SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Centre Court lacks size, but she is steadily accumulating stature in the 3-year-old filly turf division.
Overcoming a somewhat difficult trip, Centre Court emerged from between horses in midstretch, collared Medolina inside the sixteenth pole, and then outsprinted several rivals to the wire to win Wednesday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Lake George Stakes by a neck at Saratoga.
DEL MAR, Calif. - A two-tiered bonus system designed to lure horses from outside of California for the Del Mar meeting is on course for higher distributions than the 2011 season, the first year the bonuses were offered.
[Complete coverage of racing at Del Mar: News, PPs, and video]
DEL MAR, Calif - Holy Candy, who was pulled up as the favorite in the second division of the Oceanside Stakes on July 18, underwent surgery on Monday to have a bone chip removed from an ankle, trainer John Sadler said.
[Complete coverage of racing at Del Mar: News, PPs, and video]
Holy Candy underwent a battery of tests after the Oceanside that revealed the injury. Holy Candy is expected to be away from racing until early next year.
Agave Kiss, who suffered her first career defeat when finishing fifth at 1-5 in the Grade 3 Victory Ride Stakes, is still on target for the Grade 1 Prioress here Aug. 4, trainer Rudy Rodriguez said.
On Wednesday, Agave Kiss worked four furlongs in 50.16 seconds over Saratoga’s main track, going her first quarter in 24.90 and second quarter in 25.26.
Rodriguez, who was aboard for the move, was happy with the work, saying he didn’t want to do too much with the filly in her first breeze back from the Victory Ride.
When a horse is named after a close family member, she better be good.
Teen Pauline announced herself as a good one Wednesday at Saratoga.
Teen Pauline, a 2-year-old filly named after owner Barbara Banke’s 84-year-old mother Pauline, won her debut by 4 3/4 lengths Wednesday, setting a track record of 56.53 seconds for five furlongs, lowering by 0.01 the mark set by J C’s Pride last year.
DEL MAR, Calif.- For at least one major stakes in Southern California this summer, Kettle Corn does not have to chase Game On Dude in Saturday’s $200,000 San Diego Handicap at Del Mar.
[Complete coverage of racing at Del Mar: News, PPs, and video]
In the Grade 2 Californian Stakes at Betfair Hollywood Park on June 2, Kettle Corn was second to Game On Dude. In the Grade 1 Hollywood Gold Cup on July 7, he was third behind Game On Dude and Richard’s Kid.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Jockey Rosie Napranik suffered a non-displaced fracture of the middle toe on her right foot, but has been cleared to ride and was expected to keep her engagements on Thursday at Saratoga.
[Complete coverage of racing at Saratoga: News, PPs, and video]
Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith will ride Hansen in the $750,000 West Virginia Derby at Mountaineer Park on Aug. 4, according to his agent, Brad Pegram. Smith has never ridden Hansen, the champion 2-year-old male of 2011.
Hansen has won 5 of 8 starts and $1,773,305. Trained by Mike Maker for a partnership led by breeder Kendall Hansen, the colt has won four stakes. He won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile last fall to clinch his championship.
Earlier this year, Hansen was ninth in the Kentucky Derby and won the Grade 3 Iowa Derby by 10 lengths at Prairie Meadows on June 30.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Two of the six horses entered Wednesday for Saturday’s Diana will walk over for the race side by side after leaving the barn of trainer Chad Brown. But only one of those two fillies, defending champion Zagora, will actually run in Brown’s name in the Grade 1 turf fixture.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – They may not be as accomplished or well-known as the 3-year-olds running in the Jim Dandy or Haskell Invitational, but one or more of the eight horses entered in Friday’s $100,000 Curlin Stakes at Saratoga could emerge as a significant player for this year’s Travers Stakes.
[Complete coverage of racing at Saratoga: News, PPs, and video]
