Tue, 06/13/2023 - 14:54

Ken Carson, Tracy Sheffield to be honored at TTA awards banquet

Ken Carson will receive a lifetime achievement award from the Texas Thoroughbred Association during its annual meeting and banquet on June 24 at Lone Star, the organization announced. Carson long managed Valor Farm in Pilot Point, Texas, and is closely affiliated with the Scharbauer family, who campaigned Alysheba.

Tracy Sheffield will be honored as the TTA’s member of the year. She has long spearheaded the Roses to Ribbon events that match racehorses set to retire with new owners. It’s held near the close of most meets in Texas.

Tue, 06/13/2023 - 14:40

Closing Act more likely for Schuylerville than TTA Sales Futurity

By Mary Rampellini

Closing Act wins the Astoria at BEL June 22 2023

Barbara D. Livingston

Closing Act, a Texas-bred daughter of Munnings, is 2 for 2. She won a Churchill maiden race prior to taking the Astoria (above) by 3 1/4 lengths.

Closing Act, a Texas-bred 2-year-old filly who won the $150,000 Astoria on Sunday at Belmont Park, could run back in New York, trainer Steve Asmussen said Tuesday. She has an option at Saratoga, and also one in her home state of Texas.

“She is eligible for the Sales Futurity at Lone Star,” Asmussen said. “I don’t know if I’d bring her back for that. We also have the Schuylerville at Saratoga."

The $150,000 Texas Thoroughbred Association Sales Futurity is July 1. The Grade 3, $175,000 Schuylerville is July 13.

Tue, 06/13/2023 - 14:17

Skelly, on five-race streak, will be rested over the summer

By Mary Rampellini

Skelly wins the Lake Hamilton at OP May 6 2023

Coady Photography

Skelly wins the Lake Hamilton at Oaklawn Park in early May. He has won five races in a row, including the Count Fleet Sprint Handicap.

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas – The collective sigh of relief heard Tuesday among many sprinters based in the Midwest came after word that Skelly is going on vacation. The standout runner has won five straight races, his latest the $100,000 Speightstown Sprint at Lone Star Park.

Prior to the effort – for which he earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 102 - he zipped to four straight wins at Oaklawn Park. His run includes the Grade 3, $500,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap for which he earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 105.

Mon, 06/12/2023 - 13:25

Male 3-year-old division title remains up for grabs this summer

By David Grening

Debra A. Roma

Kentucky Derby winner Mage returned to training on June 7, and several stakes are being considered for his next start.

ELMONT, N.Y. – It could be a fun summer in the 3-year-old division.

With three different winners of the Triple Crown races, seven different winners of Grade 1 stakes, and several other talented runners in the division, Grade 1 summer races such as the Haskell at Monmouth Park on July 22 and the Travers at Saratoga on Aug. 26 should be pivotal in defining a division leader.

Mon, 06/12/2023 - 12:25

Castellano's renaissance could lead to a tough decision

By David Grening

Barbara D. Livingston

With a win aboard Arcangelo in the Belmont Stakes, Javier Castellano won two of this year’s Triple Crown races.

ELMONT, N.Y. – In the coming months, Javier Castellano may have a difficult decision to make, whom to ride between Kentucky Derby winner Mage and Belmont Stakes winner Arcangelo, should they show up in the same race such as the Travers Stakes on Aug. 26 at Saratoga.

Two summers ago, a struggling Castellano had an even more difficult decision to make – continue riding or retire.

Sat, 06/10/2023 - 21:38

Final race on Belmont Stakes card marred by fatal injury

By David Grening

ELMONT, N.Y – Equine fatalities took a backseat to the air-quality index in the days leading up to the Belmont Stakes. Just when it looked like two sensational days of racing were going to be completed without incident, there was a fatality in the 13th and final race on Saturday’s Belmont Park program.

Sat, 06/10/2023 - 21:08

Belmont Stakes: Forte comes up short after challenging Triple Crown season

By Mike Welsch

Barbara D. Livingston

Trainer Todd Pletcher (right) leads Forte and jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. to the track for the Belmont Stakes.

ELMONT, N.Y. – From juvenile champion, to Florida Derby winner, to being scratched as the favorite on Kentucky Derby morning, the roller-coaster ride that Forte has been on during the opening half of his 3-year-old campaign didn’t quite end on the high note that trainer Todd Pletcher and his owners – Mike Repole and Vinnie Viola – had hoped for with his second-place finish in Saturday’s Belmont Stakes.

Fri, 06/09/2023 - 12:45

Rice ‘obviously very happy' with appellate court decision

By David Grening

Barbara D. Livingston

Linda Rice, NYRA's current leading trainer, will not have to serve her three-year suspension, after an Appellate Division of the New York Supreme Court threw out the case against her.

ELMONT, N.Y. – There may have been a little more pep in her step Friday morning, as trainer Linda Rice walked from her barn on the Belmont Park backstretch to the training track to oversee her horses’ preparations for upcoming races.

On Thursday, Rice received word that an Appellate Division of the New York Supreme Court recommended that a three-year suspension of her license handed down by the New York State Gaming Commission in May 2021 for “conduct detrimental to the best interests of racing” should be thrown out.

Fri, 06/09/2023 - 12:20

Patience helped get Arcangelo to Belmont Stakes

By David Grening

Barbara D. Livingston

Arcangelo was bought for just $35,000 by owner Jon Ebbert at the 2021 Keeneland yearling sale. Now the Arrogate colt stands a solid chance of winning the third jewel of the Triple Crown.

ELMONT, N.Y. – When owner Jon Ebbert bought a son of Arrogate at the 2021 Keeneland yearling sale, he said his vision was to have a horse for the 2024 Breeders’ Cup. How he would get there and would he even be good enough to get there were unknowns.

That son of Arrogate, now named Arcangelo, seems to have charted a different path for himself, Ebbert, and trainer Jena Antonucci. In his fourth career start – and his stakes debut – Arcangelo won the Grade 3 Peter Pan Stakes, a victory that literally helped pay his way to Saturday’s $1.5 million Belmont Stakes.

Fri, 06/09/2023 - 11:18

Kalik, Mission of Joy among 70 still eligible for King's Plate

By Ron Gierkink

Chelsea Durand

Kalik most recently took the Grade 2 Pennine Ridge Stakes at Belmont.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario -- Graded stakes winners Kalik and Mission of Joy, along with the reigning Canadian champion male 2-year-old Philip My Dear, are among the 70 Canadian-bred 3-year-olds that remain eligible for the $1 million King’s Plate following an interim payment due June 7.

Trained by Eclipse Award winner Chad Brown, Kalik burst into Plate contention June 3 with a front-running score in Grade 2 Pennine Ridge on the grass at Belmont, for which he got a 90 Beyer Speed Figure.

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