Fri, 04/21/2023 - 15:15

Unbridled Bomber awaiting stakes return after solid allowance win

Debra A. Roma

White Abarrio worked a half-mile Thursday in preparation for the Westchester May 5 at Belmont.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. -- Now that he has gone through his allowance conditions, Unbridled Bomber will be returning to stakes company for his next start. When and where that will be has yet to be determined.

Unbridled Bomber rebounded from a disappointing seventh-place finish in the Queens County Stakes on Jan. 7 to win a third-level allowance by nine lengths on April 16, earning a career-best 99 Beyer Speed Figure in the process. In that win, going a one-turn mile, Unbridled Bomber showed speed heretofore unseen in any of his previous races.

Fri, 04/21/2023 - 15:09

Evvie Jets might be cooling her jets before next start

By David Grening

Chelsea Durand

Evvie Jets could run in the Beaugay on May 7 or wait for the Grade 1 Just a Game on June 9.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. -- The connections of Evvie Jets, winner of last Sunday’s Plenty of Grace Stakes at Aqueduct, are not in a hurry to run their mare back, but if the Grade 3, $175,000 Beaugay Stakes at Belmont Park on May 7 comes up a small field that race could become an option.

If not, then Evvie Jets could be considered for the Grade 1, $500,000 Just a Game on June 9 at Belmont Park, “if it’s not going to be crazy-tough,” trainer Mertkan Kantarmaci said.

Fri, 04/21/2023 - 13:49

124 nominated to Canadian Triple Crown

By Ron Gierkink

Moira wins Queen's Plate at WO Aug 21 2022

Michael Burns

Moira romped in both the 2022 Queen's Plate and Woodbine Oaks. The Queen's Plate has been renamed the King's Plate this year.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Woodbine has released the nominations for the 2023 Canadian Triple Crown, 124 Canadian-bred 3-year-olds in total, along with the 63 nominees for Woodbine Oaks for Canadian-bred 3-year-old fillies.

Fri, 04/21/2023 - 11:50

Talamo sanctioned for whip violation

By Marty McGee

Barbara D. Livingston

Joe Talamo was cited for his ride on Time for Trouble in the eighth race at Keeneland on Thursday.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Time for Trouble posted a $37.50 upset of the featured eighth race Thursday at Keeneland, but the victory will come at a cost for his jockey, Joe Talamo, who struck the Irish-bred with his whip eight times, two over the limit imposed by new crop rules mandated by the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority.

Talamo will forfeit 10 percent of his share of the purse, or $7,347, and will have to sit out one day of racing, which the 33-year-old rider said will be one of the last three cards of the Keeneland spring meet this coming week.

Fri, 04/21/2023 - 11:45

Ward wowed by American Rascal's flashy debut win

By Marty McGee

Coady Photography

American Rascal wins his debut by 10 1/4 lengths. He is being pointed to the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes at the Royal Ascot meet.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The debut scarcely could have been any flashier. American Rascal, a royally bred 2-year-old colt, won the second race Thursday at Keeneland by a widening 10 1/4 lengths that even had Wesley Ward grasping for superlatives.

“It’s humbling,” said Ward, whose dominance in early season 2-year-old races is as pronounced as ever this year. “Some of the horses the owners give me to train for them are just incredibly talented. Obviously, this colt is unbelievably fast.”

Fri, 04/21/2023 - 11:04

Laurel cancels racing 'indefinitely'

By Matt Hegarty

Barbara D. Livingston

Laurel Park has canceled racing 'indefinitely,' the track said Friday.

Live racing at Laurel Park in Maryland has been canceled “indefinitely,” according to a one-sentence announcement posted on social media by the track’s parent company Friday.

It is unclear what led to the cancellation. Representatives of the Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association and 1/ST Racing, which owns Laurel, did not immediately return phone calls Friday morning.

Fri, 04/21/2023 - 10:15

Kentucky Derby: Pletcher, Cox runners put in penultimate drills

By Marty McGee

Barbara D. Livingston

Forte, with Irad Ortiz Jr. up, drills five furlongs in 1:01.89 on Friday at Churchill Downs.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – It was the fastest few minutes in sports, at least for the day. A flurry of important workouts from the top contenders for the May 6 Kentucky Derby all took place within a matter of moments early Friday at Churchill Downs, with their connections later expressing their satisfaction with how those horses are progressing with a little more than two weeks to the big race.

Thu, 04/20/2023 - 17:41

Prat suspended three days for careless riding

By Marty McGee

Barbara Livingston

Flavien Prat was suspended for an incident in Wednesday's sixth race when his mount ducked inward in midstretch, causing another horse to clip heels and fall.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Star jockey Flavien Prat has been suspended three days by the Keeneland stewards for his role in the disqualification of his mount, Foreign Relations, from first to last in the sixth race Wednesday at Keeneland.

Prat was aboard Foreign Relations when the gelding swerved in sharply in midstretch, causing Master of the Ring to clip heels and fall awkwardly to the turf course, throwing Tyler Gaffalione.

Thu, 04/20/2023 - 11:00

Woodbine returns looking the same, but with some new wrinkles

By Ron Gierkink

Michael Burns

The Queen's Plate, won last year by Moira (above), has been renamed the King's Plate with the passing of Queen Elizabeth II and the ascension of King Charles III.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Woodbine launches its 2023 season on Saturday with a meet that largely resembles the 2022 version.

Racing is scheduled for 133 days, ending Dec. 17. It will be conducted with a 1:10 p.m. post time on weekends until May 5, when Fridays will be added. Thursday racing begins May 25 with a 4:50 p.m. post time.

The stakes program will offer more than $17 million in purses, including 39 graded stakes, five Grade 1 events, and two $1 million fixtures, the King’s Plate and Woodbine Mile.

Thu, 04/20/2023 - 10:29

Kentucky Derby: Kingsbarns, Major Dude work 'textbook' five furlongs

By Nicole Russo

Coady Photography

Kingsbarns (left) works five furlongs in 1:00.80 on Thursday at Churchill Downs with Major Dude.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – As the trainers of Kentucky Derby and Oaks hopefuls continued to monitor the coming April showers, Kingsbarns was the first of Todd Pletcher’s major prep winners to turn in his penultimate breeze toward the Run for the Roses on Thursday morning at Churchill Downs.

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