BALTIMORE – The first group of horses scheduled to run Saturday in the 136th Preakness arrived Wednesday at Pimlico at about 12:30 p.m. Eastern following a flight from Louisville to Baltimore-Washington International Airport.
The Preakness starters that arrived were Astrology and Sway Away on a first van, followed by Dance City on a second van.
One of the most anticipated programs of the young Louisiana Downs meeting is set for Friday afternoon. A pair of optional-claiming allowances join the year’s first 2-year-old action on a nine-race card that gets under way at 1:25 local time.
The beginning of the 2-year-old season is welcomed for a number of reasons. It gives the area’s horsemen a look at the latest talent pool and how their youngsters stack up. Many of the state’s stakes programs are also weighted toward the youngest division.
SHAKOPEE, Minn. – Although the Claiming Crown has moved from Canterbury Park for the third time in the event’s 13-year history and will be held this December at Fair Grounds, this suburban Minneapolis track will still offer a stakes schedule worth more than $1.4 million at its 62-day season that begins Friday evening.
It's Me Mom led from gate to wire to win the $100,000 Inaugural at Presque Isle Downs Tuesday evening.
Jockey Willie Martinez hustled the 3-year-old filly away fromn the gate and the remaining five fillies could only chase as It's Me Mom went on to win by 2 1/2 lengths. Trained by Lynn Scace, t's Me Mom was making her first start of the year.
Jockey Pedro Rodriguez, 44, collected the 2,000th victory of his career when he guided Nurse Kiki to a 4 1/2-length victory in Tuesday’s first race at Finger Lakes.
Rodriguez, a native of Cuba, completed a sweep of the early daily double by riding Doodlin to victory in the second race for win No. 2,001. He ranks third in the Finger Lakes jockey standings with 16 wins.
Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore has been re-accredited by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association’s Safety and Integrity Alliance in advance of Saturday’s Preakness Stakes, the second leg of the Triple Crown. Pimlico is the third track to be re-accredited by the alliance this year, following Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky. and Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Senator Bob possessed qualities beyond sheer size and suitable form that appealed to owner Calvin Nguyen and trainer Jim Kasparoff when the gelding showed up in a $25,000 turf claimer at Golden Gate.
“The things we liked most were he was a Cal-bred, and he demonstrated soundness with 20 starts,” Kasparoff said. “I watched some of his races and said, hey, the horse looks okay. He’s got some speed, which you like.”
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – For a jockey who has ridden more than 2,000 winners, Shaun Bridgmohan was in familiar territory Sunday, visiting the Churchill Downs winner’s circle five times. Perhaps the only thing different were the people posing next to him in the win photos.
Of his five winners Sunday, none came in his role as the go-to rider for trainer Steve Asmussen. Rather, his five winners came for four different trainers – two for Steve Margolis, and one each for Michelle Lovell, Brad Cox, and David Carroll.