What do millionaires Bold Chieftain and Delightful Kiss have to prove in Monday’s Grade 3, $100,000 Berkeley Handicap?
Nothing, according to trainers Bill Morey Jr. and Aggie Ordonez.
They are right, of course, although it might be at least poetic justice if Bold Chieftain could win the race after losing by a head to Autism Awareness in 2009 and by the same margin to Run It last year.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. – St Trinians will have a different rider for the Grade 1 Vanity Handicap on June 18, trainer Mike Mitchell confirmed Tuesday. The 6-year-old mare won the Grade 2 Milady Handicap on Saturday, but was disqualified from first and placed fourth after drifting in under the right-handed whip of jockey Joe Talamo.
“They all make mistakes,” Mitchell said. “I love Joe, but I’m going to have to make a change. She had the whole outside of the track, and she will respond to a left-handed whip.”
Jockey Michael Martinez, who sustained extensive spinal injuries in a Sept. 12 spill at Golden Gate Fields, has gotten governmental approval to travel to Switzerland to participate in a stem-cell research study conducted by the University of Zurich’s Balgrist Hospital.
Martinez has received his green card as a resident of the United States, enabling his return to the country, as well as a U.S. passport.
Robin Barrett, the local director of the U.S. Customs and Immigration Service, met with Martinez personally and accompanied him to get his passport.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Folks who were here for the near-monsoons leading up to the Kentucky Derby will be shocked by this, but it’s raining here again. In fact, after starting up again Monday night, intermittent rains are supposed to carry all the way into Friday, meaning turf racing could be very much in doubt when racing resumes Thursday at Churchill Downs following three dark days.
Yavapai Downs will apparently be able to conduct its annual summer season beginning Saturday after a tentative agreement was reached to keep the northern Arizona track from shutting down, according to a report in the Prescott Daily Courier.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Brass Hat, the venerable gelding who earned nearly $2.2 million while becoming a sentimental favorite of racing fans in Kentucky and beyond, has been retired at age 10, it was announced Tuesday morning by owner-breeder Fred Bradley and his son, trainer Buff Bradley.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia – St Liams Halo moved to the top of the local handicap division with a convincing win in the $50,000 John Longden 6000 at Hastings on Monday.
ELMONT, N.Y. - More Than Real, who beat Winter Memories in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, worked four furlongs in 49.11 seconds over the yielding Belmont Park turf on Monday. She started her breeze behind stablemates More Than Minted and Driven by Solar and finished ahead of both at the finish.
Todd Pletcher, who trains More Than Real, said the filly is under consideration for the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot on June 17. Pletcher said he must decide by June 6, because that’s the day North American horses are scheduled to ship to England.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Bear It’s Time ($3.80) parlayed an ideal stalking trip into a decisive score in the $125,000 Lady Angela Stakes on holiday Monday at Woodbine.
Robnpetertopaypaul set a tepid early pace with a strong wind at her back in the seven-furlong sprint for Ontario-sired 3-year-old fillies. Sinister Quill pressed the leader along the inside, and was steadied at the three-eighths pole, while Bear It’s Time tracked them on the outside.
ELMONT, N.Y. – A field of 11 is shaping up for next Monday’s Grade 1, $500,000 Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont Park, and five of those contenders put in their final major workouts Monday morning over the main track.
Trainer Todd Pletcher, who won his first Met Mile last year with Quality Road, worked a trio of Met Mile prospects on Monday including Caixa Eletronica, Aikenite, and Ibboyee.
