Nebraska has a long history in racing, but it has been on a downhill slide since the state’s flagship track, Ak-Sar-Ben, closed in 1995. It has been close to two decades since Nebraska last produced a horse capable of making a splash outside its borders. But that could change Sunday, when Diamond Joe seeks his 10th consecutive win in the $400,000 Oklahoma Derby at Remington Park.
ELMONT, N.Y. – In steeplechase races, anything can happen and usually does, so five horses beaten by Demonstrative in the Turf Writers Cup are back for another try in Thursday’s $150,000 Lonesome Glory Stakes.
The 2 1/2-mile Grade 1 Lonesome Glory completes a jump-up daily double with the William Entenmann Memorial, which leads off a 10-race program.
Belmont Park is the first stop for a fall steeplechase season that culminates with the Colonial Cup at Camden, S.C., on Nov. 17.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Halo Dolly and City to City were separated by 1 1/4 lengths when they finished first and second in the Grade 2 Yellow Ribbon Stakes at Del Mar earlier this month. This Saturday, they will be a nation apart.
With both fillies in outstanding form, trainer Jerry Hollendorfer is starting Halo Dolly and City to City in major stakes at Belmont Park and Santa Anita.
Trainer Keith Nations wasn’t surprised when Cougarstown went off as the second-longest shot in the field of nine fillies and mares in the Harvest Stakes at the San Joaquin Fair in Stockton.
But he was as pleasantly surprised as those who cashed $38.60 mutuel tickets when Cougarstown, a 4-year-old Speightstown filly, won the race, covering six furlongs in 1:08.81 while beating Blendara by three-quarters of a length.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Trainer Todd Pletcher spent the majority of Monday morning at Belmont Park sending out platoons of juveniles for workouts for upcoming stakes events.
Shanghai Bobby, the leader of the East Coast’s 2-year-old division, worked four furlongs in 49.50 seconds in company with the maiden winner Tizracer. They went together through a quarter in 25.48 and got their final quarter in 24.02 while galloping out five furlongs in 1:02.01.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Trainer Bill Mott wouldn’t declare Woodward winner To Honor and Serve as a definite starter for Saturday’s Grade 2, $400,000 Kelso Handicap, but the horse gave every indication he would like to run in the one-turn mile race when he worked a strong half-mile in 47.15, the fastest half-mile move of the morning.
To Honor and Serve, with exercise rider Rodolphe Brisset up, went his first quarter in 24.18 and his final quarter in 22.97.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Point of Entry tuned up for Saturday’s Grade 1, $600,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic, with a sharp half-mile workout in 50.22 seconds Sunday morning over a good Belmont inner turf course.
After going off slowly, Point of Entry zipped home a final quarter in 22.50 as a another horse not connected with his stable had broken off about a dozen lengths in front.
ELMONT, N.Y. – After watching Royal Delta put together a string of lightning-fast workouts, trainer Bill Mott was hoping to slow down his champion filly Monday morning.
Mission accomplished. Sort of.
With exercise rider Rodolphe Brisset maintaining a strong hold of the reins, Royal Delta still zipped four furlongs in 47.58 seconds Monday morning over Belmont Park’s main track in preparation for a start in Saturday’s Grade 1, $400,000 Beldame Invitational.
Willy Beamin, who has won his last six starts including the Grade 1 King’s Bishop at Saratoga, was one of four horses who flew into Oklahoma City just after noon Monday to be part of the field for the $400,000 Oklahoma Derby. The 1 1/8-mile race will be run Sunday at Remington Park.
