Star Guitar, the all-time richest Louisiana-bred whose connections had been debating his retirement, is calling it a career after winning 22 stakes and $1.7 million. His trainer, Al Stall Jr., said Friday that Star Guitar has been retired and will stand stud next year at Clear Creek in Folsom, La.
“That’s where he was born,” Stall said.
Star Guitar will continue to be owned by Evelyn and Maurice Benoit, who bred and raced the 7-year-old horse by Quiet American.
New York Yankees relief pitcher Mariano Rivera, currently on the disabled list with a knee injury, was at Saratoga on Friday and presented the trophy for the day’s third race, which was won somewhat appropriately by Regal Strike.
Rivera was in town for a function Thursday night at Siro’s Trattoria to benefit the Mariano Rivera Foundation, which annually distributes more than $500,000 to underprivileged children in the United States and Panama through church-based institutions.
Hessonite, the 4 1/4-length winner of the Irish Linnet Stakes here July 27, worked six furlongs in 1:17.05 over the main track early Friday morning in preparation for a start in next Friday’s $150,000 Yaddo Stakes for New York-bred fillies and mares on the turf.
“I’m not looking for a very stiff move,” trainer David Donk said. “I like to breeze them an easy three-quarters. She loves to gallop, she gallops two miles a day. She loves to train. She’s a filly that I’d love to run a mile and a quarter some day. She’s doing well.”
Trinniberg had his scheduled five-furlong work moved up a couple of hours Friday to avoid the rain that was moving in. Trinniberg missed the rain, but wound up encountering fog that blanketed the main track by the time he and jockey Willie Martinez began their work at the five-furlong pole shortly after 6:30 a.m.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer Wayne Catalano brought 15 horses to Saratoga this summer, but there is little doubt which one is the reason the former rider decided to try his luck here for the first time in 2012. That horse is Stephanie’s Kitten, winner of last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.
Stephanie’s Kitten, who kicked off her 3-year-old campaign with a victory in the Grade 1 Ashland, finished an unlucky fourth making her local debut in the Grade 2 Lake George on July 25. She’ll attempt to make amends when wheeling back next Sunday in the Grade 2 Lake Placid.
AUBURN, Wash. – The 77th running of the Longacres Mile, the Northwest’s richest race, is shaping up to be a barnburner. A full field of 12 is expected to compete for a $200,000 purse in the Grade 3 event next Sunday, and top to bottom, it might be the best field ever assembled at Emerald Downs.
DEL MAR, Calif. – There is no hiding the anticipation of trainer Ron McAnally or jockey Joe Talamo these days, because they firmly believe they can pull off a mild upset in the Grade 1, $1 million Pacific Classic on Aug. 26 with Suggestive Boy, the talented South American import who worked six furlongs in 1:12.80 on Polytrack on Friday morning at Del Mar.
[Complete coverage of racing at Del Mar: News, PPs, and video]
AUBURN, Wash. – A compact field of six 3-year-olds will tackle new territory Sunday in the $65,000 Emerald Downs Derby at nine furlongs. None of the six has raced that far, and to a man, the trainers of the three leading contenders agree the jockeys are certain to play a pivotal role in the outcome.
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. – A couple of somewhat unexpected local participants bumped the prospective field for the Aug. 18 Arlington Million up to 11 when pre-entries for the four Million Day stakes races were taken Friday at Arlington.
