Sat, 02/18/2012 - 13:57

Santa Anita: Smith has good feeling about Cambina heading into Buena Vista

Benoit & Associates
Cambina, with Garrett Gomez up, wins the Providencia.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Jockey Mike Smith was aboard the 4-year-old filly Cambina for the first time in a three-furlong workout at Santa Anita last Thursday. It was a get-to-know session for Smith before Monday’s $150,000 Buena Vista Handicap for fillies and mares over a mile on turf.

“I got a feel of her balance and what it takes to get her to relax,” Smith said. “It’s nice to get a feel of her. I could tell that she has a good turn of foot. I didn’t need to use that.”

Sat, 02/18/2012 - 13:30

Laurel: Dutrow hopes to spoil comeback of Toby's Corner in General George

Barbara D. Livingston
Yawanna Twist, third in last year's Preakness, eturns to New York-bred competition for the first time since he won his first two starts sprinting over the inner track last winter in Saturday's Kings Point.

The headlines entering Monday’s Grade 2, $200,000 General George Handicap at Laurel Park focus on the return of Wood Memorial winner Toby’s Corner to the races after a 10-month layoff. Trainer Richard Dutrow Jr. hopes to put a different twist on the story when the seven-furlong dirt race is over.

Dutrow, who grew up in Maryland and worked for his father, the highly-respected Richard Dutrow Sr., hopes to spoil Toby’s Corner’s return with either of his uncoupled runners, Yawanna Twist or This Ones for Phil.

Sat, 02/18/2012 - 13:24

Santa Anita: Regally Ready will race twice in Dubai

ARCADIA, Calif. – Regally Ready, winner of the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Churchill Downs last November, is bound for the $1  million Al Quoz Sprint on the Dubai World Cup program on March  31.

Part of trainer Steve Asmussen’s California division this winter, Regally Ready worked five furlongs in 1:01.40 on Saturday, his second-to-last workout before being shipped to Dubai on Feb. 26.

Sat, 02/18/2012 - 11:53

Portland: L G Jet tries to stay perfect at meet in Oregon Breeders Derby

L G Jet will try to cap an undefeated season at Portland Meadows on Monday with a victory in the $20,000 Oregon Thoroughbred Breeders Derby.

L G Jet, a son of Harbor the Gold, has scored three straight victories here, including a wire-to-wire score in the six-furlong Bill Wineberg on Dec. 11. Saturday’s race at one mile will be his first around two turns.

The distance is no concern to L G Jet’s trainer John Harris. L G Jet’s breeding suggests he’ll handle the distance with runners such as Buckpasser and Northern Dancer in his pedigree.

Sat, 02/18/2012 - 11:40

Aqueduct: Dr Disco trying to erase memory of last race

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – The toughest competition he had faced to date combined with a less-than-stellar trip added up to the worst performance of Dr Disco’s career in the Grade 3 Toboggan on Feb. 4.

In hopes of erasing that memory sooner than later, trainer Bruce Brown and owner Joseph Dirico have elected to wheel the speedy colt back in 16 days in Monday’s $75,000 Hollie Hughes Stakes for New York-breds at Aqueduct.

Fri, 02/17/2012 - 17:10

Aqueduct: NYRA institutes new safety guidelines

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - The New York Racing Association announced Friday that it will institute two new policies in an attempt to provide safer racing conditions.

First, NYRA will begin enforcing a house rule that will allow P.J. Campo, the director of racing, Anthony Verderosa, the chief examining vet, the right to refuse entry of a horse with which “they have any nature of concern.”

Second, when racing returns to the main track, the bottom claiming level will be raised from $7,500 to $10,000 and then to $12,500 when Belmont opens on April 27.

Fri, 02/17/2012 - 17:06

Aqueduct: Brown doubles down in Hollie Hughes

Adam Coglianese/NYRA
Dr Disco, with Mike Luzzi riding, wins the Vodka Stakes.

OZONE  PARK, N.Y. - Bruce Brown will send out the uncoupled entry of Be Bullish and Dr Disco in Monday’s $75,000 Hollie Hughes for New York-breds, the featured event on a nine-race President’s Day card at Aqueduct. Be Bullish won this race last year when in the barn of Richard Dutrow Jr.

Brown and owner Thomas La Marca claimed Be Bullish, a 7-year-old gelding, for $50,000 on Jan. 25, a race he won by one length.

Fri, 02/17/2012 - 17:01

Aqueduct: Lakeman declines Jacobson offer

Barbara D. Livingston
Thisskysabeauty was claimed by David Jacobson.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - There were more than a few raised eyebrows, some Internet chatter, and backstretch banter regarding David Jacobson’s claim of Thisskysabeauty from Andrew Lakeman on Thursday.

Thisskysabeauty was the first horse Lakeman – the former jockey who was paralyzed in a spill in May 2007 – ever trained and just one of two horses in his care. Thisskysabeauty gave Lakeman his first win as a trainer last Thanksgiving Day.

Fri, 02/17/2012 - 16:46

Oaklawn: Gleaming has strong case in Spring Fever

Oaklawn Park/Coady Photography
Gleaming, with Lindey Wade subbing in the saddle for Cliff Berry, wins the American Beauty.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Gleaming is developing into a female sprinter of note. She has won two stakes in her last three starts, and for one of those wins earned a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 92. Sunday, Gleaming will be out to build on the success, when she takes on eight other fillies and mares in the $60,000 Spring Fever.

Fri, 02/17/2012 - 16:35

Santa Anita: San Vicente merely a starting point for Creative Cause

Barbara D. Livingston
Creative Cause will make his first start since the Breeders' Cup Juvenile in the San Vicente Stakes.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Creative Cause does not have to win his comeback Sunday at Santa Anita. The goal, after all, is 1 1/4 miles in May, rather than a sprint in February.

Trainer Mike Harrington downplays the Grade 2 San Vicente Stakes, but the implications are unmistakable. The seven-furlong race is the first start for Creative Cause since a third-place finish Nov. 5 in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.

The ride starts over Sunday against five rivals in the San Vicente.