If Mother Nature cooperates – and that’s a big “if” these days – nine fillies and mares will clash in Saturday’s $150,000 Long Island Handicap, scheduled for 1 1/2 miles on turf.
The 56th running of the Grade 3 Long Island is the last graded turf stakes of the year in New York. It is the eighth of nine races and part of a late pick four with a $250,000 guaranteed pool.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Maritimer, who was Canada’s champion male 2-year-old of 2011, returns as an unknown quantity for Saturday’s Grade 2, $150,000 Autumn Stakes at 1 1/16 miles.
Bred in Ontario by Howard Walton, Maritimer had been sold privately following the conclusion of his first campaign, capped by an emphatic victory here in the 1 1/16-mile Display that yielded a Beyer Speed Figure of 91.
Amerigo Vespucci, unbeaten in two starts, may have to run much faster than he has so far in order to outperform impressive debut winner Whiskey Romeo in Saturday’s $125,000 James Lewis III Stakes for 2-year-olds at Laurel Park.
The locally based Amerigo Vespucci, trained by Tim Tullock, has essentially paired up his Beyer Speed Figures by coming from off the pace to win his career debut going six furlongs with a 65 Beyer and then coming back 2 1/2 weeks later to rally to a 2 1/4-length victory in a first-level optional $40,000 claimer at seven furlongs with a 67 Beyer.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Five Kentucky-based winners at the Breeders’ Cup last weekend at Santa Anita will be paraded before the home crowd Sunday at Churchill Downs.
Wise Dan, Fort Larned, Groupie Doll, Little Mike, and Tapizar will be led over from the barn area after the seventh race. They will come to the paddock with the horses for the eighth race, which is scheduled for 4:06 p.m. Eastern, and remain there during the subsequent post parade and running of the race. The connections of all five horses also will be recognized during the brief ceremony.
Live racing has been canceled at Aqueduct for Thursday as a result of Wednesday's nor’easter that left behind several inches of wet snow.
Aqueduct and the Belmont Café will remain open for simulcasting, and Telebet and Internet wagering will be available. Live racing is scheduled to resume Friday.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - California Flag, the winner of the 2009 BC Turf Sprint at Santa Anita, but only 13th behind Mizdirection on Saturday, has been retired, trainer Brian Koriner said.
An 8-year-old gelding owned by Barbara Card, E-Racing.com, Kevin Jacobson, and John Fradkin, California Flag ended his career with 11 wins in 27 starts and earnings of $1,288,825.
“He’ll go home in a couple of days,” Koriner said. “It was a good run.”
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - The Matriarch Stakes has not been completely ruled out for Mizdirection, the winner of the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Santa Anita last Saturday.
Trainer Mike Puype said Mizdirection is likely to make her next start in the Monrovia Stakes, a race she won earlier this year, at 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita in late December or early January. The stakes schedule for Santa Anita’s winter-spring meeting has not been published.
Puype said that Mizdirection is likely to start in a one-mile race next year.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Rhythm of Light won her U.S. debut in the Grade 2 Goldikova Stakes at Santa Anita last Sunday, but is unlikely to start again this year, trainer Simon Callaghan said on Wednesday.
After the race, Rhythm of Light was mentioned as a possible starter for the $250,000 Matriarch Stakes at Betfair Hollywood Park on Nov. 25, a Grade 1 turf race over a mile for fillies and mares. Callaghan said she is likely to be rested until early 2013 instead.
Overdriven, sidelined by various issues since two highly promising victories as a 2-year-old, returns for Repole Stable and Todd Pletcher at Aqueduct on Friday in the Mr. Nasty overnight stakes at seven furlongs.
Seven 3-year-olds entered the $75,000 race, which is carded as race 3. Overdriven drew on the outside with John Velazquez, who was aboard for both of the colt’s blowout wins in July of last year – a debut at Belmont Park that earned a 100 Beyer Speed Figure, followed by a four-length triumph in the Grade 2 Sanford Stakes.
