ARCADIA, Calif. - Decision time has arrived for trainer Bob Baffert.
He has until Wednesday to choose whether to enter Game On Dude in Saturday’s $750,000 Santa Anita Handicap or wait for the $10 million Dubai World Cup at Meydan Racecourse in the Middle East on March 31.
“I’ve got to make up my mind,” he said on Sunday afternoon. “It’s killing me. “My gut tells me to go to Dubai. He’s doing great.”
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Trainer Michael Matz has said all along that he was using Sunday’s Grade 2 Fountain of Youth as a prep for Union Rags, just the first step on the road to having him ready to peak on Kentucky Derby Day. And in light of his performance in his 3-year-old debut, one can only imagine what Union Rags might be ready to accomplish when he’s completely fit and at his best.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Grabbing the lead from her inside post at the start, Opus A put daylight on the field before going a quarter-mile, and turned back favored Great Gracie Dane through the stretch to win Sunday’s $75,000 Hildy’s Grey overnight stakes by two lengths.
Opus A ($5.40), the second choice among five betting interests, ran a mile and 70 yards in 1:41.78 over a fast track, and upped her record on the inner dirt to 4-1-1 from seven starts, beginning with a win in the 2009 East View Stakes as a juvenile.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Trainer Todd Pletcher said it will probably be several days before he knows exactly where he stands with Algorithms, who was scratched from Sunday’s Grade 2 Fountain of Youth due to a splint injury on his right front leg.
Pletcher said he discovered the injury Saturday, but didn’t know until Sunday morning the severity of the problem.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Algorithms has been scratched from Sunday’s Grade 2 Fountain of Youth Stakes after popping a splint, according to owner Jack Wolf. Algorithms was the morning-line favorite and one of two horses trainer Todd Pletcher had entered in the race along with Discreet Dancer.
“It’s nothing serious, but Todd just doesn't feel comfortable running him today,” said Wolf, principal partner in Starlight Racing.
Always In My Heart rallied up the rail to overtake pacesetter Puddy Tap and win the $50,000 Sam Houston Distaff at Sam Houston Race Park on Saturday night. The remaining order of finish was Standbyyourmangirl in third, followed by Miss Hockaday, and Patty’s Pride.
Always In My Heart ($6) sat behind the pace set by Puddy Tap, who took the field of fillies and mares through fractions of 24.10 for the opening quarter and 48.22 for the half-mile. Always In My Heart went on to cover the mile and a sixteenth in 1:44.91 and win by three-quarters of a length.
Isn’t He Clever rolled out new tactics Saturday for the $150,000 Borderland Derby at Sunland Park, and after rallying for a 1 3/4-length win over favorite Zackn’mat, his connections said he would target next month’s Grade 3, $800,000 Sunland Derby. Major Hope finished third in the Borderland Derby, 10 lengths behind Zackn’mat.
Lotta Lovin proved a popular winner Saturday when bet down to odds-on favoritism before proceeding to a 3 1/2-length triumph in the $50,000 Valdale Stakes at Turfway Park in Florence, Ky.
The Valdale marked the third straight Turfway stakes score, and the first around two turns, for Lotta Lovin, a Pennsylvania-bred 3-year-old filly by Repent. She returned $3.60 after finishing the one-mile Polytrack race in 1:39.59.
