LOUISVILLE, Ky. – On an otherwise quiet Monday at Churchill, Kentucky Oaks winner Secret Oath was out for serious work when going five furlongs in 58.80 seconds over a fast track.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Before he became a noted bloodstock agent working closely with Hall of Fame trainer Ron McAnally, Murray Friedlander was an accomplished trainer in California in the 1970s.
Friedlander, who died on Saturday at age 98, won the 1974 Golden Gate Handicap at Golden Gate Fields at 1 1/2 miles on turf with Acclimatization for Nelson Bunker Hunt, one of the most prominent owners of that era.
Acclimatization began his career in Europe, and it was through his connections on that continent that Friedlander enjoyed his success as a horse agent.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Churchill Downs in Louisville will begin its fall meet Sunday with the first of two Stars of Tomorrow cards exclusively for 2-year-olds. The $200,000 Street Sense and $200,000 Rags to Riches, both of them going 1 1/16 miles, are the traditional opening-day co-features. The second Stars of Tomorrow card is set for Nov. 26.
After the Sunday opener, Churchill will work its racing schedule around the Nov. 4-5 Breeders’ Cup by running Nov. 2, 3, and 7. The meet goes through Nov. 27.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Gracelund Gray, who won two races by a combined 37 1/4 lengths in Canada in 2021, will have a new trainer in Peter Eurton when she starts in Saturday’s Grade 3 Autumn Miss Stakes at Santa Anita.
But in the days leading to the $100,000 turf race, the filly’s surroundings will not change.
Gracelund Gray was previously trained by Howard Zucker, who died last week after complications of a recent operation. Eurton became the filly’s official trainer after discussions with owners John and Kelley Gravenslund.
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Keeneland fall meet will end this weekend with a combined five stakes on Friday and Saturday, led by the Grade 2 Fayette for older horses on a Saturday finale also featuring the annual ontrack appearance by The Headless Horseman.
Art Collector is one of 20 nominees for the $350,000 Fayette but will bypass the race, according to owner Bruce Lunsford, leaving Defunded and First Captain as the top prospects for the 1 1/8-mile race.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Though Fingal’s Cave suffered her first career defeat in Saturday’s Grade 2 Raven Run Stakes, she ran a very creditable second to Wicked Halo, beaten four lengths after getting pinched back at the start under Joel Rosario.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Art Collector, most recently fifth in the Grade 2 Lukas Classic at Churchill Downs, will most likely make his next start in the Grade 1, $750,000 Cigar Mile on Dec. 3 at Aqueduct, trainer Bill Mott said over the weekend.
Art Collector had been under consideration for either the Grade 2, $350,000 Fayette Stakes at Keeneland or the Grade 2, $300,000 Kelso Stakes at Aqueduct – both this Saturday. Mott said he and owner Bruce Lunsford like the additional time to the Cigar Mile for Art Collector, the 2021 Woodward winner and two-time Charles Town Classic winner.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – The multiple Grade 1 winner Gufo was not pre-entered Monday for the $4 million Breeders’ Cup Turf, trainer Christophe Clement said.
Gufo, most recently last of seven in the Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at Aqueduct, did not work up to Clement’s standards on Saturday at Belmont Park when he went a half-mile in 49.22 seconds on the turf.
“I thought the work was fair,” Clement said Monday. “You go to the Breeders’ Cup, you’d like to be excited about it.”
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Law Professor was supposed to be using the Grade 1 Woodward Stakes on Oct. 1 as a stepping-stone to this Saturday’s Grade 2, $350,000 Fayette Stakes at Keeneland.
But after running a very good second to Life Is Good in the Woodward, the connections of Law Professor have opted to forgo the Fayette in lieu of the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile on Nov. 5 at Keeneland.
“The owners want to take a shot in the Dirt Mile,” said Rob Atras, who trains Law Professor for Twin Creeks Racing of Randy Gullatt and Steve Davison.
On Monday, the day of the pre-entry deadline for the Breeders’ Cup, Coolmore announced that Blackbeard was forced to be withdrawn from consideration for the Breeders’ Cup with an injury, and that the two-time Group 1-winning juvenile has been retired to Coolmore’s Irish headquarters for 2023.