ELMONT, N.Y. – Following two dark days, racing resumes at Belmont Park on Thursday with a solid card that includes six non-claiming races, headed by a second-level optional $50,000 claimer scheduled for 1 1/16 miles on the inner turf.
ALBANY, Calif. – Trainer Bill Morey Jr. used to like the “Groundhog Day” effect.
On Jan. 16, 1999, Dixie Dot Com, his first millionaire, won the Grade 2 San Fernando at Santa Anita. On Jan. 16, 2000, Dixie Dot Com won the Grade 2 San Pasqual, also at Santa Anita.
It has been similar, but far more frustrating, for Morey’s other millionaire, Bold Chieftain.
◗ Second by a head to Autism Awareness in the 2009 Grade 3 Berkeley Handicap.
◗ Second by a head to Run It in the 2010 Grade 3 Berkeley Handicap.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Kayce Ace makes her comeback after a layoff of nearly seven months in an allowance race at Hollywood Park on Thursday, facing a field that concerns trainer Eoin Harty.
“I picked a tough spot,” he said. “I’ve had her ready to run. Whether she’s ready to take on those kind of horses, I don’t know.”
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Trainer Mark Casse is no stranger to the Woodbine Oaks winner’s circle, having sent out Kimchi and Sealy Hill to capture back-to-back runnings in 2006 and 2007.
On Sunday, Casse will be shooting for an interrupted Woodbine Oaks triple when he sends out both Roxy Gap and Spooky Miss for the 1 1/8-mile race for Canadian-bred 3-year-olds.
Roxy Gap was one of the leading members of her division here last year and the $500,000 Woodbine Oaks had been her primary target heading into her 3-year-old campaign.
Animal Kingdom, the Kentucky Derby winner, will be sent to Belmont Park this weekend to prepare for the June 11 Belmont Stakes and is slated to work a half-mile there on Monday, Barry Irwin, the president of the Team Valor International partnership that owns Animal Kingdom, informed on Tuesday morning.
Also on Tuesday, Belmont Stakes aspirants Monzon and Prime Cut had workouts, and jockey Javier Castellano picked up the mount on Stay Thirsty.
Prime Cut, who finished third in the Peter Pan Stakes at Belmont Park in his last start, worked five furlongs in 1:03.60 at Churchill Downs on Tuesday morning, but trainer Neil Howard said he was still not sure whether Prime Cut would run in the Belmont Stakes on June 11.
ALTOONA, Iowa - The sprinters Wiredfortwotwenty and Ha Ha Tonka took the co-featured Prairie Express and Prairie Rose, both $60,000 guaranteed stakes events contested over six furlongs, on Memorial Day at Prairie Meadows.
Cold Granite Stone continued his dominance of the Oklahoma-bred ranks Monday at Remington Park, when he rallied for a neck win in the $50,000 Jack Brooks for Quarter Horses. It was the horse’s third win in a statebred stakes. His biggest against such rivals coming in April in the $280,000 Remington Park Derby, which for the first time this year was restricted to horses bred in Oklahoma.
The Jack Brooks, which was for 3-year-olds at 350 yards, was one of four restricted stakes on the closing day card at Remington.
AUBURN, Wash. - The Emerald Downs tote board lit up in a big way Monday when Showme Yourfriends, the second-longest shot on the board, raced to a half-length victory in the $50,000 Auburn Handicap for 3-year-olds. Showme Yourfriends paid $102.40, the largest win price at the meeting and the second-highest win payout in a stakes race in the track's 16-year history.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Dubawi Heights extended her winning streak to four races and gave 28-year-old trainer Simon Callaghan his first Grade 1 win in Monday’s $250,000 Gamely Stakes at Hollywood Park.
