Sat, 04/23/2011 - 15:45

Kentucky Derby: Animal Kingdom goes it alone

Keeneland/Coady Photography
Animal Kingdom has a workout over the Keeneland Polytrack on Saturday morning.

A scheduled six-furlong workout for Kentucky Derby hopeful Animal Kingdom didn't exactly work out the way trainer Graham Motion planned at Keeneland on Saturday.

KENTUCKY DERBY NEWS: Track all the 3-year-olds on the Triple Crown trail

Sat, 04/23/2011 - 14:40

Parx: Little Drama looks tough in Philmont

Trainer David Fawkes won a career-best seven stakes races during 2010, but barring misfortune, that mark won’t last long. Already in 2011, Fawkes has sent out four stakes winners – three in graded competition – and Fawkes has an excellent chance of adding to that total on Tuesday, when Little Drama starts as the favorite in the $75,000 Philmont Stakes at Parx Racing.

Sat, 04/23/2011 - 14:32

Calder: 40th anniversary meet begins

MIAMI – Calder Race Course will celebrate its 40th anniversary when kicking off its 2011 meeting on Monday.

As usual, Calder will split its season between two meets. The 101-day Calder session will run through Sept. 30 and be followed by the 45-day Tropical meet ,which begins Oct. 1 and continues until Dec. 2. Post time will be 12:30 p.m. daily.

Calder will close one month earlier than usual this season to avoid a head-to-head conflict with nearby Gulfstream Park, which opens its 2011-2012 meet on Dec. 3.

Sat, 04/23/2011 - 12:53

Penn National: Sheppard shipper no cinch

Jonathan Sheppard is best known for his prowess as a trainer of turf runners and jumpers. But based on a small sampling so far this season, he also does a pretty good job of picking out spots to ship horses from his farm in southeastern Pennsylvania to Penn National Race Course near Hershey, Pa.

Sat, 04/23/2011 - 12:19

Blind Luck heads Hollendorfer Kentucky contingent

Barbara D. Livingston
Blind Luck is scheduled to start next in the La Troienne at Churchill.

Blind Luck, the champion 3-year-old filly of 2010, worked six furlongs in 1:13.20 at Hollywood Park on Friday, and is one of three stakes runners that trainer Jerry Hollendorfer plans to start at Churchill Downs in coming weeks.

Blind Luck will run in the $300,000 La Troienne Stakes over 1 1/16 miles on May 6, the Kentucky Oaks program. Blind Luck is winless in three starts this year, all second-place finishes in graded stakes at Santa Anita and Oaklawn Park.

Sat, 04/23/2011 - 12:01

Evening Jewel staying home for Wilshire

Shigeki Kikkawa
Evening Jewel is being pointed for the Wilshire Handicap and Gamely Stakes at Hollywood Park.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Evening Jewel, a two-time Grade 1 winner in 2010, is expected to make her next start in the $100,000 Wilshire Handicap at Hollywood Park Saturday, pending a workout early this week, trainer Jim Cassidy said.

Sat, 04/23/2011 - 10:12

Kentucky Derby work in slop for Florida Derby runner-up Shackleford

Churchill/Reed Palmer Photography
Shackleford works five furlongs in the slop at Churchill Downs on Saturday.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Florida Derby runner-up Shackleford led a small cast of prominent Kentucky Derby and Oaks hopefuls breezing at Churchill Downs Saturday, working five furlongs in 1:00.20 over a sloppy racetrack hammered by overnight and morning rain.

Working by himself with Tammy Fox up, Shackleford skipped over the wet surface, going in steady splits of 12 seconds, 23.80, 35.60, and 47.80, before galloping out in 1:14. His work was among the best of the morning.

Fri, 04/22/2011 - 20:56

Hastings: Noosa Beach returns sharp in George Royal

Four Footed Fotos
Noosa Beach benefitted from an aggressive ride by jockey Gallyn Mitchell.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Noosa Beach couldn’t have been more impressive in his 1 1/2-length win over Senor Rojo in the $50,000 George Royal Stakes at Hastings on Friday.

Fri, 04/22/2011 - 20:07

Jockey Victor Espinoza switches agents

Jockey Victor Espinoza has switched agents, ending on Thursday an association with Tony Matos that lasted more than a decade. Brad Pegram will represent Espinoza, 38.

Earlier this month, Matos traveled to Keeneland with Garrett Gomez, whom he began representing last month. While in Keeneland, Matos continued to book mounts for Espinoza at Santa Anita and Hollywood Park.

“I think it’s time to make a change,” Espinoza said on Thursday. “I need an agent full-time and he was at Keeneland.”

Fri, 04/22/2011 - 18:45

Keeneland: Embur's Song wires Doubledogdare in record time

LEXINGTON, Ky. - For nearly a year, Embur's Song had failed to duplicate what she had done in her first two career starts - until Friday. With John Velazquez doling out her speed, Embur's Song led every step of the Grade 3, $100,000 Doubledogdare Stakes, setting a stakes and Polytrack record in the process.