Wed, 10/10/2012 - 16:41

California Cup: Rousing Sermon back home against statebreds

Barbara D. Livingston
Rousing Sermon will be looking for his first win of the year in Saturday's California Cup.

ARCADIA, Calif. – After three trips for major stakes in the East and Midwest, including an eighth in the Kentucky Derby, Rousing Sermon returns to the site of his biggest win for Saturday’s $175,000 California Cup Classic at Santa Anita.

Rousing Sermon is looking for his first win of the year and first since the 2011 Cal Cup Juvenile.

“He’s been consistent,” trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said. “He hasn’t won, but we’ve run him in some pretty tough spots.”

Owned by Larry and Marianne Williams, Rousing Sermon is a winner of 2 of 13 starts and $477,000.

Wed, 10/10/2012 - 16:38

Calder: Joshua's Comprise has been pointing for the In Reality Stakes

MIAMI – Joshua’s Comprise has kept a busy schedule since launching his career on April 22 and will have won just once in 11 starts entering Saturday’s In Reality Stakes. But the stretch-running homebred still figures to be among the favorites when he faces nine other 2-year-old colts and geldings in the final leg of the open division of the 2012 Florida Stallion Stakes.

Wed, 10/10/2012 - 16:37

Belmont: Jacobson has stakes weapons no matter what the surface

Tom Keyser
Upgrade won the Grade 3 Jaipur going seven furlongs over firm Belmont turf in June.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Regardless over what surface Friday’s $80,000 Rob ‘n Gin Stakes is run, trainer David Jacobson will have a solid chance to win.

If the Rob ‘n Gin is run at seven furlongs over Belmont Park’s Widener turf course as scheduled, Jacobson will be live with Boots Ahead. If, because of persistent rains that finally subsided Wednesday morning, the race is moved to the dirt at seven furlongs, Jacobson has the uncoupled entry of Saginaw and Fiddlers Afleet to run.

Wed, 10/10/2012 - 16:35

Woodbine: International cast touches down

Michael Burns
Reliable Man was kept out of the Arc de Triomphe because of very soft turf conditions in Paris.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – All of the European shippers are in the house for the three Grade 1 turf stakes here Sunday, Canadian International Day.

Reliable Man, trained by Alain de Royer-Dupre, checked in from France late Tuesday afternoon for the $1.5 million Canadian International, a 1 1/2-mile race for 3-year-olds and upward.

[CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL DAY: Get PPs, watch Sunday's full card live]

Wed, 10/10/2012 - 16:04

Keeneland notes: Debut of Hansen's half-brother delayed by injury

LEXINGTON, Ky. – A 2-year-old half-brother to the champion colt Hansen is scheduled to make his career debut Friday in the sixth race at Keeneland, but a recent minor injury most likely is going to lead to a scratch, according to the colt’s connections.

Gunderson, by Corinthian out of the mare Stormy Sunday, had a “little bit of filling” in his right front ankle Wednesday morning and thus would be delayed in making his first start, said Kendall Hansen, who bred and owns the bay colt.

Wed, 10/10/2012 - 16:03

Woodbine: Canadian International prospect Wigmore Hall accustomed to frequent flying

Michael Burns
Wigmore Hall gets in some early morning training time at Woodbine on Tuesday.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario — Wigmore Hall, who checked in following a flight from Amsterdam last Saturday for the Grade 1, $1.5 million Canadian International, certainly is no stranger to transatlantic travel.

Less than one month ago, Wigmore Hall won the Grade 1 Northern Dancer here a Woodbine over 1 1/2 miles of turf and then returned to his home base.

Just three weeks prior to that, Wigmore Hall had booked a return flight to Arlington and finished fourth in the Grade 1, 1 1/4-mile Arlington Million.

Wed, 10/10/2012 - 15:53

Woodbine: Fun in D’ Sun out to repeat turf success

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Fun in D’ Sun will try to double up on the grass Friday at Woodbine in the featured second race, a seven-furlong allowance for 2-year-old fillies.

Fun in D’ Sun commenced her career with four straight runner-up placings, all under Omar Moreno. In her first two races, she was beaten four lengths in a pair of maiden special dashes on the Polytrack, including to future stakes winner Tara From the Cape.

Wed, 10/10/2012 - 15:39

Northlands: Indian Love at the right level to succeed

Indian Love looks like the one to beat in a $10,000 claiming race that will serve as Friday’s feature at Northlands Park. The 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-olds and up headlines a 10-race card that leads into the final weekend of the 2012 meet that ends Saturday.

Wed, 10/10/2012 - 15:26

Keeneland: Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup marks rubber match between Centre Court, Stephanie's Kitten

Tom Keyser
Centre Court, winning the Lake George Stakes, has split two decisions with Stephanie's Kitten so far this season.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – After Centre Court won the Regret Stakes at Churchill Downs in June, trainer Rusty Arnold said he was instructed by the filly’s owner-breeder, G. Watts Humphrey Jr., to plot a course that would have her running four months later in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland.

“I think I’ve gotten her here in exceptionally good shape,” said Arnold, quickly adding: “Problem is, I think a few others came up with the same plan.”

Wed, 10/10/2012 - 13:54

Keeneland: Madame Giry sticks to what she does best in Franklin County

Alyssa Spakowski/EQUI-PHOTO
Inspired comes into Friday's Franklin County Stakes off a win in the Turf Amazon Handicap at Parx last month.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Cam Gambolati has never won a race at Keeneland, let alone a stakes race. Oh, he has had a winner in Kentucky, mind you, but his experience at Keeneland has been limited.

“I got beat a head in a little turf stakes quite a few years back,” Gambolati recalled. “I’ve only run a handful of horses there.”