Mon, 10/10/2011 - 15:30

Woodbine: Canadian International Day fields up in the air

Jeff Coady/Coady Photography
Rahystrada, with Sheldon Russell riding, wins the Colonial Turf Cup.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – The fields for Woodbine’s three Grade 1 turf stakes on Sunday remained in flux as of Monday morning with a total of 17 candidates for the $1.5 million Canadian International, 14 for the $1 million E.P. Taylor, and 16 for the $500,000 Nearctic.

Mon, 10/10/2011 - 14:59

Miss Match going for BC Ladies' Classic

Benoit & Associates
Miss Match will be hoping for a fast pace in Friday's Grade 1 Apple Blossom Handicap at Oaklawn.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Miss Match, the winner of the Grade 1 Santa Margarita Invitational in March, is likely to make her next start in the Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic at Churchill Downs on Nov. 4, trainer Neil Drysdale said over the weekend.

A 6-year-old Argentine-bred mare, Miss Match has won 6 of 24 starts and $621,614. She finished fourth against males in the Grade 1 Goodwood Stakes at Santa Anita on Oct. 1, her most recent start.

Drysdale is hoping that Miss Match will thrive on the Churchill Downs main track in the Ladies' Classic, run over 1 1/8 miles.

Mon, 10/10/2011 - 14:14

Charles Town or Laurel may be site of Rapid Redux's shot at 18 straight

Rapid Redux’s pursuit of Thorougbred racing’s all-time record for consecutive wins will continue this weekend. Exactly where and when, however, remains uncertain.

A 5-year-old gelding trained by David Wells, Rapid Redux has won 17 straight races since last December, two shy of the North American record shared by 2010 Horse of the Year Zenyatta and the New Mexico-bred mare Peppers Pride. He is part of an eight-horse field entered for Friday’s eighth race at Charles Town, a $5,000 starter allowance with a purse of $25,000.

Mon, 10/10/2011 - 13:42

Woodbine: Two Breeders' Cup possibilities for Northern Passion

Michael Burns
Northern Passion cruises to the finish of the Natalma after jockey Luis Contreras cut the corner turning for home.

Northern Passion, a Canadian-bred who is owned by Oxley, breezed five furlongs in a bullet 59.60 seconds with Luis Contreras in the irons here at Woodbine Sunday morning.

“She was spectacular,” said Casse. “I think she’s a really good horse. The more I do with her, the better I think she is.”

While she has earned a guaranteed berth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf by virtue of her victory here in the Grade 3 Natalma, Northern Passion also is under consideration for the Juvenile Fillies on the main track at Churchill Downs.

Mon, 10/10/2011 - 13:35

Woodbine: Prospective may get shot at Breeders’ Cup

Michael Burns
Prospective, under Luis Contreras, captures the Grade 3 Grey for 2-year-olds.

Trainer Mark Casse finished second, fourth, and seventh with his three Natalma starters for owner/breeder John Oxley.

But they were back in the groove when Oxley’s horses Prospective and Lockout ran one-two and WinStar Farm’-owned Bluedacious completed a sweep for the barn in Sunday’s Grade 3, $201,200 Grey Stakes for 2-year-olds.

Prospective was doubling up while making his third start in the Grey, having finished second in his debut over six furlongs of turf and then winning a first-level allowance at seven furlongs on Polytrack.

Mon, 10/10/2011 - 13:00

Woodbine: Blue Heart overcomes inexperience, bad post in Mazarine

Michael Burns
Blue Heart finishes a head in front of Spirited Miss to win the Mazarine Stakes at Woodbine.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Blue Heart had just a winning six-furlong debut behind her and was breaking from the outside post in the field of 12 for last Saturday’s 1 1/16-mile Mazarine Stakes here at Woodbine.

But, those and all other obstacles proved to be within Blue Heart’s scope as she established a good position early before taking charge in upper stretch and holding on for a head victory under jockey Joe Bravo.

Mon, 10/10/2011 - 12:36

Woodbine: Where's Johnson liable to improve off runner-up effort in stakes

ETOBICOKE, Ontario — Among the stakes performers in Wednesday night’s opener at Woodbine, Where’s Johnson perhaps has the best chance in the six-furlong allowance for 2-year-olds.

Where’s Johnson, an $8,000 yearling purchase by C.E.C. Farm, lost his debut July 10 by a head to the talented Maritimer. Two weeks later, Where’s Johnson graduated by a neck over stablemate Menlo Castle, earning a solid 77 Beyer Speed Figure in the 5 1/2-furlong maiden special.

Mon, 10/10/2011 - 08:57

Fresno: Coup de Coeur turns back Killer Graces in Soviet Problem

Coup de Coeur took advantage of her speed to lead every step of the way in capturing the $75,000 Soviet Problem Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at the Big Fresno Fair on Sunday.

Sun, 10/09/2011 - 20:11

Santa Anita: Home Sweet Aspen stays focused in Louis Rowan

Benoit & Associates
Home Sweet Aspen, ridden by Joel Rosario, scores a front-running victory in the Louis Rowan.

ARCADIA, Calif.- Keeping Home Sweet Aspen occupied on the lead off Sunday’s $67,490 Louis Rowan Stakes at Santa Anita was the key to victory, jockey Joel Rosario said.

Rosario, riding his third winner of the day, urged Home Sweet Aspen to the front at the start of the sprint for fillies and mares over 6 1/2 furlongs and held off a persistent threat from Mildly Offensive to win by 2 1/4 lengths.

Sun, 10/09/2011 - 19:21

Keeneland: Switch to Polytrack no problem for Aruna in Spinster

Keeneland/Coady Photography
Aruna could be headed to the Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic after her win in Sunday's Juddmonte Spinster.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The confidence that trainer Graham Motion had in Aruna being able to handle a switch to Polytrack proved well-founded on Sunday at Keeneland, as Aruna came charging down the center of the course to win the Grade 1, $500,000 Juddmonte Spinster Stakes.