The Factor is back on the Del Mar work tab and aiming for a late-summer comeback, possibly the Grade 1 King’s Bishop on Aug. 27 at Saratoga.
“It’s a possibility, I’m trying to [make that race],” trainer Bob Baffert said.
The Factor worked a half-mile Tuesday in 49 seconds.
“He went nice, he just cruised,” Baffert said.
The Factor set a Santa Anita six-furlong record (1:06.98) in his second start on Dec. 26, followed by Grade 2 wins in the San Vicente at Santa Anita and Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn.
The combined Summit/Thistledown meet, which ran from April 23 through July 25, concluded with jockey Federico Mata capturing his first Thisteldown riding title after going neck and neck throughout the meet with Yamil Rosario. Mata won two races on the final day, Monday, to come out on top with 51 wins from 231 mounts, Rosario finished second with 49 wins from 142 mounts. Luis Gonzalez was third with 41 wins from 161 mounts.
The 2011 live racing season in Nebraska enters the home stretch Friday night as the final stop on the regular circuit, Agricultural Park at Columbus, opens for a 23-day stand that will run through Sept. 11.
There will be two additional days of racing in the state, but final plans for the one-day meet at Horsemen’s Atokad Downs in South Sioux City and the Quarter Horse day at Fair Play Park in Hastings have yet to be announced.
AUBURN, Wash. – Hollywood Harbor is the fastest horse at Emerald Downs not named Noosa Beach, but that doesn’t make him an automatic starter when the Grade 3 Longacres Mile is renewed for the 76th time on Aug. 21. Trainer Chris Stenslie said the Mile is being considered for Hollywood Harbor, but getting him to the race in peak condition could be a challenge.
DEL MAR, Calif. – The time was slow, the track was dark, and Amazombie was well under the radar in an early-morning workout Wednesday at Del Mar. He may be under-noticed again Sunday as third horse in the Grade 1 Bing Crosby, a six-furlong stakes billed as a two-horse race between Smiling Tiger and Euroears.
It was before 5 a.m. when Amazombie worked a half-mile in 52.80 seconds.
The upcoming auctions in Texas and Louisiana will both feature dispersals of the Heiligbrodt Racing Stable operation. Fasig-Tipton Texas has cataloged 372 yearlings to its Aug. 30 auction that will be held at Lone Star Park near Dallas.
The Texas sale gets underway at 10 a.m. Central, and immediately following its conclusion there will be 52 horses on offer from Heiligbrodt Racing Stable. The consignor for the Texas dispersal is Pike Racing.
Bold Recruit, beaten at odds-on in his last two starts, will seek to make amends in Friday’s feature at Louisiana Downs. Trained by Bret Calhoun, he won his first start in front-running fashion on opening weekend at Louisiana Downs in early May, but has had trouble taking the next step through his conditions, finishing second and third in his two tries since. He appears to be the controlling speed in the headliner at six furlongs.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – There are sprinters stretching out in distance for the first time. There are horses coming out of maiden races trying winners for the first time. There are graded stakes performers seeking a little class relief.
Friday’s $75,000 Curlin Stakes for 3-year-olds at Saratoga has a little bit of everything. At the end of the day, it should have yielded a starter or two for next month’s $1 million Travers Stakes, the marquee event run at this historic track.
