ARCADIA, Calif. – Mike Puype had to try. Doesn’t every trainer at this time of year with a promising 3-year-old?
Even though Puype’s instincts were that Consulado is probably best around one turn at this point in time, he gave Consulado a chance to prove otherwise in a one-mile allowance race last month at Santa Anita. And while Consulado was far from disgraced, finishing second to the promising Fed Biz, there was nothing about the effort that made Puype want to try it again this spring.
Here's my race-by-race rundown of Friday's pick four at Aqueduct on March 16, 2012. I'm building my wager with TicketMaker, found exclusively on DRF.com.
STONEMILL (#5) was unlucky loser two back after enduring a very tough trip, and came back to run winning race vs. odds-on dropdown Alvito last out. Repeat of either of those efforts should get him the money this time.
ARCADIA, Calif. – A poster of Zenyatta and her recently born first foal, a colt by Bernardini, will be given away at Santa Anita on Saturday as part of what the track is calling a “baby shower.”
In addition to the poster, members of Zenyatta’s inner circle – expected to include owners Jerry and Ann Moss, trainer John Shirreffs, and jockey Mike Smith – will be available for an autograph session beginning at 11:30 a.m., one hour before first post.
Betfair has reached an agreement with Hollywood Park that will give the exchange-wagering company naming rights to the racetrack and provide for “major technology, facility, and infrastructure upgrades” at the Inglewood, Calif., oval, according to a release from both companies.
Veteran Castle Pines seeks his 20th lifetime win in the $25,000 Portland Meadows Route Claiming Series Starter Stakes and, at the ripe old age of 9, it would be his biggest. With the capable assistance of red-hot jockey Eliska Kubinova, who recently won six races on one card, Castle Pines will likely set his own fractions in the 1 1/4-mile race and that could be decisive.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - The last time Soaring Stocks and Apriority met, it was no contest, with Soaring Stocks posting a nose decision over Cajun Breeze in the Florida Sunshine Millions Sprint while Apriority finished far back as the 9-5 favorite.
Fordangshore, last of seven after the opening quarter-mile, rallied six wide coming into the stretch and drew off to a 2 3/4-length victory in Tuesday’s $75,000 Bensalem Stakes at Parx Racing.
Based in Maryland with trainer Mike Trombetta, the 5-year-old Fordangshore ($8) was cutting back slightly in distance from seven to 6 1/2 furlongs and dropping in class after finishing fifth in his stakes debut in last month’s Grade 2 General George Handicap at Laurel Park.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – With five weeks of racing remaining at the Oaklawn Park meet that runs through April 14, preps for the track’s annual Racing Festival of the South stakes are starting to pop up on a regular basis. Thursday’s card features two such allowances for fillies and mares, one designed to produce starters for the $75,000 Carousel and the other a prep for the $100,000 Redbud. Both stakes are April 12, the second day of the festival that features at least one major stakes race over the final week of racing at Oaklawn.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Gallant Fields, a gaining second to multiple stakes winner This Ones for Phil in his only start this year, figures to vie for favoritism with the improved Black N Beauty in Thursday’s feature at Aqueduct.
Black N Beauty and Gallant Fields break from posts 1 and 2 respectively in a second-level optional $50,000 claimer for older horses going a mile and 70 yards. To their outside, in post position order, are Lubango, Day of Destiny, Modern Cowboy, and Viscount.
