Mon, 06/11/2012 - 13:11

Churchill Downs: Zayat hopes to end string of seconds with Nehro in Stephen Foster Handicap

Tom Keyser
Nehro will try to end a spate of second-place finishes in major stakes for owner Ahmed Zayat in Saturday's Grade 1 Stephen Foster Handicap.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Ahmed Zayat would like to end his stable’s streak of runner-up finishes by winning the Stephen Foster Handicap on Saturday night at Churchill Downs. Problem is, Zayat considers the record that Nehro has compiled – seconds in four major stakes, including the 2011 Kentucky Derby and the recent Pimlico Special – and he just has to laugh.

“I’m picking the wrong horse to break this streak, aren’t I?” he said in hearty self-deprecation. “He’s notorious for being second, I think.”

Sun, 06/10/2012 - 20:44

Hollywood Park: All Star Heart gobbles up ground late to win Redondo Beach

Benoit & Associates
All Star Heart, returning from a seven-month layoff, scores under Brice Blanc in the Redondo Beach Stakes.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - All Star Heart was three lengths behind leader Broken Dreams with a furlong remaining in Sunday’s $72,800 Redondo Beach Stakes at Betfair Hollywood Park.

Jockey Brice Blanc had the opposition right where he wanted them.

With a wide rally through the stretch, All Star Heart stormed to the front in the final sixteenth. The Redondo Beach Stakes was All Star Heart’s first start in seven months. She won by a half-length over 8-1 Hard to Resist.

“She’s always had a strong kick,” Blanc said of All Star Heart.

Sun, 06/10/2012 - 18:41

Monmouth: Velazquez provides patient ride aboard Data Link in course-record win

Bill Denver/Equiphoto
Data Link, ridden by John Velazquez, sets a Monmouth Park turf course record for 1 1/8 miles winning the Grade 2 Monmouth Stakes.

Heavily favored Data Link, patiently ridden by John Velazquez, passed three horses in the final furlong to capture Sunday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Monmouth Stakes at Monmouth Park.

In winning for the sixth time in 12 starts overall, the 4-year-old Data Link ($3.20) set a course record for 1 1/8 miles on turf with rails set at 0 feet. He completed the distance on a firm course in 1:45.93, breaking the record of 1:46.39 set by J’ Ray on Aug. 3, 2008.

Sun, 06/10/2012 - 18:06

Hollywood Park: Include Me Out, Zazu tune up for Vanity

Shigeki Kikkawa
Include Me Out is among the favorites for Saturday's Grade 2 Marjorie Everett Handicap at Betfair Hollywood Park.

Include Me Out and Zazu, two leading contenders for Saturday’s $250,000 Vanity Handicap for fillies and mares, had their final workouts on Sunday at Hollywood Park.

Include Me Out, who won the Grade 2 Marjorie Everett Handicap on May 19, breezed six furlongs in 1:14.60.

Trained by Ron Ellis for Samantha Siegel, Include Me Out will be favored to win the Vanity over 1 1/8 miles, and extend her winning streak to four races. Earlier this year at Santa Anita, Include Me Out won the Grade 2 La Canada Stakes and the Grade 1 Santa Margarita Stakes.

Sun, 06/10/2012 - 18:00

Hollywood Park: Acclamation will follow same summer plan that led to 2011 Eclipse Award

Benoit & Associates
Acclamation will be pointed to the Eddie Read at Del Mar on July 21.

INGLEWOOD, Calif.- Acclamation, who won the Grade 1 Charles Whittingham Handicap for the third consecutive year on Saturday, is likely to have the same summer campaign as he did in 2011, trainer Don Warren said on Sunday.

Warren said the tentative plan is for Acclamation to start twice during the Del Mar meeting - in the $300,000 Eddie Read Stakes over 1 1/8 miles on turf on July 21 and the $1 million Pacific Classic on the synthetic main track on Aug. 26.

Warren is leaning against starting Acclamation in the $500,000 Hollywood Gold Cup on July 7.

Sun, 06/10/2012 - 17:34

Woodbine: Kentucky Derby also-ran Prospective takes Victoria Park

Michael Burns
Prospective, ridden by Luis Contreras, leads a one-two finish for trainer Mark Casse in the Victoria Park for 3-year-olds.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario— Prospective outran stablemate Patrioticandproud to take the $153,300 Victoria Park Stakes under Luis Contreras at Woodbine on  Sunday.

After bobbling at the break, Prospective raced in third in the four-horse field, as shipper Holiday Promise set honest fractions in the nine-furlong route for 3-year-olds. Holiday Promise retreated on the far turn, where Patrioticandproud assumed command before giving way in the final furlong to Prospective, who prevailed by 1 3/4  lengths  in 1:51.08. Courtville finished a distant third.

Sun, 06/10/2012 - 14:37

Belmont: Giant Ryan awaits possible surgery in Pennsylvania

Tom Keyser
Trinniberg, winner of the Woody Stephens and stablemate of the injured Giant Ryan, will make his next start in the King's Bishop at Saratoga.

ELMONT, N.Y. -  Giant Ryan, who fractured both sesamoid bones in his left front leg during the running of Saturday’s True North Handicap at Belmont Park, remained at Belmont on Sunday while his connections and Dr. Dean Richardson at the New Bolton Center in Pennsylvania discussed plans for possible surgery later this week.   

Sun, 06/10/2012 - 11:17

Prairie Meadows: Cainam defies track bias to repeat in Cyclones

ALTOONA, Iowa -- Racing over a surface that had been kind to rail speed throughout the night, Cainam circled his five rivals after coming from far back to take the $75,000 Cyclones Handicap going away by 1 1/2 lengths Saturday night at Prairie Meadows.

Confidently handled by Prairie Meadows’s all-time  winningest rider, Glenn Corbett, Cainam bided his time far behind a solid pace set by stablemate Launch Light. When given his cue, Cainam swept past favored Kate's Main Man and second-place finisher Wings of War, who had established a clear lead entering the stretch.

Sat, 06/09/2012 - 21:21

Calder: Kaplan wins two on Summit of Speed Preview card

Trainer Bill Kaplan was the star of Calder’s Summit of Speed Preview Day program on Saturday, winning two of the four stakes on the card with longshots Another Romance and Wild Bout Tiffany. The Summit of Speed will be run on July 7.

Sat, 06/09/2012 - 21:19

Ruidoso Downs: Pj Chick in Black now 4 for 4 with Futurity win

Pj Chick in Black remained undefeated in four starts Saturday, when she comfortably held off 4-5 favorite Krash Cartel by a neck in the Grade 1, $600,000 Ruidoso Futurity for Quarter Horses. The race was one of two major stakes on the card at Ruidoso Downs in New Mexico. Executive Brass won his fourth consecutive race in the Grade 1, $679,207 Ruidoso Derby.