Tue, 10/18/2011 - 17:03

Pure Gossip will be supplemented to Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf

Pure Gossip, emphatic winner of the Miss Grillo Stakes at Belmont on Oct. 2, will be supplemented to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf for a fee of $100,000, trainer Phil Serpe confirmed Tuesday morning.

Pure Gossip, a New York-bred daughter of Pure Prize, is owned by Flying Zee Stables, whose founder, Carl Lizza, died in July. Serpe said he believes that Viane Lizza, Carl’s widow, is doing what she feels Carl would have done.

Tue, 10/18/2011 - 16:57

Belmont: Inherit the Gold, Haynesfield return to clash in Empire Classic

Inherit the Gold hopes to inherit the title of champion older New York-bred that Haynesfield currently holds. Both horses are making their return to the races from five-month layoffs in Saturday’s $200,000 Empire Classic at Belmont Park.

Haynesfield is winless in two starts this year and has not run since finishing fifth in the Metropolitan Handicap on May 30.

Inherit the Gold has won 4 of 6 starts this year, including the Grade 3 Excelsior Stake, and hasn’t run since finishing third to Drosselmeyer in an overnight stakes at Belmont Park on May 15.

Tue, 10/18/2011 - 16:40

Breeders' Cup Juvenile prospect Creative Cause turns in six-furlong bullet

Benoit & Associates
Creative Cause, with Joel Rosario riding, wins the Norfolk.

Creative Cause, the winner of the Grade 1 Norfolk Stakes at Santa Anita on Oct. 1, continued his progress toward a start in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Churchill Downs on Nov. 5, with a six-furlong workout at Hollywood Park on Tuesday.

Creative Cause worked alone and was timed in 1:14, the fastest of six recorded works at the distance.

“It’s just a maintenance work,” trainer Mike Harrington said. “He didn’t need a lot. I think he’s doing quite well.”

Tue, 10/18/2011 - 16:27

Santa Anita: Sharp claim Donato back to dirt for allowance feature

ARCADIA, Calif. – Rafael Becerra trains a small string of 13 horses. When one of his horses is claimed away, it affects the operation. Sometimes, change is good.

It was June 4 at Hollywood Park where Becerra and owner Daniel Sullivan considered claiming Donato. There was one problem. Their account balance was short of the $25,000 necessary to make the claim.

Tue, 10/18/2011 - 15:54

Keeneland: Sanagas has a standout performance under belt

Tod Marks
Sanagas, with Rajiv Maragh riding, wins the John's Call.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The 17th running of the Grade 3 Sycamore Stakes at Keeneland on Thursday is not restricted to nonwinners of an unrestricted stakes in North America this year. It only came up that way.

Tue, 10/18/2011 - 15:51

Santa Anita: Graded stakes winner Get Funky retired

The honest 8-year-old veteran Get Funky, whose 11-for-45 career was highlighted by wins in the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby and Grade 3 Morvich Handicap, has been retired from racing trainer John Sadler said Tuesday.

Sadler and owner Keith Abrahams claimed Get Funky for $62,500 from his second start in April 2006 and raced him for six years as he gradually went up the class ladder before gradually going back down. In his most recent start Oct. 15, Get Funky finished ninth in a $25,000 claiming race on the hill.

Tue, 10/18/2011 - 15:39

Santa Anita: Game On Dude works solid five furlongs for Breeders' Cup Classic

Benoit & Associates
Chantal Sutherland guides Game On Dude to victory in the Goodwood Stakes.

Game On Dude, the expected Breeders’ Cup Classic pacesetter, posted a solid five-furlong workout Tuesday at 9 a.m. at Santa Anita while in company with an unidentified workmate also trained by Bob Baffert.

Game On Dude broke off four lengths behind his workmate at the 4 1/2-furlong pole; they finished on even terms. Baffert timed Game on Dude in 58.80 seconds; clockers credited the 4-year-old with a half-mile work in 46.80, breezing.

Tue, 10/18/2011 - 15:10

Santa Anita: Ultimate Eagle can give his owner and trainer another highlight

Shigeki Kikkawa
Ultimate Eagle, with Martin Pedroza riding, wins the Oak Tree Derby.

ARCADIA, Calif. – The standard has been set – and it’s a high one.

Owner B.J. Wright and trainer Mike Pender need a Grade 1 win in November to keep pace with the career milestones they achieved as a team earlier this month.

On Oct. 8, Jeranimo won the Grade 2 Oak Tree Mile at Santa Anita, a prep for the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Mile at Churchill Downs on Nov. 5. A week later, their Ultimate Eagle pulled a 34-1 upset in the Grade 2 Oak Tree Derby. He is bound for the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby at Hollywood Park on Nov. 27.

Tue, 10/18/2011 - 15:09

Santa Anita: Tyler Baze scheduled to appear before stewards

Jockey Tyler Baze, who has been suspended since early September after avoiding a Breathalyzer test at Del Mar, is scheduled to appear at a hearing with Los Alamitos stewards on Saturday, regarding alleged violations of three California Horse Racing Board rules.

In a complaint filed by racing board investigators, Baze has been cited for allegedly violating rules for failing to comply with license restrictions; for disorderly conduct, specifically being under the influence of alcohol; and for conduct detrimental to horse racing.

Tue, 10/18/2011 - 14:30

Golden Gate Fields: New GM eyes ways to boost business

Coming off a brief but locally successf ul 22-day summer meeting and with a new interim general manager in Joe Morris, Golden Gate Fields hopes to continue its momentum during a 36-day fall-winter meet that begins Thursday and runs to Dec. 18.

The meeting begins what is a run of nearly nine months at Golden Gate Fields, which begins its traditional winter-spring meet on Dec. 26 continuing through mid-June 2012.