Wed, 08/02/2023 - 14:05

Former jockey and trainer Griffith dies at 58

ETOBICOKE, Ontario — Ricky Griffith, a former jockey and trainer in Ontario, died Aug. 1 at age 58 after a long battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.

“He went peacefully in his sleep, at home with his family,” said trainer Ted Holder, a life-long friend of Griffith’s.

A native of Barbados, Griffith rode in Ontario from 1985 to 1998 and won 494 races during that time. He won nine stakes, including the 1992 Shady Well on Sermon Time and the 1995 Cup and Saucer aboard Crown Attorney.

Wed, 08/02/2023 - 14:05

Charge It gets another chance to join the elite in Whitney

By David Grening

Barbara D. Livingston

Charge It, training last Saturday at Saratoga, comes off a rebound effort in the Suburban Stakes at Belmont. He is pegged at 5-1 for Saturday’s Whitney Stakes.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – When Charge It won the Grade 3 Dwyer Stakes by 23 lengths last summer, there was a belief he could find his way into the mix for divisional honors in the 3-year-old division.

It never happened.

A foot abscess forced him to miss the Travers Stakes and prompted his connections to shut him down for the remainder of the year.

When Charge It won an allowance race at Gulfstream Park to kick off his 4-year-old season, there was a belief it was the start of him becoming a force in the older male dirt division.

It hasn’t happened yet.

Wed, 08/02/2023 - 11:57

Oaklawn total purses increased 20 percent, will average $900K per card

By Mary Rampellini

Coady Photography

Purses for the 2023-2024 Oaklawn Park meet are expected to total $60 million, up from $50 million last season.

Purses are set to average a record $900,000 a card during the Oaklawn Park meet that opens Dec. 8, the Hot Springs, Ark., track announced Wednesday. The 66-date meet will run through May 4.

The new level puts the value of maiden special weight races at $115,000 after being worth $90,000, and first-level allowances at $140,000 after being worth $105,000. The allowance categories will go up in value to $145,000, while the minimum purse will be $30,000.

Tue, 08/01/2023 - 18:30

Turf Paradise unlikely to begin meet in final quarter of 2023

By Matt Hegarty

Coady Photography

Turf Paradise, which is in the process of being sold, traditionally races from early November to early May. Management does not anticipate holding any live racing until at least the end of this year.

Turf Paradise in Phoenix does not anticipate running any live race dates in the final quarter of 2023, according to track officials.

The track announced on Tuesday that Turf would not open on the first weekend of November, as has been traditional over the past several decades, and Vince Francia, the track’s longtime general manager, said in an interview after the release was issued that it was extremely unlikely the track would hold live dates before the end of the year.

Tue, 08/01/2023 - 16:02

West Virginia Derby has full gate topped by N.Y. stakes winners Raise Cain, Lord Miles

By Mary Rampellini

Barbara D. Livingston

Longshot Wood Memorial winner Lord Miles will start from post 2 under rider Arnaldo Bocachica in Sunday's Grade 3, $500,000 West Virginia Derby.

Raise Cain and Lord Miles, who each won a Kentucky Derby prep at Aqueduct, were among an overflow field of 14 horses entered Tuesday in the Grade 3, $500,000 West Virginia Derby. The 1 1/8-mile race will be run Sunday night at Mountaineer Park.

The maximum gate for the field is 12, leaving Russian Hammer and Knockout Guy as also-eligibles.

Tue, 08/01/2023 - 11:50

West Will Power retired following workout injury

By David Grening

Barbara D. Livingston

West Will Power, a son of Bernardini, won seven of 17 starts and earned more than $1.7 million.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - West Will Power, winner of the Grade 1 Stephen Foster at Churchill Downs, has been retired from racing due to a soft tissue injury, trainer Brad Cox said in a text message Tuesday.

West Will Power had been under consideration for Saturday’s Grade 1, $1 million Whitney Stakes. West Will Power was diagnosed with the injury after he worked five furlongs in 1:02.24 over the Oklahoma training track on Saturday.

Mon, 07/31/2023 - 15:10

Mott now stressing quality over quantity at Saratoga

By David Grening

Barbara D. Livingston

Bill Mott instructs the riders of Elite Power (left) and Cody’s Wish before going out to the track in June at Belmont Park. Both horses have been multiple Grade 1 winners for the trainer.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Bill Mott used to be obsessed with being leading trainer. While, he’s still obsessed with winning, it’s now all about winning the right races, not the most races.

Mott again demonstrated his prowess for winning the right races this weekend at Saratoga when he captured Saturday’s Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt with Elite Power and then came back 24 hours later to win the Grade 2 Bowling Green with the 9-year-old Channel Maker.

Mott has won six races at the meet, four have been stakes.

Mon, 07/31/2023 - 14:05

Hernandez to serve three days, will ride in graded stakes

By Steve Andersen

Benoit Photo

Jockey Juan Hernandez will miss most of the racing at Del Mar next weekend, as he serves a suspension for a riding infraction but will be able to ride the two graded stakes that weekend.

Juan Hernandez, the leading rider at the Santa Anita winter-spring meeting earlier this year, will miss most of three days of racing at Del Mar to serve a suspension for a recent riding infraction.

Hernandez is suspended on Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 10, for his ride on Wide West in the Daisycutter Handicap for turf sprinters last Friday. Hernandez was cited for altering course without sufficient clearance in the stretch. Wide West was disqualified from sixth and placed seventh.

Mon, 07/31/2023 - 14:00

Heartland likely for Del Mar Futurity of maiden score

By Steve Andersen

After a troubled start, the well-regarded 2-year-old Heartland seemed hopelessly beaten in a maiden race at 5 1/2 furlongs at Del Mar on Saturday.

Then came the stretch run. Racing on the rail in a field of six, Heartland closed with a flashy rally under jockey Juan Hernandez to win by two lengths in what is likely to be a prep for the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity at seven furlongs Sept. 10.

“He dug in,” trainer Bob Baffert said on Sunday. “He got a lot of experience from that. We’re happy with him.”

Mon, 07/31/2023 - 13:45

D'Amato splitting up Read top-four for next starts

By Steve Andersen

Benoit Photo

Gold Phoenix won Sunday's Grade 2 Eddie Read Stakes at Del Mar over his three other stablemates for trainer Phil D'Amato.

Trainer Phil D’Amato’s turf heavy stable delivered a career milestone Sunday, sweeping the top four positions in the Grade 2 Eddie Read Stakes at Del Mar with Gold Phoenix, Balnikhov, Masteroffoxhounds, and Count Again.

“That was a fun day to see all four of your horses perform well and be competitive from the eighth pole to the wire,” D’Amato reflected on Monday. “It was a great experience and something I won’t forget.”

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