ELMONT, N.Y. - Though they will take different paths to get there, the ultimate goal is to have Uncle Mo and Stay Thirsty end up in the same starting gate for the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic on Nov. 5 at Churchill Downs.
Those sentiments were expressed Sunday by owner Mike Repole and trainer Todd Pletcher after they watched both 3-year-olds put in workouts over Belmont Park’s main track on a gorgeous fall-like morning. Both horses worked by themselves.
Belmont Stakes winner Ruler On Ice will make his next start in Saturday’s $1 million Pennsylvania Derby at Parx Racing, trainer Kelly Breen confirmed Sunday morning.
Breen added that Garrett Gomez will ride Ruler On Ice, replacing Jose Valdivia, who was aboard for the gelding’s victory in the Belmont Stakes.
“It was an opportunity to get him and we seized it,’’ Breen said of the rider change. “That’s all.’’
King Leatherbury wants to play “Let’s Make a Deal.”
Leatherbury, 78, is the breeder, owner, and trainer of Ben’s Cat, a 5-year-old who earned an automatic berth in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint on Nov. 5 at Churchill Downs by winning the Grade 3, $350,000 Turf Monster Handicap at Parx Racing on Sept. 5.
Gerry Olguin finished second in the fifth race at Woodbine, just after 3 p.m. on Saturday. The jockey then hopped a jet for the 942-mile flight to Winnipeg and was in the winner’s circle at Assiniboia Downs less than seven hours later after guiding C.C. Ride to victory in the $50,000 J.W. Sifton for 3-year-old Manitoba-breds.
C.C. Ride ($3.70), trained at Woodbine by Stuart Simon, had come into the 1 1/8-mile J.W. Sifton as a maiden after eight starts and had never run on dirt or father than one mile.
For a few anxious moments Saturday night at Charles Town, trainer Mike Trombetta felt like he was reliving the stretch run of the Grade 2 Delaware Oaks, a race in which his filly Strike the Moon led by 3 1/2 lengths with a furlong remaining, only to wind up a head behind the fast-closing St John’s River. The same thing looked like it might happen in the $400,000 Charles Town Oaks as Strike the Moon’s three-length advantage at the eighth pole was being gobbled up by deep closer Groupie Doll.
Trainer Ron Grieves had a huge day at Northlands Park by winning three of the seven stakes races carded on Alberta Fall Classic Day.
Grieves saddled the winners of the last three stakes, including longshot Major Temper in the featured Alberta Breeders Handicap for 3-year-olds and up. Grieves won with favored Two Horn Unicorn in the Distaff ($4.50) and Silver Baubles, who paid $11.50 ,in the Alberta Premier’s Futurity.
“It was a great day,” Grieves said. “I expected the first two horses to compete, but not the last one. He was a big surprise.”
POMONA, Calif. – Willa B Awesome could not beat Heleonor Rugby this summer at Del Mar. The 2-year-old fillies met three times; Heleonor Rugby won two stakes and finished in front of her rival all three times.
Fairplex Park, however, is Martin Pedroza territory. The jockey’s four winning mounts Saturday included a polished ride on Willa B Awesome, $11.20 upset winner over Heleonor Rugby in the $89,900 Barretts Debutante.
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. – Out East, at Belmont Park, 3-year-old grass sensation Winter Memories awed onlookers Saturday with a breathtaking stretch run in the Garden City Stakes. An hour later, the spotlight shone softer at Arlington on the Pucker Up Stakes, another sophomore filly grass race, but no less lustrous than Winter Memories was Marketing Mix, who clobbered 13 rivals in the Grade 3, $100,000 Pucker Up. Marketing Mix made her first five starts on synthetic or dirt tracks.
ELMONT, N.Y. – As the field for the Garden City Stakes approached the eighth pole at Belmont Park, the connections of even-money favorite Winter Memories couldn’t watch any longer.
Under Javier Castellano, Winter Memories was last of eight with no place to run. Owner John Phillips and trainer Jimmy Toner wanted to hide.
“I thought we were done for sure,” Phillips said. “I thought, ‘Well, it’s not today.’ “
“I put my glasses down at the eighth pole, because she’s dead last and she had no place to go,” Toner said.
MIAMI - Manicero proved he could rate and carry his speed two turns when winning the Naked Greed Stakes last month. On Saturday, the versatile Manicero showed he could also handle the turf when rallying to a game half-length decision over the 11-1 outsider Star of Sarava in the $75,000 Needles Stakes at Calder. Manicero, a 3-year-old son of Mass Media, rated in mid-pack under jockey Juan Leyva for the opening half of the 1 1/16-mile Needles.
