LOUISVILLE, Ky. – It seems Here Comes Ben has this night racing thing down pat.
His Friday evening victory in $76,455 Kelly’s Landing overnight stakes before a crowd of 25,523 at Churchill Downs was his second straight win in the overnight stakes, which last year also came during a “Downs After Dark” card. Given the ease with which he won by 3 1/4 lengths Friday over the classy Captain Cherokee, perhaps a repeat in the Grade 1 Forego is in his future.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Victor’s Cry’s month-long vacation following a springtime trip to Dubai ended in early May when the 6-year-old gelding resumed exercise for trainer Eoin Harty.
After a fifth-place finish in the $5 million Dubai Duty Free, Harty’s goals for Victor’s Cry’s comeback were clear – continue to dominate Hollywood Park’s major turf races for milers.
ALTOONA, Iowa - Ducky Drake came with a withering run between widely split rivals to make up nearly 10 lengths in the last quarter-mile and snatch the $125,000 Iowa Sprint Handicap at Prairie Meadows on Friday night by a half-length from the valiant longshot Winter Camp.
GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Refused to Commit crossed the wire first in the opening race Friday night at Lone Star Park, but Sally Flusche and Brady Cagle were the big winners after Flushe said “yes” to Cagle's winner's circle proposal following the turf route for fillies and mares.
Flusche, 25, and Cagle, 26, went to high school together in North Texas and years later reunited at a concert at Lone Star, said Brian Pochman, the track’s media relations manager.
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ELMONT, N.Y. – Bound by Humor is the only member of the six-horse field entered in Sunday’s $100,000 Mike Lee Stakes at Belmont Park that is making the jump from the maiden ranks to stakes company. The task may not seem as daunting as it first looks.
In his last start, Bound by Humor won a six-furlong maiden race by 6 3/4 lengths. The horse who finished second that day, Bud White, came back to win a maiden race by nearly 18 lengths here Thursday, making him the second horse that finished behind Bound by Humor to win.
Cosmo Girl is in the best form of her career, and next month she will get her first shot at Grade 1 rivals in the $350,000 Princess Rooney at Calder. The six-furlong handicap for fillies and mares is July 9.
“That’s what we’re thinking,” said Joe Petalino, who trains Cosmo Girl for Baccari Racing Stable.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – When veterinarian Dr. Rick Fischer drove to Churchill Downs after hearing of a tornado hitting the barn area Wednesday night, he feared the worst, wondering if he had enough suture supplies and local anesthetic to treat what he worried would be a large number of horses.
As it turned out, he didn’t need those supplies at all. He said he examined approximately 40 horses, and didn’t need to treat a single one. “Not a scratch,” he said.
OCEANPORT, N.J. – Presious Passion no longer had the heart for training, so he is off to the farm to see if a vacation rekindles his enthusiasm for racing.
The star of Mary Hartmann’s barn will get a 30- to 60-day break, starting Monday.
The decision to lay up the 8-year-old gelding takes him out of consideration for the Grade 1 United Nations Stakes on July 2, a race the turf star captured in 2008 and 2009.
At his best, Presious Passion was a high-wire act, a front-runner who opened up massive early leads and defied the odds by holding off the closers.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. – The 10-percent purse increase that takes effect at Hollywood Park on Thursday will be an across-the-board hike for overnight races, the track’s racing secretary, Martin Panza, said Thursday afternoon.
“It’s the easiest way to do it,” he said.
