Thu, 01/19/2012 - 15:10

Keeneland: Ashland and Jenny Wiley purses increased by $100K

Keeneland Race Course on Thursday released the stakes schedule for its 2012 spring meet with very little change from tradition, with the Grade 1, $750,000 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes serving as the highlight of a 15-day meet at the Lexington, Ky., track.

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 14:22

Sunland Park: That’s Who cuts back for Pepsi-Cola Stakes

A turnback in distance could result in different tactics from That’s Who, a speedy front-runner who will be seeking his third career stakes win Saturday when he starts in the $110,000 Pepsi-Cola at Sunland Park.

The Pepsi-Cola is a six-furlong race for 3-year-olds bred in New Mexico. A field of 10 will go, including E Bar Way, a stakes winner at Zia Park, and Honshu City, a stakes winner at the Downs at Albuquerque.

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 14:21

Hollendorfer trio looms large in California Oaks

Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer has the filly to beat in Saturday’s $100,000 California Oaks at Golden Gate Fields.

But which of his three entrants is it?

Is it Lady of Fifty, who has won the six-furlong Golden Gate Debutante and one-mile Corte Madera in wire-to-wire fashion in her past two starts?

Is it Sweet Nothings, who followed up a maiden victory on the turf with a runner-up effort against Lady of Fifty in the Corte Madera, losing by a half-length?

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 14:06

Santa Anita: Amazombie scratches from Palos Verdes, Courtside new favorite

Benoit Photo
Following the scratch of Amazombie, Courtside was made the 9-5 favorite for the Palos Verdes.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Amazombie, the champion sprinter of 2011, was scratched from Saturday’s $200,000 Palos Verdes Stakes at Santa Anita after rain fell early in the day.

Trainer Bill Spawr said repeatedly in the build-up to the Grade 2 Palos Verdes that he was reluctant to start Amazombie if considerable rain fell and the track was left as wet-fast, and firm.

With an hour to post time for Saturday’s first race, the track was listed as wet-fast, with the possibility of further rain through the afternoon.

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 14:00

2012 Kentucky Derby contenders ranked by graded stakes earnings

List of contenders for the 2012 Kentucky Derby on May 5 at Churchill Downs, ranked by graded stakes earnings. The Kentucky Derby field is limited to 20 horses; if more than 20 enter, the entries are determined by the amount of graded stakes earnings each horse has accumulated.

[MORE: Derby Watch Top 20 Contenders]

[MORE: Road to the 2012 Kentucky Derby]

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 13:46

Stronach promises at CHRB meeting that Santa Anita will remain a racetrack

ARCADIA, Calif. – Santa Anita chairman Frank Stronach told the California Horse Racing Board on Thursday that the track will remain open for racing and will not be subject to development in the future.

Stronach and racing board chairman Keith Brackpool met earlier in the week to discuss the track’s future, with discussions expected to continue in coming months, the two men said.

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 13:36

Fair Grounds: Weather will tell Pan Zareta story

Keeneland/Coady Photography
Wild About Marie, with Robby Albarado riding, wins the Franklin County.

Probably the most important question regarding the $75,000 Pan Zareta Stakes is this: Will it or not? Will the rain come hard enough to force the 5 1/2-furlong race off the turf and onto the main track?

“If it does, we won’t run,” said Jeff Thornbury, who would seem to have the horse to beat in Wild About Marie if the Pan Zareta stays on the grass Saturday at Fair Grounds in New Orleans.

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 13:11

Turfway: Lotta Lovin can enhance sale value in Cincinnati Trophy

Lotta Lovin had been moderately productive for Buck Butler after he and his partners made a private purchase of the filly following a dominating victory in a June maiden race at Presque Isle Downs. Lotta Lovin quickly won a Calder allowance race, but then the best she could do from three stakes efforts was a fourth-place finish.

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 12:38

Hansen's road to Derby likely to begin in Holy Bull

Barbara D. Livingston
Hansen gets a postrace kiss from his owner, breeder, and namesake, Dr. Kendall Hansen, after the Breeders' Cup Juvenile. If all goes to plan, Hansen will run in the Holy Bull, Fountain of Youth, and Florida Derby before starting in the Kentucky Derby.

Hansen is spending the winter at Gulfstream Park, where trainer Mike Maker has mapped out a schedule that allows Hansen to remain in Florida and get two or three preps before the May 5 Kentucky Derby.

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 08:19

Portland Meadows: Ferguson gets 1,000th Thoroughbred win

Trainer Jim Fergason, who has won six Portland Meadows training titles, saddled his 1,000th Thoroughbred winner Wednesday at Portland when Mo’s Flashy Dash scored a one-length victory as the favorite in a 5 1/2-furlong $2,500 claiming race.

Fergason, 59, has been training since 1969. His first winner came on a 99-1 shot in a Quarter Horse race,

“I’m happy I got this win here,” said Fergason. “Probably 900 of those wins came right here, so I’m really happy about that.”