DEL MAR, Calif. – Despite her career-defining win in Saturday’s Grade 2 John Mabee Stakes at Del Mar, Avenue de France may not run in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Keeneland on Nov. 5.
Trainer Leonard Powell said on Monday that he will take a week to assess race goals in coming months for Avenue de France, but was leaning away from the BC Filly and Mare Turf.
“The Breeders’ Cup is a different ballgame with the Europeans,” Powell said.
DEL MAR, Calif. – Mackinnon, a two-time stakes winner in 2021 who has struggled in a limited campaign this year, is being transferred from trainer Doug O’Neill in California to Chad Brown in New York this week, co-owner Erik Johnson and O’Neill said over the weekend.
In a text message, Johnson cited “more turf options” on the East Coast as the “only reason behind decision.”
“Doug did a great job with him. Doug is still my trainer.”
DEL MAR, Calif. – Slammed, second in the Grade 3 Rancho Bernardo Handicap on Aug. 28 at Del Mar, was recently shipped to Kentucky, where she will have her next start in the Grade 2 Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes at six furlongs for fillies and mares on Oct. 8 at Keeneland.
Should Slammed win, the first-place share of approximately $180,000 will go toward financing a $200,000 supplemental fee to the Breeders’ Cup program in advance of a possible start in the Filly and Mare Sprint on Nov. 5 at Keeneland, trainer and co-owner Todd Fincher said.
DEL MAR, Calif. - Speed Boat Beach lowered the track record for 5 1/2 furlongs to 1:01.86 with a win in a maiden special weight race for 2-year-olds in his debut at Del Mar on Saturday.
Speed Boat Beach was given a massive Beyer Speed Figure of 104, the highest of the year for a juvenile.
Ridden by Flavien Prat, Speed Boat Beach ($6.40) led throughout and won by 1 1/4 lengths over 11-10 favorite Hejazi, who was purchased for $3.55 million at auction earlier this year. Fort Bragg finished third, giving Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert a sweep of the first three positions.
DEL MAR, Calif. - And Tell Me Nolies handled her stakes debut in Saturday’s Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante at seven furlongs in the manner of a filly who wants more ground.
That was the perspective of trainer Peter Miller, who will test the theory when And Tell Me Nolies starts in the Grade 2 Chandelier Stakes at 1 1/16 miles at Santa Anita on Oct. 8. The $200,000 Chandelier Stakes is a prep for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at the same distance at Keeneland on Nov. 4.
“She wants to run,” Miller said on Sunday. “She’s very professional for a three-start runner.
DEL MAR, Calif. - Flightline had only a few days off after his electrifying win in the Grade 1 Pacific Classic at Del Mar on Sept. 3.
“By the third day, in the afternoon, he was rambunctious in his stall,” said Juan Leyva, assistant to trainer John Sadler.
Flightline’s energy led to a resumption of racetrack activity at Del Mar on Sept. 7, when the colt resumed jogging. Flightline was jogged on a daily basis through Sunday. Flightline and the rest of the Sadler stable are scheduled to be vanned to Santa Anita late Monday.
Jockey Brayan Pena, who has not ridden since Aug. 14 at Santa Rosa after testing positive for marijuana, met with stewards at Golden Gate Fields on Friday morning and submitted a urine sample in an effort to resume riding as early as next week, according to steward Richard Lewis.
Pena, 32, must test negative before he is allowed to resume riding, Lewis said. There is a possibility Pena will be named to ride on a provisional basis for the Sept. 16 program when entries are taken on Saturday, pending the results of Friday’s test.
With the exception of an additional week of racing in July, the proposed racing calendar for 2023 in Southern California is similar to the schedule in 2021 and this year.
The California Horse Racing Board’s dates committee is scheduled to meet in Sacramento on Wednesday to discuss racing dates for all venues throughout the state. After what is likely to be considerable discussion, the committee is expected to adopt a proposal to present to the full racing board on Thursday.
The title of leading trainer at the Del Mar summer meeting is unlikely to be decided until Sunday’s final day of the season, with a familiar names vying for the honor.
Through Thursday, with three days of racing remaining, Bob Baffert and Doug O’Neill were tied with 17 wins, one more than Phil D’Amato.
Baffert won seven consecutive training titles from 1997 to 2003, but none since. O’Neill has won five titles at summer meetings, most recently in 2019. D’Amato has won or tied for two summer training titles.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario — Following the passing of 96-year-old Queen Elizabeth II on Thursday, speculation was that the Queen’s Plate would revert back to the King’s Plate in honor of the new monarch, King Charles III, as has been the tradition in the 163-year history of the race.
Woodbine Entertainment CEO Jim Lawson said he will meet the board of directors regarding a name change for Canada’s most prestigious horse race.
