ARCADIA, Calif. – Turf racing at Santa Anita often is scaled back during February and March, historically the two wettest months on the California calendar.
But an unseasonably dry winter has allowed Santa Anita to use the grass course for 30 percent of its races already during the 2011-12 meet, a theme that continues Thursday. Four of the eight races are on grass, including three one-mile races in the pick six.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Following a solid three-length victory in an allowance race here three weeks ago, Crossbow seemed destined to make his graded stakes debut in the $200,000 Tom Fool Handicap on March 3 at Aqueduct.
But with another exciting sprinter in the barn and another allowance option available, Crossbow’s graded stakes debut will wait for another day. Instead of the Tom Fool, Crossbow makes his next start in a $66,000 third-level allowance race that serves as Aqueduct’s feature on Thursday’s nine-race program.
ARCADIA, Calif.- Corey Nakatani has spent recent weeks getting to know City to City, the mare he rode to an upset win in Monday’s $150,00 Buena Vista Handicap at Santa Anita.
Nakatani rode City to City in workouts, working with Dan Ward, Jerry Hollendorfer’s assistant, to learn the nuances of a 5-year-old multiple stakes-winning mare who was winless in her last four starts.
“Dan said, ‘You’ll fit this filly,’” Nakatani recalled. “See if you can get her to turn off and go when you ask her.’”
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Trainer Bob Baffert and jockey Rafael Bejarano swept the two divisions of the Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park on Monday, after Secret Circle dug in for a half-length win in the second division. One race earlier, Castaway opened up the first division, rolling home by 3 3/4 lengths. Both races were Grade 3 stakes, and each was worth $250,000.
"I was just so [thankful] to Oaklawn they split the race," Baffert said. "That was nice. If I can just get them to split the Rebel, now that would be great!"
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Trainer Bob Baffert and jockey Rafael Bejarano swept both divisions of the Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park on Monday, after Secret Circle drove to about a three-quarter-length win over Scatman. One race earlier, Castaway took the first division, by 3 3/4 lengths. Both races carried Grade 3 status, and the purse for each was $250,000.
A special daily double covering the two races paid $26. The winning numbers were 11-9.
Trainer Richard Dutrow Jr. exuded tremendous confidence in Yawanna Twist entering Monday’s Grade 2, $200,000 General George Handicap at Laurel Park, and the 5-year-old New York-bred rewarded the trainer and the bettors who made him the favorite by winning the race by a half-length over stablemate This Ones for Phil.
Toby’s Corner, making his first start since winning the Grade 1 Wood Memorial last April, finished third, beaten one length. He was followed in the order of finish by Eighttofasttocatch, Fordangshore, Caixa Eletronica, and My Cuz C J.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Castaway prompted the pace set by Majestic Stride, then overtook that one en route to a 3 3/4-length win in the first division of the Grade 3, $250,000 Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park on Monday. Jake Mo rallied for second, while Reckless Jerry was third.
Castaway ($15.40) tracked Majestic Stride through fractions of 23.56 for the opening quarter, 48.08 for the half-mile and 1:12.60 for six furlongs. The winner covered the one-mile distance on a fast track in 1:38.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Law Enforcement’s comeback from a life-threatening bout with colic two years ago was completed Monday at Aqueduct when the 7-year-old New York-bred rallied from last to win the $75,000 Hollie Hughes Stakes.
Under Alan Garcia, Law Enforcement rallied from 15 lengths back after the opening quarter to run past Head Heart Hoof in the final 50 yards and win the race by 1 1/4 lengths. Head Heart Hoof finished second by a head over Be Bullish, last year’s Hughes winner. He was followed in the order of finish by Dr Disco, Ground Force, Freudian Dilemma, and Bug Juice.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - After switching gears with It's Tricky and sending the filly to start her 2012 campaign in the Top Flight at Aqueduct rather than the Sabin Stakes at Gulfstream Park, trainer Kiaran McLaughlin has also changed plans with a couple of other runners for stakes races to be run on March 3.
McLaughlin said Monday that Emcee will ship up to New York for the Grade 3, $200,000 Tom Fool while Evening Attire Stakes winner Redding Colliery is "likely" headed to California for the $750,000 Santa Anita Handicap.
