ARCADIA, Calif. – Premier Pegasus, Jaycito, and Bench Points seem to be doing everything together recently.
They were the first three finishers in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita on March 12, a race that Premier Pegasus won by a convincing 7 3/4 lengths. Saturday, they worked minutes apart at Santa Anita. Next Saturday, the threesome could meet for the second time in the $1 million Santa Anita Derby.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – When it comes to Soaring Empire, trainer Cam Gambolati is in a New York state of mind.
After running three times at Gulfstream Park – including a victory in the Grade 3 Hal’s Hope in January – Soaring Empire is now targeting the Grade 3, $100,000 Westchester Stakes at Belmont on April 30 and then the Grade 1, $500,000 Metropolitan Handicap, also at Belmont, on May 30.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Uncle Mo, the undefeated divisional champion, attracted the most action after the first full day of betting into the third and final pool in the 2001 Kentucky Derby Future Wager, which opened for the customary three-day run Friday at noon Eastern.
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The Texas Racing Commission on Friday approved Penn National Gaming's licensing request for 50 percent ownership of Sam Houston Race Park in Houston. The approval also extended to Sam Houston's other entities, Valley Race Park, a greyhound track in Harlingen, Texas, and a yet-to-be-constructed track in Laredo.
Penn National is entering into partnership with Maxxam Inc., which had previously held sole ownership in the facilities. The 50-50 agreement between Penn National and Maxxam was announced by the companies in September, and the license application was submitted in December.
An increase in handle less than a month into Remington Park's meet for Quarter Horses has led the Oklahoma City track to announce a $1,000 per-race purse increase beginning Thursday. It will be available on all overnight races for Quarter Horses.
Remington opened March 4, with the 50-date season to run through Memorial Day. Before the start of the Quarter Horse meet, the track announced purses were projected to average $250,000 a day. Remington, which operates an ontrack casino, is owned by Global Gaming.
Wilburn, the outstanding winner of a maiden race on March 5, makes his debut against winners, and first start around two turns, in a first-level optional $80,000 claimer for 3-year-olds going a mile on Sunday’s seventh race at Santa Anita.
Owned by Jess Jackson’s Stonestreet Stable and trained by Steve Asmussen, Wilburn won his debut over 6 1/2 furlongs by 3 1/4 lengths, closing from fourth in a field of seven before taking the lead in early stretch.
Trainer Bob Baffert said on Friday that he has yet to finalize a decision for Jaycito’s next start, with the options the $1 million Santa Anita Derby or the $1 million Wood Memorial at Aqueduct, both on April 9.
“I’ll see how he works,” Baffert said.
Jaycito, who is expected to work this weekend, was second to Premier Pegasus in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes over 1 1/16 miles on March 12.
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ARCADIA, Calif. – At 77, Bruce Headley admits to moving a little slower. His days of exercising horses and riding ponies are long behind him, replaced by mornings spent mostly at his Santa Anita barn.
Occasionally, he goes trackside to watch some of the 46 horses he has in training undergo workouts or gallops. The life of a man known for an active lifestyle has changed in recent years.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – All About Allie is an ‘A’ student when it comes to Arkansas-bred competition.
“She’s a pretty bright girl,” said her trainer, David Whited.
In two starts against statebreds, All About Allie has won two stakes. Sunday, she will be out to improve upon that record in the $50,000 Downthedustryroad. The six-furlong stakes for fillies and mares is one of two on the card for Arkansas-breds. The $50,000 Arkansas Breeders’ for 3-year-olds and up will be run at a mile and a sixteenth.
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HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – The hurdles for Drosselmeyer in his return were not insignificant. He hadn’t raced in nine months since winning the Belmont Stakes, was running over a Tampa Bay Downs strip that can be a bit quirky to those who don’t train there, and was competing at a distance that was probably short of his best.
