LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Rich Strike had his second and final workout between the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes when breezing five furlongs in 59 seconds between races Monday at Churchill Downs.
Trainer Eric Reed watched the work from atop the five-furlong clocker’s stand on the Churchill backside. Rich Strike was ridden by regular exercise Gabriel Lagunes over a freshly harrowed track rated fast.
ELMONT, N.Y. -- In a span of an hour Sunday at Belmont Park, trainer Christophe Clement had two turf sprinters turn in exceptionally strong performances.
The 3-year-old Big Invasion successfully stretched out to seven furlongs by winning the $100,000 Paradise Creek Stakes by 3 1/4 lengths over Asymmetric. He ran seven furlongs in a quick 1:20.34 over a firm turf and earned a 93 Beyer Speed Figure.
ELMONT, N.Y. -- The 3-year-old Emmanuel, who failed to successfully stretch out in distance on the Triple Crown trail this spring, will try to do it on turf instead when he runs in Saturday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Pennine Ridge Stakes going 1 1/8 miles at Belmont Park.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Speaker’s Corner worked at Belmont Park on Sunday. Flightline worked at Santa Anita on Monday. Provided those two horses do it again next weekend and come out if it well, the stage will be set for arguably the most compelling match-up on the June 11 Belmont Stakes Day card in the Grade 1, $1 Metropolitan Handicap.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Slightly more than 12 hours after he left Belmont Park late Sunday afternoon, jockey Flavien Prat was aboard the undefeated 4-year-old Flightline for an important workout at Santa Anita early Monday.
Flightline, unraced since an easy win in the Grade 1 Malibu Stakes for 3-year-olds at seven furlongs at Santa Anita on Dec. 26, worked five furlongs in 59.80 seconds in preparation for the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont Park on June 11.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – The Rainbow 6 went unsolved for a 19th consecutive day on Sunday and will offer a $650,000-guaranteed jackpot when racing resumes with an eight race program on Thursday. The jackpot was last hit to the tune of a $182,098 payoff on April 28.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The legendary racecar driver A.J. Foyt Jr. won four runnings of the Indianapolis 500, but never by this tight a margin. A 3-year-old colt named Burninhunkoflove won the eighth race Sunday at Churchill Downs by a nose when carrying Foyt’s silks with a checkered-flag design, quite a serendipitous occurrence given the 106th Indianapolis 500 was run the same afternoon with Foyt still heavily involved as a car owner at age 87.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Someone with less fortitude might have broken – both physically and mentally.
Not Declan Cannon. The 34-year-old jockey was made whole again Saturday when he guided Top of the Charts to a front-running victory in the third race at Churchill Downs, marking his first winner since returning from a spill in which he narrowly averted a life-altering injury.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Roman Centurian will run in the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap at Del Mar on July 30 after finishing first via disqualification at Santa Anita on May 15 in his first start of the year.
Trained by Simon Callaghan for Don Alberto Stable and Qatar Racing, Roman Centurian was second by three-quarters of a length in an allowance at a mile, but was promoted to first when race winner Special Ride was disqualified to second for causing interference at the start.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Forbidden Kingdom, last of six as the even-money favorite in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby on April 9, recently resumed racetrack training after being sidelined with a swollen throat.
The illness was diagnosed after the loss in the Santa Anita Derby, which put an end to any plans for a start in a Triple Crown race for Forbidden Kingdom.
Forbidden Kingdom galloped on Sunday, and has done so for several days, trainer Richard Mandella said.
“It’s really good, good enough to train,” Mandella said of Forbidden Kingdom’s condition.
