LOUISVILLE, Ky. - R Heat Lightning, the probable favorite for the 137th Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs on Friday, was declared from the race Monday morning after being diagnosed with a possible knee injury, said trainer Todd Pletcher.
"We detected heat in her right knee this morning and she was slightly off at the jog," said Pletcher. "It's unfortunate. She's a very talented filly and has been training great."
ELMONT, N.Y. – Lots of Stones and Cuff Me, a pair of 4-year-old fillies in the habit of winning, try seven furlongs for the first time when they clash in Wednesday’s $60,000 Cupid’s Way overnight stakes at Belmont Park.
Six other New York-bred fillies and mares entered, including the Pont Street Stable entry of Devilish Spirit and Freud’s Notebook, with David Cohen named on both. Freud’s Notebook, one of two seven-furlong stakes winners in the lineup along with Big Brownie, is cross-entered in an open second-level allowance Thursday.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Nehro might well be picking up that label as the “buzz” horse for the 137th Kentucky Derby, and trainer Steve Asmussen isn’t all that happy about it.
“I don’t want any ‘Mushes’ on the bandwagon,” Asmussen said slyly. “I don’t want them bringing any of their bad luck around.”
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – John Good learned at the foot of Bob Baffert, working in various capacities for the three-time Kentucky Derby-winning trainer for seven years. So when Good sent out a colt named China to win an allowance early on the Nov. 5 Breeders’ Cup undercard at Churchill Downs last fall, defeating the Baffert-trained Solar Rocket in the process, Good was beyond ecstatic.
“I love this little horse,” said Good. “He gave me the rare chance to pull one over on my old boss. Bob did a lot for me, so that was a tremendous thrill.”
R. Heat Lightning will not run in the Kentucky Oaks on Friday, trainer Todd Pletcher said Monday.
Pletcher said heat in a knee was detected, forcing her withdrawal.
R. Heat Lightning won the Gulfstream Oaks by 8 1/4 lengths in her last start and was considered one of the leading contenders for the Oaks.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Roxy Gap was undefeated in three starts here at Woodbine last year and was looking to use the Natalma as a stepping-stone to a Breeders’ Cup appearance.
But fate intervened, and Roxy Gap did not revisit the winner’s circle until she prevailed by three-quarters of a length here in last Saturday’s $150,000 Fury Stakes with jockey Patrick Husbands aboard for the first time.
“It’s been a struggle,” said Mark Casse, who conditions the homebred Roxy Gap for Eugene Melnyk. “It’s taken us a long time, to get this win out of her.”
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LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Another day in Louisville and another torrential downpour to greet the early arrivals at Churchill Downs on Monday morning for the beginning of a very busy training session which featured the final workouts of five potential Kentucky Derby starters, including Grade 1 Derby prep winners Midnight Interlude and Brilliant Speed, both of whom went out during the special Derby-Oaks training session at 8:30 a.m.
LOUISVILLE, Ky - Heavy showers greeted the horses when the racetrack opened for training but did not keep three likely Kentucky Derby starters from working before dawn Monday morning at Churchill Downs.
With the racetrack sealed and sloppy, Santiva worked a half-mile in 49.99 seconds, Watch Me Go five furlongs in 1:02.00, and Nehro four furlongs in 50.72.
INGLEWOOD, Calif.- Saint Isabelle won her first stakes in Sunday’s $73,100 Time to Leave Stakes at Hollywood Park, giving the Little Red Feather Racing syndicate its third winner of the day.
Earlier on the nine-race program, Little Red Feather won a $40,000 claimer on turf with Russian River and a $25,000 claimer on the main track with Achak. All three horses are owned in partnerships.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Castinette Dancer got up in the final few jumps to edge Overvalued by a half-length in the $50,000 Boulevard Casino Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Hastings on Sunday.
