Tue, 05/23/2023 - 12:26

With Joseph's status in limbo, White Abarrio transferred to Dutrow

Barbara D. Livingston

White Abarrio has been trained since October 2021 by Saffie Joseph Jr., who is currently unable to run horses at Churchill Downs or Belmont Park.

C2 Racing Stable announced in a press release on Tuesday they have transferred White Abarrio from trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. to Rick Dutrow Jr. at Belmont Park and that he will run in the Grade 1 Metropolitan Mile on June 10.

Joseph was banned indefinitely by Churchill Downs following the sudden deaths of two of his horses during races run the week prior to the Kentucky Derby. Subsequently, NYRA and Joseph came to an understanding that he would not ship any horses to run in New York while the matter in Kentucky was under investigation.

Mon, 05/22/2023 - 14:55

Black-Eyed Susan winner Taxed will aim high this summer

By David Grening

Taxed wins Black-Eyed Susan at PIM May 20 2023

Julie Wright

Taxed has returned to trainer Randy Morse's barn at Churchill Downs. His goal is to get her a Grade 1 win this year.

Taxed, winner of the Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes at Pimlico last Friday, was back at her Churchill Downs home but is likely headed out on the road again this summer in search of Grade 1 glory, trainer Randy Morse said Monday.

“The main objective is to try and get a Grade 1 with her,” Morse said Monday by phone from Maryland where he was attending the Timonium 2-year-olds-in-training sale.

Mon, 05/22/2023 - 13:45

Strong overnight races set table for holiday weekend

By Nicole Russo

Barbara D. Livingston

Grade 1-placed Commandperformance looks to bounce back for his new trainer Joe Sharp in Thursday's eighth race at Churchill Downs.

Churchill Downs opens a five-day holiday week of racing with competitive allowance-level events on both Thursday and Friday that feature several stakes performers. Churchill will then run its usual Saturday and Sunday cards, followed by a Memorial Day program on Monday. Two stakes for fillies and mares will highlight this span.

Three solid events on card

Mon, 05/22/2023 - 13:25

Two Phil's has first post-Derby workout, next race uncertain

By Marcus Hersh

Barbara D. Livingston

Two Phil’s (right) was a good second to Mage in the Derby and earned a career-best 105 Beyer.

STICKNEY, Ill. – Two Phil’s on Sunday at Hawthorne had work No. 1 since finishing second May 6 in the Kentucky Derby.

The drill was a mere maintenance half-mile timed in 50.80 seconds but suggested the colt had, as trainer Larry Rivelli has maintained over the last two weeks, come out of the Derby in encouraging condition.

“He came back good, he looks good, his energy is good,” Rivelli said.

And Rivelli on Monday still was good with the decision he and Two Phil’s owners made to pass Saturday’s Preakness Stakes.

Mon, 05/22/2023 - 13:05

Mandella thinks French import Salesman belongs in Shoemaker Mile

By Steve Andersen

Benoit Photo

Gold Phoenix (above) and Hong Kong Harry are the expected favorites in the Shoemaker Mile.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Salesman has never run in a graded or group stakes, or in a race worth six figures. A three-time winner in France, Salesman has not started since June or in the United States. Despite those apparent shortcomings, Salesman is among the list of probable starters in Monday’s Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile on turf at Santa Anita.

Salesman has put in a series of rapid works at Santa Anita, leaving trainer Richard Mandella enthusiastic about the 6-year-old’s appearance in the $500,000 Shoemaker Mile.

Mon, 05/22/2023 - 12:30

Caravel to be first Royal Ascot runner for Cox

By Nicole Russo

Debra A. Roma

Trainer Brad Cox is looking to make his first trip across the pond to Royal Ascot with Caravel, who is pointed towards either the Group 1 King's Stand Stakes or the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes.

A number of Kentucky-based runners are continuing their preparations for next month’s Royal Ascot meeting in England, including Caravel, the reigning Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint winner.

Sun, 05/21/2023 - 18:14

Brickyard Ride-The Chosen Vron showdown not a certainty

By Steve Andersen

Brickyard Ride wins the Kona Gold at SA April 30 2022

Benoit Photo

Brickyard Ride won the Kona Gold on April 30.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Together, the veteran California-breds Brickyard Ride and The Chosen Vron have won an astonishing 24 of 40 starts, including 17 stakes.

They have never met, and a rendezvous is far from a certainty at Santa Anita on Sunday when the track hosts five stakes for statebreds.

Brickyard Ride, the winner of 13 of 25 starts, is expected to run in the $100,000 Thor’s Echo Stakes at six furlongs, while The Chosen Vron is a candidate for that race and the $100,000 Crystal Water Stakes at a mile on turf.

Sun, 05/21/2023 - 17:48

Trainer D'Amato having great spring on the turf

By Steve Andersen

Beer Can Man (left) beats Nothing Better in the Jim McKay Turf Sprint at PIM May 20 2023

Debra A. Roma

Beer Can Man (left) won the Jim McKay Turf Sprint at Pimlico on Saturday.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Not that he had a rough winter, but trainer Phil D’Amato’s stable has been particularly productive this spring.

Across the nation on Saturday, D’Amato won two turf sprint stakes with Beer Can Man in the Jim McKay Turf Sprint at Pimlico, and the Mizdirection Stakes with Elm Drive for fillies and mares at Santa Anita. On Sunday, D’Amato’s Conclude won the Desert Code Stakes for 3-year-old turf sprinters in what could be a prep for the $100,000 Oceanside Stakes at Del Mar on July 21.

Fri, 05/19/2023 - 18:15

Black-Eyed Susan/Preakness daily double will-pays

By DRF Staff

Black-Eyed Susan/Preakness $2 daily double will-pays:

Black-Eyed Susan winner Taxed (No. 10, $24) with:

1) National Treasure, $93.40

2) Chase the Chaos, $1,163.60

3) Mage, $62.40

4) Coffeewithchris, $856.20

5) Red Route One, $196.40

6) Perform, $217.80

7) Blazing Sevens, $160.40

8) First Mission, scratched

Fri, 05/19/2023 - 14:56

Match race at Belmont after four are scratched due to Lasix snafu

By David Grening

Barbara D. Livingston

Linda Rice was one four trainers to have their horses scratched from Friday's third race at Belmont.

Four horses were scratched from Friday’s third race at Belmont Park when those horses were not treated with the anti-bleeding medication Lasix in the prescribed timeframe, according to the New York Racing Association and several of the trainers in the race.

Impazible Donna, trained by Bruce Levine; Dancing Sophia, trained by Chris Englehart; Ok Honey, trained by Amira Chichakly; and Movie Moxy, trained by Linda Rice, were all scratched out of the second-level allowance/optional $62,500 claiming race that carried a $100,000 purse.

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