It’s not merely the sheer number of horses – 14 fillies and mares – that makes Monday’s featured seventh race at Delaware Park a headache for handicappers. There’s also the uncertainty whether the money allowance that is also open to $60,000 claimers will remain as scheduled at 1 1/16 miles on turf or be moved to the main track.
A shift to dirt would clearly benefit the four runners entered for the main track only – Punta Ballena, D Day, All Night Labor, and Lacie Slew.
Garry Simms is feeling good again, and not just because his health has stablilized. The 57-year-old trainer is looking forward to Friday, opening day at Keeneland, where he will run his stable star, Flashy Lassie, in the Grade 1, $400,000 Darley Alcibiades.
Simms scratched Flashy Lassie as the morning-line favorite from the $100,000 Kentucky Cup Juvenile Fillies at Turfway Park on Sept. 24 to await the Alcibiades, which will mark the two-turn debut for the speedy filly.
Although the 17th Indiana Derby was the obvious focus Saturday at Hoosier Park in Anderson, Ind., another notable development was occurring behind the scenes: the track officially emerged from bankruptcy when its new owner, Clairvest of Canada, assumed ownership.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Though the sun had burst through the clouds by mid-morning, the damage had already been done.
The rains that had come intermittently, but powerfully during the latter stages of the week, made for a soft turf course that has negatively impacted Belmont Park’s Super Saturday card.
Aruna, the third choice on the morning line, and longshot Senada both scratched out of Saturday’s Grade 1, $500,000 Flower Bowl Invitational. Also, Teaks North, a multiple Grade 1 winner, was scratched out of the $500,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational.
Humble Smarty held his ground along the inside to win a three-way photo over Herecomesbert and Native Ruler in the inaugural $100,000 David M. Vance Stakes at Remington Park on Friday night. The three horses hit the wire in a tight finish, with Humble Smarty prevailing by a nose over Herecomesbert. It was another nose back in third to Native Ruler.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Acclamation will start in Sunday’s $150,000 Clement Hirsch Turf Championship at Santa Anita and will be scratched from Saturday’s $250,000 Goodwood Stakes, trainer Don Warren said on Friday afternoon.
Warren and majority owner Bud Johnston discussed options on Friday and decided to keep Acclamation in the turf race. Earlier this year, Acclamation won three graded stakes on turf at Hollywood Park and Del Mar. He then won the $1 million Pacific Classic on a Polytrack synthetic surface at Del Mar on Aug. 28.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Big Drama, the reigning sprint champion, will scratch out of Saturday's Grade 1, $350,000 Vosburgh Invitational at Belmont Park because of a temperature, trainer David Fawkes said late Friday afternoon.
Fawkes said that he will attempt to train Big Drama up to the Breeders' Cup Sprint at Churchill Downs on Nov. 5. Big Drama won the Sprint last year.
"This does not exclude me from the Breeders' Cup," Fawkes said. "Right now my standpoint is we train to the Breeders' Cup."
ELMONT, N.Y. - Owners Anita and Stuart Subotnick have transferred a dozen horses from Todd Pletcher to Eddie Kenneally, who will keep a string of horses in New York on a year-round basis.
The Subotnicks, who race under the moniker Anstu Stables, were among the first clients of Pletcher’s when the trainer went out on his own in 1996. Together they campaigned stakes winners Balto Star, Friendly Island, Irving’s Baby, Ibboyee, Mellow Roll and, most recently, Bay Park Boy.
ELMONT, N.Y. - While he won’t have Fire On Ice to run in next Saturday’s Grade 1 Champagne Stakes, trainer John Kimmel plans to enter his maiden Invocation in the one-mile race for 2-year-olds, which awards the winner an automatic spot in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Churchill Downs on Nov. 5.
BREEDERS' CUP CHALLENGE: Racing schedule, replays, and past winners »
ARCADIA, Calif. – Broken Dreams won her first career stakes in Friday’s $100,000 Sen Ken. Maddy Stakes on the hillside turf course, the feature race on the first day of the Santa Anita Autumn meeting.
Ridden by Garrett Gomez, Broken Dreams ($13.40) closed from fifth in a field of six to win by a half-length over Givine, a 6-1 shot. Tanda, who was third early, finished third, a nose behind Givine.
Unzip Me, the 4-5 favorite, finished fourth. Unzip Me was a length behind pacesetter Separate Forest with a furlong remaining and ran flatly in the final furlong.
