Tue, 05/30/2023 - 12:35

White Abarrio works five furlongs ahead of Met Mile

Barbara D. Livingston
White Abarrio, now trained by Richard Dutrow Jr., will make his next start in the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap.

ELMONT, N.Y. – White Abarrio stepped up his preparations for the Grade 1, $1 million Metropolitan Handicap on June 10 by working a strong five furlongs in 59.31 seconds on Tuesday over the Belmont Park main track.

Tue, 05/30/2023 - 11:44

Belmont Stakes: National Treasure shows plenty of energy in return to work tab

Barbara D. Livingston
Preakness winner National Treasure (right) worked a half-mile in 50.85 seconds on Tuesday at Belmont Park.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Ten days after a narrow victory in the Preakness Stakes, National Treasure is acting like a fresh, energetic horse. John Velazquez, his jockey, would prefer to conserve some of that energy for the $1.5 million Belmont Stakes on June 10.

Tuesday morning, National Treasure, with Velazquez up, returned to the work tab, going a half-mile in 50.85 seconds over the Belmont main track, per Daily Racing Form clocker Mike Welsch.

Tue, 05/30/2023 - 11:20

Caravel opts for Jaipur Stakes instead of Royal Ascot

Debra A. Roma
Caravel, winner of the Unbridled Sidney Stakes on May 5 at Churchill Downs, will make her next start in the Jaipur Stakes at Belmont Park.

Caravel will forgo a trip to Royal Ascot and instead make her next start in the Grade 1, $400,000 Jaipur Stakes on June 10 at Belmont Park, trainer Brad Cox said Tuesday.

Cox said the logistics of shipping to and from England were not ideal and, after consulting with his owners, Qatar Racing, Marc Detampel, and Sol Kumin of Madaket Stables, the decision was made to skip the Group 1 King’s Stand, a five-furlong race on June 20 at Ascot.

Mon, 05/29/2023 - 13:10

Slow Down Andy training toward Metropolitan Mile

Slow Down Andy, on his way to a third-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile in November, worked six furlongs in 1:12.40 under jockey Mario Gutierrez on Sunday at Santa Anita.
Deb Roma
Slow Down Andy, on his way to a third-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile in November, worked six furlongs in 1:12.40 under jockey Mario Gutierrez on Sunday at Santa Anita.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Slow Down Andy, a three-time graded stakes winner who was third in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Keeneland last November in his last start, is nearing his 2023 debut in an equally prestigious race.

Trainer Doug O’Neill said on Monday that Slow Down Andy is on schedule for a start in the Grade 1 Metropolitan Mile Handicap, a $1 million race at Belmont Park on June 10.

Mon, 05/29/2023 - 13:10

Plans for Brickyard Ride up in the air after pop-and-stop in Thor's Echo

The Chosen Vron draws away in the Thor's Echo Stakes on Sunday at Santa Anita. Brickyard Ride, along the rail, was dueled into defeat and faded to third in the four-horse field.
Benoit Photo
The Chosen Vron draws away in the Thor's Echo Stakes on Sunday at Santa Anita. Brickyard Ride, along the rail, was dueled into defeat and faded to third in the four-horse field.

Trainer Craig Lewis said he’s unsure where the eight-time stakes winner Brickyard Ride will reappear after his third-place finish in Sunday’s Thor’s Echo Stakes for statebred sprinters at Santa Anita.

Brickyard Ride finished 12 1/4 lengths behind winner The Chosen Vron in the four-runner Thor’s Echo Stakes. He disputed the pace for the first half-mile before tamely fading from contention on the rail.

“It wasn’t his day,” Lewis said.

Mon, 05/29/2023 - 12:40

The unbeaten Ceiling Crusher has Fleet Treat, Cotillion on schedule

Ceiling Crusher cruises to a 17-length victory in the Melair Stakes on Sunday at Santa Anita.
Benoit Photo
Ceiling Crusher cruises to a 17-length victory in the Melair Stakes on Sunday at Santa Anita.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Ceiling Crusher, the unbeaten winner of two stakes for California-bred 3-year-old fillies by a combined 32 1/2 lengths this year, will remain in the statebred division when the Del Mar summer meeting begins in July.

Ceiling Crusher will be an overwhelming favorite to win her fifth start if she runs as expected in the $175,000 Fleet Treat Stakes for statebred fillies at seven furlongs on July 27.

Mon, 05/29/2023 - 12:40

Veteran stakes winner Battle Station injured, euthanized

ELMONT, N.Y. – The New York-bred 8-year-old gelding Battle Station, a three-time stakes winner, suffered multiple injuries to his left hind leg at the end of a workout Sunday morning over Belmont Park’s main track and had to be euthanized, according to trainer Domenick Schettino and his veterinarian.

Approaching the wire, jockey Dylan Davis had to pull up Battle Station abruptly. The horse was placed on an equine ambulance and was later taken to the Ruffian Clinic across the street from Belmont Park. Unfortunately, the injuries were too severe for Battle Station to be saved.

Mon, 05/29/2023 - 12:30

Bad Beat Brian, Just Might reach milestones in same race

Just Might, winning the Mighty Beau Stakes at Churchill Downs last summer, went over $1 million in earnings on Friday.
Coady Photography
Just Might, winning the Mighty Beau Stakes at Churchill Downs last summer, went over $1 million in earnings on Friday.

Bad Beat Brian set a course record and Just Might became racing’s newest millionaire in an allowance-level turf sprint last Friday at Churchill Downs.

Bad Beat Brian, a 6-year-old gelding, won by 1 1/4 lengths while completing the 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:01.53. The gelding was second by a head to Caravel in the Grade 2 Shakertown at Keeneland, and then finished sixth in the Grade 2 Twin Spires Turf Sprint on the Kentucky Derby undercard.

Mon, 05/29/2023 - 12:30

Churchill continues to seek answers as two more horses euthanized last week

Barbara D. Livingston
Twelve horses have died at Churchill Downs since it opened for training on March 30.

Churchill Downs, troubled by a spate of equine fatalities this spring, had horses injured on the track and subsequently euthanized last Friday and Saturday. Tests will be performed on the track this week, and an emergency veterinary panel will be convened at the track by the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority.

Mon, 05/29/2023 - 12:20

Allowance races featured Thursday and Friday, with six stakes on Saturday

Howling Time makes his first start of the year on Thursday over a Churchill Downs track he is proven to love.
Emily Shields
Howling Time makes his first start of the year on Thursday over a Churchill Downs track he is proven to love.

As it prepares for a big card with six stakes on Saturday – dubbed Stephen Foster Preview Day – Churchill Downs sets the table with Thursday and Friday cards featuring allowance-level events.

Howling Time, who hinted at strong ability against tough competition in the 3-year-old class last year, makes his first start of the year in Thursday’s seventh race, a 6 1/2-furlong allowance-optional claiming race with a purse of $141,000.