Tue, 03/20/2012 - 17:06

Fair Grounds: Havre de Grace decision pending weight assignment

Lynn Roberts
Havre de Grace, with Ramon Dominguez riding, is an easy winner of the New Orleans Ladies.

Trainer Larry Jones remained adamant that a decision on whether Havre de Grace will make her next start in the Apple Blossom Handicap at Oaklawn won’t be reached until the weights for the April 13 race are released on April 7.

Havre de Grace, Jones said, came out of her 4 1/2-length win in the New Orleans Ladies on Saturday at Fair Grounds in fine physical condition, and was scheduled to return to regular training Wednesday.

“She put in a pretty dazzling performance,” Jones said. “She just kind of looked like she was galloping out there.”

Tue, 03/20/2012 - 16:20

Gulfstream: Return date uncertain for Lopez

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Corey Moran, jockey agent for Paco Lopez, reports there is no definite timetable for his rider’s return. Lopez suffered a broken collarbone and six broken ribs in a nasty spill that took place in early stretch of Saturday’s finale. Lopez remained hospitalized Tuesday morning but was expected to be released within 48 hours.

Tue, 03/20/2012 - 16:17

Gulfstream: Brethren set for return

Barbara D. Livingston
Brethren has been working at Palm Meadows for his return to racing.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Brethren, a major player on the Kentucky Derby trail last winter until his disappointing 11th-place finish in the Arkansas Derby, is about ready to launch his comeback, trainer Todd Pletcher said this weekend. Brethren, a homebred son of Distorted Humor owned by WinStar Farm, has worked six times at Palm Meadows, including a near-bullet five-eighths in 59.80 seconds on Sunday.

Tue, 03/20/2012 - 15:52

Aqueduct: Cash for Clunkers maturing for Violette

Barbara D. Livingston
Coco Ecolo ran fourth in the Top Flight.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Cash for Clunkers, an impressive first-level allowance winner in her only start this year, breaks from the outside and will be favored against four rivals in Thursday’s one-mile feature at Aqueduct.

Tue, 03/20/2012 - 15:46

Oaklawn Park: Absinthe Minded points to Apple Blossom

Oaklawn Park/Coady Photography
Absinthe Minded is being pointed to the Apple Blossom Handicap at Oaklawn Park.

Absinthe Minded, a two-time stakes winner at the meet who finished fourth as the favorite in the Grade 3, $150,000 Azeri last Saturday, will advance to next month’s Grade 1, $500,000 Apple Blossom Handicap, trainer D. Wayne Lukas said.

Absinthe Minded was 4-5 in the Azeri off a powerful win in the $100,000 Bayakoa here Feb. 18. But after setting a pressured pace from the inside Saturday, she ended up 5 3/4 lengths behind winner Tiz Miz Sue.

Tue, 03/20/2012 - 15:36

Milligan planning to send a string to Churchill Downs

Tom Keyser
Jake Mo will be part of a division headed to Churchill Downs for trainer Allen Milligan.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Trainer Allen Milligan, who has established himself as one of the leading trainers in this region, will be branching out when the Oaklawn Park meet closes next month. Milligan said he will have a division of horses at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., for the first time in his career, with the group to include the Arkansas Derby-bound Jake Mo.

Shraded Edge, who is being pointed to next month’s Grade 2, $350,000 Oaklawn Park Handicap, and I Am Awesome, who seeks his fourth win at the meet Thursday, also will be part of Milligan’s 12-horse string at Churchill.

Tue, 03/20/2012 - 15:33

Fair Grounds: Mark Valeski among three big workers for busy Jones barn

Lynn Roberts
Mark Valeski (right) runs second to El Padrino in the in the Risen Star.

Say this for trainer Larry Jones. He knows how to stay busy.

Saturday, Jones saddled 2011 Horse of the Year to an easy victory in the New Orleans Ladies Stakes, her 2012 debut. Monday, Jones hooked his horse trailer up to his pickup and drove from New Orleans to Hot Springs, Ark., where Joyful Victory had finished third on Saturday in the Azeri Stakes. Jones pulled into the barn area, loaded up Joyful Victory, and not long after was headed south again, arriving at Fair Grounds in the evening.

Tue, 03/20/2012 - 15:17

Santa Anita: Slim Shadey tops San Luis Rey

Benoit & Associates
Slim Shadey scores an upset victory in the San Marcos Stakes on Feb. 11 at Santa Anita.

The Grade 2, $150,000 San Luis Rey Stakes for older turf horses, postponed from last Sunday owing to a dire weather forecast, is scheduled to be brought back this Sunday, with Slim Shadey, the upset winner of the San Marcos Stakes on Feb. 11, heading up a likely field of six. David Flores has the mount.

Others expected for the San Luis Rey include Bourbon Bay, Dynamic Host, Hog’s Hollow, Porfido, and Utopian.

Porfido worked five furlongs in 1:02.80 on Tuesday morning at Hollywood Park for Harty.

Tue, 03/20/2012 - 15:15

Santa Anita: Include Me Out eyes Ladies’ Classic

Shigeki Kikkawa
Include Me Out wins the Santa Margarita Invitational on Saturday at Santa Anita. She will target the Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic this fall.

The resounding victory by Include Me Out in the Santa Margarita Invitational on Saturday has her trainer, Ron Ellis, eyeing the Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic this fall. Like the Santa Margarita, the Ladies’ Classic is at 1 1/8 miles, and, most significantly, it will be at Santa Anita this year on Nov. 2.

“I wouldn’t mind if the Breeders’ Cup was six weeks away,” Ellis said.

Tue, 03/20/2012 - 14:44

Santa Anita: Gomez takes another shot at comeback from injury

Barbara D. Livingston
Garrett Gomez retained the mount on Lookin At Lucky even after trainer Bob Baffert was disappointed with his ride in the Santa Anita Derby.

ARCADIA, Calif. – After an aborted comeback attempt March 9, jockey Garrett Gomez is scheduled to return to action Thursday at Santa Anita. He has two mounts, on Kelly Leak in the fifth race and Rauschenberg in the seventh, and if he rides both horses, it will be the most action he’s had since breaking the heel in his left foot Jan. 8.

Gomez tried to ride March 9, but had so much pain in the foot that he bowed out after one ride. The extra two weeks were beneficial, according to his agent, Tony Matos, who has an ambitious spring schedule for his rider.