Mon, 10/24/2022 - 13:16

Churchill opens with Stars of Tomorrow card

Barbara Livingston
Arrest Me Red earned a 100 Beyer Speed Figure for winning the Twin Spires Turf Sprint at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Oaks Day.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Churchill Downs in Louisville will begin its fall meet Sunday with the first of two Stars of Tomorrow cards exclusively for 2-year-olds. The $200,000 Street Sense and $200,000 Rags to Riches, both of them going 1 1/16 miles, are the traditional opening-day co-features. The second Stars of Tomorrow card is set for Nov. 26.

After the Sunday opener, Churchill will work its racing schedule around the Nov. 4-5 Breeders’ Cup by running Nov. 2, 3, and 7. The meet goes through Nov. 27.

Mon, 10/24/2022 - 13:16

Autumn Miss-bound Gracelund Gray will be trained by Eurton

Brad Free
Gracelund Gray, formerly trained by the late Howard Zucker, is now trained by Peter Eurton but will be stabled with Zucker’s staff through the Autumn Miss.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Gracelund Gray, who won two races by a combined 37 1/4 lengths in Canada in 2021, will have a new trainer in Peter Eurton when she starts in Saturday’s Grade 3 Autumn Miss Stakes at Santa Anita.

But in the days leading to the $100,000 turf race, the filly’s surroundings will not change.

Gracelund Gray was previously trained by Howard Zucker, who died last week after complications of a recent operation. Eurton became the filly’s official trainer after discussions with owners John and Kelley Gravenslund.

Mon, 10/24/2022 - 13:16

Five stakes close out meet Friday and Saturday

Barbara Livingston
First Captain is expected to compete in the Fayette on Keeneland's closing card Saturday.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Keeneland fall meet will end this weekend with a combined five stakes on Friday and Saturday, led by the Grade 2 Fayette for older horses on a Saturday finale also featuring the annual ontrack appearance by The Headless Horseman.

Art Collector is one of 20 nominees for the $350,000 Fayette but will bypass the race, according to owner Bruce Lunsford, leaving Defunded and First Captain as the top prospects for the 1 1/8-mile race.

Mon, 10/24/2022 - 13:10

Despite first loss, Donk pleased with Fingal's Cave graded stakes run

Barbara D. Livingston
Fingal's Cave runs her record to 4 for 4 with this victory in the Fleet Indian Stakes on Aug. 26 at Saratoga.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Though Fingal’s Cave suffered her first career defeat in Saturday’s Grade 2 Raven Run Stakes, she ran a very creditable second to Wicked Halo, beaten four lengths after getting pinched back at the start under Joel Rosario.

Mon, 10/24/2022 - 13:10

Art Collector likely bound for Cigar Mile

Debra A. Roma
Art Collector is expected to go to the lead in the 1 1/8-mile Lukas Classic. Hot Rod Charlie likely won't be far behind.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Art Collector, most recently fifth in the Grade 2 Lukas Classic at Churchill Downs, will most likely make his next start in the Grade 1, $750,000 Cigar Mile on Dec. 3 at Aqueduct, trainer Bill Mott said over the weekend.

Art Collector had been under consideration for either the Grade 2, $350,000 Fayette Stakes at Keeneland or the Grade 2, $300,000 Kelso Stakes at Aqueduct – both this Saturday. Mott said he and owner Bruce Lunsford like the additional time to the Cigar Mile for Art Collector, the 2021 Woodward winner and two-time Charles Town Classic winner.

Mon, 10/24/2022 - 13:06

Gufo not pre-entered in Breeders' Cup Turf

Debra A. Roma
Gufo earned a 104 Beyer Speed Figure for his victory in the Sword Dancer at Saratoga on Saturday.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – The multiple Grade 1 winner Gufo was not pre-entered Monday for the $4 million Breeders’ Cup Turf, trainer Christophe Clement said.

Gufo, most recently last of seven in the Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at Aqueduct, did not work up to Clement’s standards on Saturday at Belmont Park when he went a half-mile in 49.22 seconds on the turf.

“I thought the work was fair,” Clement said Monday. “You go to the Breeders’ Cup, you’d like to be excited about it.”

Mon, 10/24/2022 - 13:06

Law Professor switches course to Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile

Coady Photography
Law Professor won the Tapit Stakes on Thursday at Kentucky Downs, giving trainer Rob Atras a winner with his first starter at the track.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Law Professor was supposed to be using the Grade 1 Woodward Stakes on Oct. 1 as a stepping-stone to this Saturday’s Grade 2, $350,000 Fayette Stakes at Keeneland.

But after running a very good second to Life Is Good in the Woodward, the connections of Law Professor have opted to forgo the Fayette in lieu of the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile on Nov. 5 at Keeneland.

“The owners want to take a shot in the Dirt Mile,” said Rob Atras, who trains Law Professor for Twin Creeks Racing of Randy Gullatt and Steve Davison.

Mon, 10/24/2022 - 12:56

Coolmore retires two-time Group 1 winner Blackbeard

On Monday, the day of the pre-entry deadline for the Breeders’ Cup, Coolmore announced that Blackbeard was forced to be withdrawn from consideration for the Breeders’ Cup with an injury, and that the two-time Group 1-winning juvenile has been retired to Coolmore’s Irish headquarters for 2023.

Mon, 10/24/2022 - 12:50

Gaffalione, Saez atop jockey standings

Barbara D. Livingston
Tyler Gaffalione won with all six of his mounts on Friday at Churchill Downs.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Tyler Gaffalione and Luis Saez enter the final four-day stretch of the Keeneland fall meet in a tight battle for leading jockey. Gaffalione, who swept all three stakes here last weekend, holds a 14-13 lead over Saez, who topped the standings with 29 wins when he last rode a full meet here in spring 2021.

Mon, 10/24/2022 - 12:46

Temple City Terror's Dowager win makes selling her a tough decision

Coady Photography
Temple City Terror wins the Dowager on Sunday, earning a career-high Beyer Figure of 97.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Temple City Terror has her people in a quandary.

Temple City Terror was a dominant winner of the Grade 3 Dowager on the Keeneland turf Sunday with a career-high 97 Beyer Speed Figure, and the owners of the 6-year-old mare must now decide whether to sell her at the upcoming Keeneland November sale. Temple City Terror is in Book 1 at the sale, which begins Nov. 7.