Thu, 04/07/2011 - 14:56

Santa Anita: Little separates Caracortado, Jeranimo in Arcadia

Your browser does not support iframes

ARCADIA, Calif. – There was a half-length between Caracortado and Jeranimo when they finished second and third behind Fluke in the Grade 1 Frank Kilroe Mile at Santa Anita on March 5. There is a good chance that little will separate Caracortado and Jeranimo at the finish of Saturday’s $150,000 Arcadia Stakes.

Thu, 04/07/2011 - 14:52

Parx pairing out for stakes double

Trainer Ramon Preciado and owner William Hartwell have a good shot at sweeping both $75,000 stakes for Pennsylvania-bred sprinters on Saturday’s card at Parx Racing.

Preciado and Hartwell will send out defending champion Jemilyn in the seven-furlong Foxy J.G. for fillies and mares (race 9) and the sharp 4-year-old Golddigger’s Boy in the seven-furlong Lyman Handicap (race 8).

Thu, 04/07/2011 - 14:30

Aqueduct's Bay Shore the biggest test yet for J J's Lucky Train

Your browser does not support iframes

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Even as he was attempting to stretch J J’s Lucky Train out in distance earlier this winter, trainer Bill Anderson thought the 3-year-old would be much better in one-turn races.

Thu, 04/07/2011 - 14:28

Keeneland: Kathmanblu gets rider switch to Alan Garcia for Ashland

Your browser does not support iframes

LEXINGTON, Ky. – When trainer Ken McPeek decided to bypass the March 26 Fair Grounds Oaks with the star filly Kathmanblu, the direct beneficiary was Keeneland – and, quite possibly, jockey Alan Garcia.

Thu, 04/07/2011 - 14:03

Sway Away works, may add blinkers for Arkansas Derby

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Trainer Jeff Bonde said Sway Away will most likely add blinkers for the Grade 1, $1 million Arkansas Derby on April 16 after he breezed six furlongs in the equipment Thursday morning at Oaklawn Park.

Sway Away covered the distance in 1:12.60, under jockey Luis Quinonez. Patrick Valenzuela has the mount in the Arkansas Derby.

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

Thu, 04/07/2011 - 13:20

Woodbine: Minshall's stable growing in quality and quantity

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Barbara Minshall was on a roll here at Woodbine from the mid through late 1990s, taking home a Sovereign Award as outstanding trainer in 1996 and conditioning the likes of champions Mt. Sassafras and Bold Ruritana, as well as multiple stakes winners Kiridashi and Stephanotis.

And, while Minshall has kept a relatively low profile in recent years, she has come into the 2011 meeting with improved prospects in terms of both quantity and quality.

Thu, 04/07/2011 - 13:05

Los Alamitos: Bargain buy Fall For It can return big dividends in La Primera Del Ano Derby

Owner Brian Hyde paid more to supplement his filly Fall For It to the trials for Saturday’s $182,700 La Primera Del Ano Derby at Los Alamitos than he did to claim her last summer.

Hyde, of Blackfoot, Idaho, claimed Fall For It for $6,250 last July. He paid $9,200 to supplement her in December to the La Primera Del Ano Derby for 3-year-old Quarter Horse fillies.

So far, everything about Fall For It has been a bargain. Hyde, and trainer Jim Hanson, of Pocatello, Idaho, were rewarded when Fall For It set the fastest qualifying time for the final in time trials on March 19.

Thu, 04/07/2011 - 13:02

Turf Paradise: Table Mesa tries to keep rolling

Coady Photography
Table Mesa goes for her third stakes win of the Turf Paradise meet in the Princess of Palms on Saturday.

PHOENIX – Table Mesa looks to continue her superb meet as the 123-pound highweight in Saturday’s $25,000 Princess of Palms Handicap at Turf Paradise. The 6-year-old mare, who is going for her third consecutive stakes win of the meet, leads a field of seven fillies and mares going six furlongs.

Table Mesa’s exploits this meet would normally be enough to garner horse of the meet honors, especially if she were to win again Saturday, However, All Saint’s four-stakes meet likely means Table Mesa can’t garner such honors.

Thu, 04/07/2011 - 12:41

Woodbine: Ward looks to continue his roll in Star Shoot Stakes

Barbara D. Livingston
Nina Fever will return to Polytrack in Saturday’s Star Shoot Stakes.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Trainer Wesley Ward came to Woodbine last weekend loaded for bear, winning with half of his 10 starters. He will try to keep the ball rolling Saturday when he sends out the swift Nina Fever in the $150,000 Star Shoot Stakes, a six-furlong sprint for 3-year-old fillies.

Nina Fever has won six of 11 starts, over three different surfaces. One of her better efforts was a narrow loss here Nov. 14 in the seven-furlong Glorious Song Stakes, in which she was pressed through rapid fractions before giving way grudgingly to a closing Anne’s Beauty.

Wed, 04/06/2011 - 17:03

Aqueduct: Kentucky Oaks favorite R Heat Lightning will train in New York

Joining Uncle Mo on the flight from south Florida were several of his stablemates, including Gulfstream Oaks winner R Heat Lightning, who will train for a few weeks at Belmont before moving on to Louisville, where she will likely start as the favorite for the $500,000 Kentucky Oaks on May 6.

Trainer Todd Pletcher said that Hector Ramos, the same exercise rider who gets on Uncle Mo, also gets on R Heat Lightning and he wanted to keep that continuity. Pletcher also said he wanted R Heat Lightning to be with him.