Mon, 02/13/2012 - 12:01

Tampa Bay Downs: Action Andy continues to impress with Super Stakes win

Tom Cooley
Action Andy, with jockey Daniel Coa up, wins the Super Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs.

OLDSMAR, Fla. – Jockey Daniel Coa felt as though he was just along for the ride aboard Action Andy in Saturday’s $75,000 Super Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs.

“Anybody in the [jockeys’] room could have won on this horse today,” he said.

Sun, 02/12/2012 - 19:44

Santa Anita: Indigo River kicks clear in Sweet Life Stakes

Benoit & Associates
Indigo River closes to win the Sweet Life Stakes by 1 1/2 lengths.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Indigo River has outgrown Santa Anita’s hillside turf course.

After winning her American stakes debut in Sunday’s $73,950 Sweet Life Stakes for 3-year-old fillies on the hillside course, Indigo River will race around two turns for her next start in the $150,000 Providencia Stakes over 1 1/8 miles on turf April 7, trainer Jeff Mullins said.

Sunday’s race was Indigo River’s second start in this country, preceded by a win in an optional claimer on the hillside Jan. 13. She was the winner of a maiden race in Ireland last August.

Sun, 02/12/2012 - 18:50

Sunland Park: Vamoose draws away to win Curribot

Lisa Dominguez / Coady Photography
Vamoose wins the Curribot Stakes by 3 1/2 lengths at Sunland Park.

Vamoose ran down a series of pacesetters to win the third stakes race of his career Sunday in the $50,000 Curribot at Sunland Park. The 1 1/16-mile race was part of Sunland’s route series for older horses, serving as a stepping-stone to the $100,000 Sunland Park Handicap on April 15.

Sun, 02/12/2012 - 18:29

Kentucky Derby Future Wager: Field closes at 3-2 in Pool 1; handle sets record

Barbara D. Livingston
Union Rags is the 7-1 second choice behind the field in Pool 1 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – For the 14th time in as many years, the mutuel field is the favorite in Pool 1 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager, which closed Sunday at 6 p.m. Eastern following a three-day run that set a record for highest handle since Churchill Downs first began offering parimutuel futures in 1999.

Sun, 02/12/2012 - 17:50

Aqueduct: Beautiful But Blue wires Windswept Wings

Adam Coglianese/NYRA
Beautiful But Blue leads gate to wire in the Windswept Wings Stakes at Aqueduct.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Beautiful But Blue got to the front easily under Junior Alvarado and was allowed to dawdle on the lead through slow early fractions en route to a two-length victory in Sunday’s $75,000 Windswept Wings Stakes for New York-bred 3-year-old fillies at Aqueduct.

Peggy Jane, the 6-5 favorite, chased Beautiful But Blue all the way around the racetrack, but had to settle for second, 2 1/4 lengths clear of Mischief Maker.

Sun, 02/12/2012 - 16:47

Santa Anita: Princess Arabella stays perfect with easy allowance win

Benoit & Associates
Princess Arabella, with Martin Garcia up, wins an allowance race by 3 1/2 lengths.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Princess Arabella won a $58,000 allowance race with such ease Sunday that trainer Bob Baffert compared it to a morning exercise.

“That was a good work, huh?” Baffert asked jockey Martin Garcia in the winner’s circle.

Garcia guided Princess Arabella to a win by 3 1/2 lengths in the allowance race over seven furlongs. The win left Princess Arabella unbeaten in two starts, preceded by a maiden race win by the same margin here Dec. 31.

Sun, 02/12/2012 - 16:13

Santa Anita: Gomez hopes to return for Santa Anita Handicap

Barbara D. Livingston
Garrett Gomez, with a record four Breeders' Cup victories last year, has 12 mounts lined up this year.

Garrett Gomez, sidelined since Jan. 8 with a heel injury, has targeted the Santa Anita Handicap program on March 3 for a comeback, he said Sunday.

Gomez spent Sunday morning at Clocker’s Corner, a popular gathering point at Santa Anita, visiting with friends. Walking with crutches, Gomez said he started more extensive physical activity over the weekend, including swimming and riding a stationary bicycle. He began a physical therapy regiment in late January.

Sun, 02/12/2012 - 16:10

Creative Cause gears up for San Vicente Stakes

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

ARCADIA, Calif. – Creative Cause will make his first start since November in the $150,000 San Vicente Stakes at Santa Anita next Sunday, and the two-time stakes winner is more than ready, trainer Mike Harrington said.

The winner of the Grade 1 Norfolk Stakes in October and third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile in November, Creative Cause worked six furlongs in 1:11.40 at Hollywood Park on Sunday, his final major exercise before the Grade 2 San Vicente over seven furlongs.

“I think he’s on his game,” Harrington said.

Sun, 02/12/2012 - 15:11

Aqueduct: Stormy’s Majesty takes advantage of strong start in Mr. G.J.G. Stakes

Adam Coglianese/NYRA
Stormy's Majesty holds off Inherit the Gold in the $75,000 Mr. G.J.G. Stakes.

A poor start cost compromised Stormy’s Majesty when he finished fifth in the Alex M. Robb six weeks ago. A sharp start was the key to victory for Stormy’s Majesty in Sunday’s $75,000 Mr. G.J.G. Stakes for New York-breds at Aqueduct.

Sun, 02/12/2012 - 14:34

Gulfstream Park: Castellano opts to ride Algorithms over Union Rags in Fountain of Youth

Barbara D. Livingston
Jockey Javier Castellano rides Algorithms to victory in the Holy Bull Stakes. Castellano also is the regular rider of Union Rags.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – After agonizing over the decision for several days, jockey Javier Castellano and his agent, Matt Muzikar, have chosen to ride Algorithms, not Union Rags, in Gulfstream Park’s Grade 2 Fountain of Youth on Feb. 26. Union Rags will be ridden by Julien Leparoux in the Fountain of Youth.