate to keep switching back and forth,” he said. “Timing-wise, this race is the best for us.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Amazombie, the champion sprinter of 2011, will end a winter vacation in mid-January and return to training at Bill Spawr’s stable at Santa Anita. But the venue of his first start for 2013 is unclear.
Spawr said he is considering the $150,000 Potrero Grande Stakes over 6 1/2 furlongs at Santa Anita on April 6, a race that Amazombie won in 2011 and 2012, or the $250,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap over six furlongs at Oaklawn Park on April 13.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – After four bridesmaid finishes in stakes, Agilion may finally be headed to the altar in Monday’s $80,000 Our Shopping Spree Stakes at Aqueduct.
The Our Shopping Spree, a mile and 70-yard race restricted to New York-bred 2-year-old fillies, will go as race 3 on the nine-race program because it drew only five runners – not because it will allow patrons to get to Times Square early for the ball drop.
Nick Canani has big plans for Called to Serve in 2013. Those plans could hinge on how Called to Serve finishes out 2012.
Following a breakthrough victory in the Grade 3 Discovery Handicap at Aqueduct on Nov. 17, Called to Serve looks to finish his 3-year-old season with another stakes win when he takes on eight opponents in Monday’s $100,000 Broad Brush Stakes at Laurel Park. The Broad Brush, run at 1 1/8 miles, tops a nine-race card that also includes the $100,000 Maryland Juvenile Filly Championship, rescheduled from Wednesday when racing was canceled.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Travesura has thrived in the five weeks since she won the Grade 3 Miesque Stakes for 2-year-old fillies on turf at Betfair Hollywood Park.
Travesura’s form is a consolation to trainer Jeff Mullins after she drew the outside post for Tuesday’s $75,000 Blue Norther Stakes for 3-year-old fillies over a mile on turf at Santa Anita. Travesura has post 11 in the Blue Norther. Three others are on the also-eligible list.
“It’s not the best post to have, that’s for sure,” Mullins said. “She’ll have to overcome it. She’ll need a little luck.”
ARCADIA, Calif. – Mechaya was meant to have a quiet start to the Santa Anita winter-spring meeting – until she worked six furlongs in 1:12.60 on Dec. 22.
The workout gave trainer John Sadler a reason to start Mechaya in an optional claimer for 2-year-old fillies over seven furlongs on Monday as a prep for the $150,000 Santa Ynez Stakes for 3-year-old fillies over 6 1/2 furlongs on Jan. 21.
“My thought was to hold her until the end of the month, but she’s doing so well,” he said.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – It came as no surprise that Tuesday’s $100,000 Old Hat Stakes came up a short field. Not after word got out that trainer Todd Pletcher was planning on launching Kauai Katie’s 3-year-old campaign in the six-furlong sprint. So even though the Old Hat is the first graded stakes of the New Year for 3-year-old fillies in south Florida, it drew just five entries, a group that also includes the speedy and still undefeated Cor Cor.
