Tue, 08/28/2012 - 16:12

Del Mar: Executiveprivilege aimed high in Del Mar Debutante

Benoit & Associates
Executiveprivilege (outside), with Rafael Bejarano riding, follows up her victory in the Landaluce by winning the Sorrento.

DEL MAR, Calif. – Unbeaten and barely tested in three starts, Executiveprivilege will shoot for the richest and most significant win of her brief career on Saturday when she heads the field in the Grade 1, $300,000 Del Mar Debutante for 2-year-old fillies going seven furlongs.

Tue, 08/28/2012 - 15:55

Evangeline Downs cancels Wednesday card with Hurricane Isaac bearing down

Evangeline Downs in Opelousas, La., squarely in the projected path of Hurricane Isaac, has canceled Wednesday night’s racing program.

The 10-race card has been rescheduled for next Tuesday. The races will be redrawn Wednesday morning along with entries for next Wednesday. Racing is expected to resume this coming Thursday.

Tue, 08/28/2012 - 15:38

Saratoga: Friend Or Foe returning to Kimmel

Friend Or Foe, unraced since finishing fourth in the 2011 Whitney, is expected to rejoin trainer John Kimmel’s barn in Saratoga as he continues to attempt a comeback to the races.

Friend Or Foe, a dominant winner of the 2010 Empire Classic at Belmont Park, has been plagued by suspensory ligament issues and, more recently, foot issues, that have forced Kimmel to start and stop in his training.

Tue, 08/28/2012 - 15:36

Dutrow considering two for Woodward

Tom Keyser
Trickmeister is being considered for the Grade 1 Woodward Stakes on Saturday at Saratoga.

Trainer Richard Dutrow Jr. said he planned to enter Trickmeister and perhaps Isn’t He Perfect as well for Saturday’s Grade 1 Woodward, but may not decide the status of either until later in the week. Entries for the Woodward were to be drawn Wednesday.

Trickmeister pressed the early pace before tiring to finish fifth in the Grade 1 Whitney Handicap on Aug. 4. He also was third behind Mucho Macho Man in the Grade 2 Suburban Handicap earlier this summer at Belmont Park. Isn’t He Perfect is coming off a second-place effort behind San Pablo in an overnight stakes here Aug. 2.

Tue, 08/28/2012 - 15:34

Saratoga: Zagora sets her sights on Spinster

Tom Keyser
Zagora, winner of the Ballston Spa, is being considered for the Spinster Stakes at Keeneland on Oct. 7.

Zagora, who set a Saratoga inner-turf course record winning the Ballston Spa Stakes on Saturday, could make her next start in the Grade 1, $500,000 Spinster Stakes at Keeneland on Oct. 7.

Though Zagora has never raced on a synthetic surface, Brown said “keeping her at the right distance at this stage of her career” is important. Brown believes 1 1/16 miles to 1 1/8 miles “is her best trip.”

Tue, 08/28/2012 - 15:31

Saratoga: Highly touted Archwarrior set for debut

Barbara D. Livingston
Archwarrior will make his first start Thursday at Saratoga.

Through the first 34 days of the meet, trainer Todd Pletcher has won 20 races for 2-year-olds, 19 maiden events and the Grade 2 Adirondack with Kauai Katie.

Supposedly, the best one hasn’t run yet.

Tue, 08/28/2012 - 15:17

Saratoga: Halls agree to let Breen add new owners

Barbara D. Livingston
Trainer Kelly Breen (right) leads Bern Identity on the track at Saratoga.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Though he will still be the private trainer for George and Lori Hall, trainer Kelly Breen will be permitted to take on outside clients, both George Hall and Breen said this week.

The Halls and Breen teamed to win last year’s Belmont Stakes with Ruler On Ice and also have won stakes with Pants On Fire, West Side Bernie, Sweet Ducky, Bickersons, and Bold Union. Most recently, the Halls and Breen won the Grade 2 Sanford Stakes at Saratoga with Bern Identity, who is scheduled to make his next start in Monday’s Grade 2, $300,000 Hopeful Stakes.

Tue, 08/28/2012 - 14:31

Del Mar: Red Sun returns after year layoff in money allowance

Adam Coglianese/NYRA
Grassy will make his first start since November and first since being privately purchased and transferred to trainer Marty Jones on Thursday at Del Mar.

DEL MAR, Calif. – Red Sun doesn’t come out often, but when he does, he usually makes the most of it. Now 6, the gelding has won five times in eight starts during a career that began way back in January 2009, but has been interrupted twice by layoffs of more than one year.

Red Sun returns to action Thursday at Del Mar, in the featured eighth race, and will be competing for the first time in 53 weeks. His trainer, Carla Gaines, cautions that he may be a work away from being completely fit, but Red Sun has a history of running well fresh, so he can fire despite the layoff.

Tue, 08/28/2012 - 14:21

Saratoga: Joha going long in With Anticipation Stakes

Michael Burns
Joha, winner of the Colin Stakes at Woodbine, will stretch out to 1 1/16 miles on turf in the Grade 2 With Anticipation Stakes.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Even though Joha was successful running in sprints, trainer Mike Maker always believed the horse’s true talent would come through when he got to run long.

Thursday, Joha gets that opportunity when he heads a full field in the Grade 2, $200,000 With Anticipation Stakes at Saratoga. The With Anticipation, scheduled for 1 1/16 miles over the Mellon turf course, drew an overflow field of 13 plus three horses entered in case the race is moved to the main track. Despite rain here Tuesday morning, the forecast calls for dry conditions Thursday and beyond.

Tue, 08/28/2012 - 14:21

Saratoga: Csaba gets his spot in Equalize

Coady Photography
Csaba’s two previous turf starts have come in stakes, one a third-place finish in a Grade 3.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.– A little over a week ago, trainer Phil Gleaves was toying with the idea of running Csaba in the Travers. Instead, Gleaves has found a much more suitable spot for his top 3-year-old, Thursday’s $100,000 Equalize at one mile over Saratoga’s inner turf course.

While Csaba would had started as a 30-1 outsider in the Travers, he’s likely to find himself the second choice in the wagering for the Equalize behind only Finale, the favorite in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf. Finale, a two time stakes winner, will be making his 3-year-old debut on Thursday.