INGLEWOOD, Calif. – What you see is what you get with two sharp, honest geldings in two good allowance races Friday night at Hollywood Park – Galleta Monstruo in race 5 and Smokey Lonesome in race 7.
Galleta Monstruo wheels back six days after a big win while stretching out to 7 1/2 furlongs in a first-level allowance on the main track; Smokey Lonesome runs 1 1/16 miles on turf in a three-other-than allowance, the same level at which he missed by a neck last out.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Though Tizway earned a virtual all-expenses-paid trip to the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile by virtue of his victory in Monday’s Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont Park, his connections are inclined to aim a little higher.
Trainer James Bond said Wednesday that he would like to get Tizway to the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic, run at 1 1/4 miles on Nov. 5 at Churchill Downs. Toward that end, Bond is aiming Tizway to the $750,000 Whitney at Saratoga on Aug. 6 and the $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont on Oct. 1.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Five months into the year, the older male division in California lacks a leader, an issue that could be sorted to some extent after Saturday’s $150,000 Californian Stakes at Hollywood Park.
GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas – Thirtyfirststreet might be headed down a new career path after winning his turf debut Monday in the $200,000 Lone Star Derby. Trainer Doug O’Neill said the horse, who flew back to his Southern California base Tuesday, is being considered for a start in next month’s Grade 2, $600,000 Virginia Derby.
“I’ve got to huddle up with the boys – it’s a great group of guys that own the horse – and see where our next journey will be,” O’Neill said. “I think they’re talking about Colonial Downs.”
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Quite a few of the most accomplished sprinters in the Midwest will clash at Churchill Downs when an exciting 23rd running of the Aristides is held as one of two Grade 3, $100,000 races on an 11-race Saturday program.
AUBURN, Wash. – Mirror Pond and Chilecito headline the feature race Friday at Emerald Downs, a $10,000 claimer for fillies and mares at one mile. The eight-race card begins at 6 p.m. Pacific, kicking off a relatively quiet weekend at the suburban Seattle track. Emerald’s next stakes race, the Washington State Legislators, is set for June 12, a week from Sunday.
ELMONT, N.Y. – In a match-up likely to separate contenders from pretenders among 3-year-old New York-bred filly sprinters, Ava K., Miss Valentine, Sentimental Lass, and Yawkey Way clash in Friday’s $60,000 Wandering Cloud overnight stakes at Belmont Park.
Those four are stakes winners who carry 122 pounds under the allowance conditions of the 6 1/2-furlong race, giving four pounds to Fortheloveof Anna and Hot Danger.
Negotiations over a lease of Monmouth Park in New Jersey remained open on Wednesday, a state-imposed deadline, but the lack of an agreement is not expected to impact the track’s current race meet in any way, according to Morris Bailey, the New Jersey horseman and real estate developer who is seeking to lease the track from the state for the next five years.
BOSSIER CITY, La. – Morris Nicks is heating up just like the weather at Louisiana Downs.
As the mercury creeps up toward triple digits in northern Louisiana earlier than usual this summer, Nicks has had a run of victories that finds him atop the trainer standings with eight winners from just 24 starters during the first month of the meeting.
“It does make things go easier,” Nicks said during training hours Monday. “It is always nice to win races.”
