Thu, 06/29/2023 - 16:36

Jockey Deshawn Parker injured in pre-race accident

Coady Photography
Jockey Deshawn Parker pelvis was fractured in four places on Tuesday at Horseshoe Indianapolis.

Veteran jockey Deshawn Parker sustained serious injuries in a pre-race accident Tuesday at Horseshoe Indianapolis.

Parker’s pelvis was fractured in four places, his tailbone broken in two places when his mount in the eighth race on Tuesday, Dabney, spooked, reared, flipped, and landed on Parker. Parker’s agent, Jimmy McInerney, said the filly landed on Parker, rolled back across him, and then stepped on Parker as she got to her feet.

Thu, 06/29/2023 - 15:31

Trainer Jackson retires after 33 years

California owner and breeder Ellen Jackson retired from training this week and is downsizing her breeding operation in Northern California.

Jackson, 68, said on Wednesday that she has turned over her 16-horse racing stable to longtime assistant Alberto Ruvalcaba, who will have his first two runners at the Alameda County Fair in Pleasanton, Calif., on Saturday.

“He’s been my assistant trainer for so many years,” Jackson said. “I handed everything over to him.”

Thu, 06/29/2023 - 15:25

Wizard of Westwood possible for Belmont Derby

Benoit Photo
Following a victory in the Cinema Stakes at Santa Anita, Wizard of Westwood has received and invitation to the Grade 1 Belmont Derby on July 8.

Wizard of Westwood, the winner of the Cinema Stakes at Santa Anita on June 11, has been invited to the Grade 1 Belmont Derby at Belmont Park on July 8, pending a workout this weekend, trainer Michael McCarthy said.

Owned by Andrew and Rania Warren, Wizard of Westwood won the Cinema Stakes for 3-year-olds at 1 1/4 miles on turf for his second win in five starts and first stakes win. Wizard of Westwood was second or third in three consecutive stakes for 3-year-olds on turf at Santa Anita from early March to early May.

Wed, 06/28/2023 - 13:51

Tonal Impact heads to Suburban

Coady Photography
The Lina Rice-trained Tonal Impact was nominated for Saturday's Grade 2 John Nerud Stakes but Rice has opted to run her 5-year-old in the Grade 3 Suburban Stakes instead.

Tonal Impact, coming off two high-figured allowance wins, will make his next start in the Grade 2, $350,000 Suburban Stakes here July 8, trainer Linda Rice said Wednesday.

Tonal Impact was nominated to this Saturday’s Grade 2, $250,000 John Nerud Stakes going seven furlongs, but Rice wants to give the 5-year-old gelding a try at the 1 1/4-mile Suburban. Two starts back, Tonal Impact won a second-level allowance going 1 1/8 miles before coming back 18 days later to win a third-level allowance going a one-turn mile. He earned a 99 Beyer Speed Figure for the last win.

Wed, 06/28/2023 - 13:50

Joey Freshwater takes aim at Dwyer

Debra A. Roma
Since being claimed by trainer Linda Rice in November, Joey Freshwater has proved to be talented and will start in Saturday's Grade 3 Dwyer Stakes at Belmont.

Joey Freshwater likely won’t be favored, but he’ll be the only stakes winner in a field of six entered Wednesday for Saturday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Dwyer Stakes for 3-year-olds scheduled for one mile.

Claimed for $50,000 on Nov. 27 by trainer Linda Rice, Joey Freshwater this year won the Grade 3 Bay Shore on April 8 at Aqueduct. After a third to Drew’s Gold in the Gold Fever, Joey Freshwater ran in the Paradise Creek on turf where he finished a well-beaten fifth.

Wed, 06/28/2023 - 13:45

Little Vic will look to rebound in John Nerud Stakes

Debra A. Roma
Little Vic is set to start in Saturday's Grade 2 John Nerud Stakes at Belmont, following a last place finish in the Grade 1 Carter, in which he bled.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Little Vic, who bled when finishing last in the Grade 1 Carter on April 8 at Aqueduct, will return to the races in Saturday’s Grade 2, $250,000 John Nerud Stakes at Belmont Park.

Little Vic brought excellent form into the Carter where his connections were confident he was going to run a big race, but the horse was pressing a half-mile in 44.84 seconds before retreating.

“He surprised me that he bled,” trainer Juan Carlos Avila said. “Maybe the 44-second half-mile was too much for Little Vic.”

Wed, 06/28/2023 - 11:52

Keeneland fall stakes worth a record $9.05 million

Keeneland/Coady Photography
Keeneland's front-loaded stakes schedule is headed by the $1 million, Grade 1 Turf Mile on Oct. 7.

Keeneland Racecourse in Lexington, Ky., will offer a record $9.05 million in stakes purses during its fall meet this year, the track announced on Wednesday.

The purses, which include $1.3 million in money from the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund only available to Kentucky-bred horses, will be distributed in 22 stakes over the 17-day meet. Twelve of the stakes races are scheduled to be held on the grass, while 10 are scheduled for the dirt. Seventeen of the 22 stakes are graded.

Tue, 06/27/2023 - 17:05

Golden Bandit eyeing turf stakes in Kentucky

Coady Photography
Golden Bandit wins the $100,000 Canterbury Derby, earning a Beyer Speed Figure of 88.

Golden Bandit is a turf horse on the rise, and he’s now under consideration for a pair of upcoming stakes in Kentucky following a sharp win in the $100,000 Canterbury Derby earlier this month at Canterbury Park.

Trainer Coty Rosin said Tuesday that the $200,000 Kentucky Downs Preview Dueling Grounds Derby on Aug. 5 at Ellis Park is tentative target for Golden Bandit, with a longer-range goal the $750,000 Gun Runner for 3-year-olds at a mile on Sept. 2 at Kentucky Downs.

Mon, 06/26/2023 - 14:02

Rose Maddox to Great Lady M. Stakes

Benoit Photo
Rose Maddox (inside) has only missed the board twice in her career and is expected to make her next start in the Grade 2 Great Lady M. Stakes at Los Alamitos.

Rose Maddox finished seventh in a field of eight in the Soviet Problem Stakes in her first career start at Los Alamitos in December 2021.

So much has changed for Rose Maddox in the last 18 months. A two-time stakes winner earlier this year, Rose Maddox is expected to return to Los Alamitos for the Grade 2 Great Lady M. Stakes for fillies and mares at seven furlongs on July 4.

Mon, 06/26/2023 - 14:00

Geaux Rocket Ride works for Haskell, could be big day for Mandella

Benoit Photo
After working five furlongs in 1:00.60 and a win in the Affirmed Stakes, Geaux Rocket Ride is on schedule for a start in the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational July 22 at Monmouth Park.

Geaux Rocket Ride, the winner of the Affirmed Stakes at Santa Anita on June 2, is on schedule for his Grade 1 debut in the $1 million Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park on July 22 after working five furlongs at Santa Anita on Monday.

The lightly raced Geaux Rocket Ride may not be the only runner for trainer Richard Mandella in a major stakes at Monmouth Park that afternoon.