The field for the Grade 2, $500,000 Super Derby at Louisiana Downs on Saturday is starting to take shape, with officials looking for a least nine starters, including a number of shippers from Southern California and Kentucky.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – You might say that September is the coolest month for trainer Ashlee Brnjas.
She has recorded both her stakes wins that month, including the $125,000 Vice Regent here Sunday. Seen It All Before rallied to score by 1 1/2 lengths under Luis Contreras in the one-mile turf race for Ontario-sired 3-year-olds.
“He’s such an awesome little horse,” said Brnjas, who trains the homebred Seen It All Before for the Colebrook Farm of her father, John Brnjas. “He’s so pleasant and fun to have in the barn. He’s a horse who tries and tries and tries.”
Bigger purses, more stakes, and the continuation of an exotic wager experiment that proved highly successful last spring are among the noteworthy changes as Laurel Park launches its 69-day fall meet on Wednesday.
A year ago, Laurel’s daily overnight purses averaged $185,000 and 27 stakes were worth $2.3 million. Thanks to an influx of revenue from slot machines in Maryland, Laurel’s overnight purses will now average $240,000. The fall meet contains 34 stakes worth a cumulative $3.6 million.
DEL MAR, Calif. – The comeback of the graded stakes winner Reneesgotzip begins in Wednesday’s $85,000 CERF Stakes at Del Mar, the first start of an ambitious late-season campaign.
Trainer Peter Miller has the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Santa Anita on Nov. 2 as a goal for Reneesgotzip, who has time for two races before that autumn goal.
[Complete coverage of racing at Del Mar: News, PPs, and video]
Yearling sales stakes recap
By Ron Gierkink
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Reigning Canadian champion 3-year-old Pender Harbour's picture is on the cover of this year's Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society's yearling sale catalog, so it was only fitting that he won the first of six stakes for graduates of the sale on Monday at Woodbine.
Pender Harbour ($2.50) took control on the backstretch in the $125,000 Elgin, and never looked back, scoring by 5 3/4 lengths over last year's Elgin winner, Medidocihospisurg. Opening Meet was third in the five-horse field.
Jockey Julien Couton is riding high at Golden Gate Fields. He is second in the jockey standings, trailing Russell Baze by one win, 14-13 going into Monday’s holiday card.
Couton, 31, has been climbing higher in the standings throughout the summer. He was eighth at Pleasanton, tied for fifth at Sacramento and then finished third at Santa Rosa.
Couton said his new agent Ron Freitas has brought him some new clients, and that he has picked up mounts with the absence of Aaron Gryder and Juan Hernandez at the meet.
DEL MAR, Calif. – Shining Copper’s summer has been geared toward Wednesday’s $100,000 Oak Tree Juvenile Turf at Del Mar.
The colt has started on turf in both his starts, showing significant improvement from a second in a maiden race over six furlongs at Betfair Hollywood Park on July 12 to a win against maidens over a mile on turf here on Aug. 15.
David Flores was aboard for both races, and has the mount on Wednesday.
“He showed a lot of talent first time,” Flores said. “The race here was a perfect race. I’m hoping that he can show more.”
DEL MAR - Bill Baffert Sr., the father of Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, died on Monday at his home in Nogales, Ariz. He was 88.
Nicknamed “The Chief,” Bill Baffert was the mentor for his son as a trainer, and was the inspiration for his son’s witty brand of humor.
“Very sad day,” Baffert said in a text.
During a recent visit late last month, Baffert said his father retained his sense of humor, even in declining health.
DEL MAR, Calif. - Trainer Julio Canani has won the Breeders’ Cup Mile twice, and he may take aim at the race again on Nov. 3 at Santa Anita with My Best Brother, who gave Canani a record fifth win in the Del Mar Derby on Sunday.
Canani’s previous Del Mar Derby winners were Blackdoun (2004), Val Royal (1999), Ladies Din (1998), and Silver Circus (1988). Val Royal won the BC Mile in 2001 at Belmont Park. Canani also won the BC Mile with Silic in 1999 at Gulfstream.
DEL MAR, Calif. – He’s as goofy as ever, with his fractured English, cheeky jokes, and oftentimes indecipherable accent, but Julio Canani can still flat-out train. He won the Del Mar Derby for the fifth time on Sunday as My Best Brother led from start to finish in the Grade 2, $300,000 turf event, erasing a bitter setback last time out in the La Jolla Handicap.
“The jockey fall asleep the other day,” Canani said, referring to jockey Martin Garcia.
[Complete coverage of racing at Del Mar: News, PPs, and video]
