Sun, 11/20/2011 - 19:25

Hollywood Park: Jockeys refuse to ride last three races because of unsafe track conditions

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Hollywood Park canceled the final three races of its nine-race Sunday program after jockeys deemed that the Cushion Track surface, primarily areas on the backstretch, was unsafe after sustaining an estimated inch of rain.

As a result, a pick six pool of $356,005 was refunded in full after three of the six races had been run. Thursday’s eight-race program will begin with a pick six carryover of $62,888, which had carried over from Saturday into Sunday.

Sun, 11/20/2011 - 18:14

Hollywood Park: Majestic City will await CashCall Futurity

Shigeki Kikkawa
Majestic City will bypass next Sunday's Generous Stakes in favor of the CashCall Futurity on Dec. 17.

Majestic City, the multiple stakes winner who was 13th in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at Churchill Downs on Nov. 5, will make his next start in the $750,000 CashCall Futurity at Hollywood Park on Dec. 17.

Trainer Peter Miller considered starting Majestic City in the $100,000 Generous Stakes on Sunday, but has opted for more time between races.

“I want a little more time to regroup,” Miller said.

Miller won the 2010 CashCall Futurity with Comma to the Top, a contender in Saturday’s $100,000 Vernon Underwood Stakes over six furlongs.

Sun, 11/20/2011 - 18:06

Woodbine: Atlantic Hurricane solidifies Sovereign credentials by taking Bessarabian

Michael Burns
Atlantic Hurricane, claimed for $40,000 earlier this year, likely will be voted Canada's champion female sprinter after taking the Grade 3 Bessarabian.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario— Atlantic Hurricane  probably locked up the Sovereign Award for champion female sprinter with a decisive score Sunday at Woodbine in the Grade 3, $166,800 Bessarabian Stakes.

A determined Moonlit Beauty set honest fractions in the seven-furlong sprint, while being tracked by Zermatt, one of three Todd Pletcher-trained shippers in the 10-horse field.

Sun, 11/20/2011 - 17:59

Hollywood Park: Sanagas earns extended vacation until 2012

BENOIT PHOTO
Trainer Graham Motions says it's unlikely that Sanagas, winner of Saturday's Hollywood Turf Cup, will race this winter at Gulfstream Park.

Sanagas, who won his Grade 1 debut in Saturday’s $250,000 Hollywood Turf Cup, will have the winter off and will be pointed to races beginning in the spring, trainer Graham Motion said.

Sanagas is scheduled to be sent back to Motion’s base in Maryland, and is unlikely to start at the Gulfstream Park meeting.

“I might keep him north and point him for the spring campaign,” Motion said after Saturday’s race. “We can point for the nice races in summer and fall.”

Sun, 11/20/2011 - 17:52

Hollywood Park: Made to Love Her wins Moccasin in style suggesting she can go longer

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Made to Love Her won her first stakes in Sunday’s $100,000 Moccasin Stakes at Hollywood Park in a style that suggested she can be effective around two turns.

Sun, 11/20/2011 - 17:23

Hollywood Derby will be uncharted territory for Venomous

Shigeki Kikkawa
Venomous, second in last month's Oak Tree Derby, will try to stretch out to 1 1/4 miles for next Sunday's Hollywood Derby.

INGLEWOOD, Calif.- Venomous was the colt who was flying through deep stretch of the Grade 2 Oak Tree Derby at Santa Anita on Oct. 15, making up more than five lengths to finish a half-length behind upset winner Ultimate Eagle.

The Oak Tree Derby was run over 1 1/8 miles, at the time the longest race of Venomous’s 13-race career. He will run even farther in Sunday’s $250,000 Hollywood Derby over 1 1/4 miles on turf.

Sun, 11/20/2011 - 14:24

Los Alamitos: Chivalry SR earns berth in Champion of Champions

Chivalry SR earned a berth to the $750,000 Champion of Champions for Quarter Horses at Los Alamitos on Dec. 10 with the fastest qualifying time from Saturday’s time trials.

Ridden by Rodrigo Aceves for breeder Stern Ranches, Chivalry SR ran 400 yards in 19.37 seconds to win by 1 1/4 lengths. Sparky E Boy, runner-up to Chivalry SR, was timed in 19.59 seconds, and had the second-fastest time for the trials.

Sun, 11/20/2011 - 14:12

Aqueduct: Groomedforvictory connects for stakes score first start off the claim

 OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Sent off as the favorite for his first start since being claimed in February for $62,500, Groomedforvictory  rallied widest through the stretch and sustained a long rally to edge Johannesburg Smile by a head in Sunday’s $60,000 Adirondack Holme overnight stakes for New York-breds.

Sun, 11/20/2011 - 14:05

Delta Princess champion Now I Know will vacation until Oaklawn reopens

Coady Photography
The unbeaten filly Now I Know could target the Dixie Belle at Oaklawn Park for her first race in 2012.

Now I Know, who remained undefeated in five starts with her four-length win in the Grade 3, $500,000 Delta Downs Princess on Saturday, will likely be freshened and return to action at Oaklawn Park, said trainer Don Von Hemel.

“We’ll probably give her a little time off,” he said. “She’s had five races and that’s enough for a 2-year-old. I suppose we won’t see her again before Hot Springs. She could come back in the Dixie Belle.”

Sun, 11/20/2011 - 13:27

Delta Jackpot winner Sabercat part of memorable weekend for Asmussen

Coady Photography
The 2-year-old, Steve Asmussen-trained Sabercat gave jockey Gerard Melancon the biggest victory of his career by taking the $1 million Delta Downs Jackpot.

VINTON, La.- Sabercat is bound for Southern California following his win in the Grade 3, $1 million Delta Downs Jackpot on Saturday. Plans for his campaign moving forward are to be determined, Ron Winchell, who co-owns the horse with his mother, Joan Winchell, said on Sunday.