GRAND ISLAND, Neb. - Fonner Park canceled its live program for Friday on Thursday morning due to concerns over the racing surface.
The track endured a heavy, wet snow last weekend and was listed as muddy for both last Friday and Saturday cards. On Sunday, racing was canceled after the first race when the riders elected not to continue because of the track condition.
PHOENIX – Saturday’s $25,000 Wildcat Handicap at Turf Paradise gives All Saint the chance to do a couple of things. First, it gives the three-time stakes winners this meet a chance to clinch horse of the meet honors. The 1 3/8-mile turf event also gives him a chance to show his versatility as it represents the farthest he’s ever gone and an attempt to improve upon his 1-for-4 turf mark.
STICKNEY, Ill. - The purse for the April 9 Illinois Derby has been raised to $300,000 from $250,000, host track Hawthorne Race Course announced Wednesday. The purse increase was made possible by Television Games Network, the Illinois Derby sponsor, according a news release disseminated by Hawthorne.
The Illinois Derby, a Grade 3, was originally to offer a $500,000 purse, but that amount was halved before the Hawthorne spring meet began because of general weakness in the purse account.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Flashpoint, runaway winner of Gulfstream Park’s seven-furlong Hutcheson last month, has been entered in Sunday’s $1 million Florida Derby and not the Swale as originally expected, racing secretary Dan Bork confirmed earlier this morning.
Pleasant Prince, who was beaten a nose by Ice Box in the 2010 Florida Derby, breezed a slow half-mile under wraps in 52 seconds here Wednesday. The work was just the second on the comeback trail for Pleasant Prince, who has not started since finishing ninth in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.
Trainer Shug McGaughey said that Data Link will be heading to Kentucky for the Grade 1 Blue Grass shortly after the steadily improving 3-year-old worked an easy three furlongs in 38.40 seconds here at Gulfstream Park on Wednesday.
Data Link, a 3-year-old son of War Front, has won his last three starts, including a maiden special weight and entry-level allowance race here this winter. All three of those victories have come on the grass.
“He’ll ship this weekend,” said McGaughey. “I just wanted to give him an easy work this morning before he goes.”
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Elite Alex, the well-regarded 3-year-old who finished fourth in the Grade 2, $1 million Louisiana Derby last Saturday, is back at his Oaklawn base and pointing for the Arkansas Derby, said his trainer, Tim Ritchey.
“He’ll have a breeze or two before he would run in it, and as long as everything’s okay, we’re certainly going to try it,” said Ritchey.
Gio Ponti, fifth in last Saturday’s Dubai World Cup, arrived at Belmont Park late Wednesday afternoon, and after spending two days in quarantine is expected to van to Payson Park in time for a Sunday arrival.
After finishing fourth, beaten 1 1/4 lengths in the 2010 World Cup, Gio Ponti was beaten 1 3/4 lengths in the World Cup on Saturday. In his first start since finishing second to Goldikova in the Breeders’ Cup Mile last Nov. 6 at Churchill Downs, Gio Ponti seemed a bit fresh in the World Cup, raced closer to the pace than usual, and was wide throughout under Ramon Dominguez.
It’s Tricky, unbeaten in three starts, will try to prove herself worthy of being considered for the Kentucky Oaks when she makes her graded stakes debut in Saturday’s Gulfstream Oaks, a 1 1/8-mile race that drew a field of seven. It’s Tricky drew the outside post.
It’s Tricky, a daughter of Mineshaft, won a maiden race over Aqueduct’s main track last Nov. 28 then won an allowance race by 4 3/4 lengths on Jan. 26 and the Busher Stakes by eight lengths on Feb. 20. With myriad races from which to choose, trainer Kiaran McLaughlin opted for the Gulfstream Oaks.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark.– D. Wayne Lukas tends to hunt big game as a Hall of Fame trainer who has won a co-record 13 Triple Crown races. And while he will continue the trend this month with Duca in the Wood Memorial and Saratoga Red in the Arkansas Derby, Lukas is also making a splash in the overnight ranks at Oaklawn Park, where he leads the standings.
