ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Turf racing has been non-existent of late at Woodbine because of all the rain, but the weather forecast looks favorable for Friday’s feature to stay on the grass. Hollinger should be well backed in the third-level allowance with an $80,000 claiming option, which will be run over 6 1/2 furlongs.
The first post has been rolled back one hour to 1 p.m. for this Friday and the remainder of the Friday cards at the meet, which concludes Dec. 4.
The parent company of Hoosier Park has emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy holding about a third of its pre-bankruptcy debt.
The company, which was called Centaur Inc., has been re-formed under the name Centaur Holdings Inc. Several weeks ago, the Indiana Horse Racing Commission approved the transfer of the racing license for Hoosier Park to the new company, effective Oct. 1.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Thursday’s nominal Belmont Park feature is race 7, a $53,000 first-level allowance scheduled for the inner turf at 1 1/16 miles.
A field of 11 entered for turf, including the Darley Stable entry of Liston and Bakhoor for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin.
Several 3-year-olds in the lineup have run in stakes, headed by Humble and Hungry, who has been idle since third-place finishes in the Hill Prince and the Hall of Fame for Ignacio Correas IV.
Humble and Hungry, a maiden winner on the Widener course here last fall, will break from the rail under Jose Lezcano.
Jockey Jose David Osorio was found dead in his Henrietta, N.Y., home 20 miles west of Finger Lakes Racetrack on Tuesday morning, an apparent suicide, according to two people who knew the rider. He was 34.
Finger Lakes officials canceled Tuesday’s racing program.
According to Jeff Smith, who until two months ago had worked as Osorio’s agent for approximately five years, Osorio was found in his basement by his fiancé, Brenda Ortiz. No other details were available.
Shotgun Gulch moved geographically closer to a start in the Breeder’s Cup Filly and Mare Sprint on Tuesday, when she was shipped from her Oklahoma base to Kentucky for the Grade 2, $200,000 Thoroughbred Club of America. Saturday’s stakes at Keeneland is a Win and You’re In challenge race for the Grade 1, $1 million Filly and Mare Sprint that will be held at neighboring Churchill Downs on Nov. 4.
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Everybody is talking about the weather because nobody wants to do anything about it. Ideal conditions await the opening of the 17-day fall meet this weekend at Keeneland Race Course, where the brand of racing will be commensurate with the spectacular weather.
LEXINGTON, Ky. – It’s hard to imagine a race coming up much tougher than how the Darley Alcibiades Stakes shapes up for opening day at Keeneland. The Grade 1, $400,000 race drew an overflow field of 2-year-old fillies as the ninth of 10 races on the Friday card, with shippers coming from everywhere to try to earn an automatic spot in the Breeders’ Cup.
KEENELAND FALL MEET: View stakes schedule, watch live video for every race day
ARCADIA, Calif. – Officially, John Johny Jak worked seven furlongs in 1:26.60 at Hollywood Park last Saturday. What the time does not reflect is a moment of suspense attached to the workout, the 4-year-old’s last before Saturday’s $150,000 Oak Tree Mile at Santa Anita.
Midway through the workout, a horse from a different stable working in front of John Johny Jak had its exercise disrupted by a slipped saddle. That forced trainer Kristin Mulhall, who was working John Johny Jak, to take evasive action to prevent a collision.
Jockey Aaron Gryder has won riding championships at Churchill Downs, Aqueduct, Hollywood Park, and Arlington Park, but he enjoyed winning the summer meeting at Golden Gate Fields that concluded Sunday just as much as his other riding titles.
“I’m proud of the fact I won the title,” Gryder said. “They’re all important.
“That’s what everything in this sport is based on – numbers, whether it’s a horse’s past performance or a jockey’s winning percentage.”
