Sun, 02/13/2011 - 15:01

Jaycito may use San Vicente as audition for San Felipe

Benoit & Associates
Jaycito is expected to make his 3-year-old debut in the $150,000 San Vicente Stakes at Santa Anita on Feb. 20.

The $150,000 San Vicente Stakes at Santa Anita next Sunday could produce a few starters for the $250,000 San Felipe Stakes on March 12.

The Grade 2 San Vicente, run over seven furlongs, is expected to feature Jaycito, the winner of the Grade 1 Norfolk Stakes last fall who has not started since finishing a troubled sixth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Churchill Downs in November.

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

Sun, 02/13/2011 - 14:51

Anthony's Cross may await Santa Anita Derby

BENOIT PHOTO
Anthony's Cross (inside), holding off Riveting Reason in the Robert Lewis, may skip the San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita and not race again until April.

ARCADIA, Calif.- Anthony’s Cross, the winner of the Grade 2 Robert Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita on Saturday, may not start again until the $1 million Santa Anita Derby on April 9, trainer Eoin Harty said on Sunday.

Plans for Tapizar, who finished fifth as the 1-5 favorite in the Lewis, have not been finalized, trainer Steve Asmussen said.

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

Sun, 02/13/2011 - 10:45

Chamberlain Bridge tunes up nicely for Dubai by taking Rail Splitter

Coady Photography
Chamberlain Bridge, making his first start since winning the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint, charges home in the Rail Splitter.

Chamberlain Bridge moved closer to a trip to Dubai on Saturday night, when he won his first start since taking the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint in the $75,000 Rail Splitter at Sam Houston Race Park.

The five-furlong turf race served as his prep for the Group 2, $1 million Al Quoz Sprint at Meydan Race Course on March 26.

Sun, 02/13/2011 - 10:38

La Gran Bailadora makes it three in a row in Likely Exchange

Jason Stewart/Patrick Lang Photography
La Gran Bailadora, ridden by Jozbin Santana, comes from far back to win the LIvely Exchange.

La Gran Bailadora swept to victory Saturday night under Jozbin Santana when she rallied from well back to post a 2 3/4-length score in the $50,000 Likely Exchange Stakes at Turfway Park.

Trained by Mike Maker for breeder-owner Tracy Farmer, La Gran Bailadora was winning for the third straight time after coming into form with two straight Turfway allowance wins. She finished the one-mile distance in 1:41.57 over Polytrack and returned $12 as third choice in a field of 11 fillies and mares.

Sun, 02/13/2011 - 00:02

Triple Crown nominations announced: Uncle Mo heads list of 364 horses

Barbara D. Livingston
Early Derby favorite Uncle Mo and owner Mike Repole.

Led by Eclipse Award winner Uncle Mo and Remsen Stakes winner To Honor and Serve, a total of 364 3-year-olds have been made early nominees to the three Triple Crown races, it was announced late Saturday night by the Triple Crown racetracks, Churchill Downs, Pimlico, and Belmont Park.

Sat, 02/12/2011 - 20:57

Silver Medallion soothes some of Asmussen's sting by winning El Camino Real

Marcel Langevin/Vassar Photography
Silver Medallion gives jockey Russell Baze his third consecutive El Camino Real Derby victory.

ALBANY, Calif. – Racing fortunes can change quickly, and they did for trainer Steve Asmussen on Saturday when Silver Medallion won the 30th running of the Grade 3, $200,000 El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate Fields.

Barely 90 minutes earlier, Tapizar, the top 3-year-old in Asmussen’s barn, was fifth as the odds-on favorite in the Grade 2 Robert Lewis at Santa Anita. Anthony’s Cross, the winner of the Lewis, was cross-entered in the El Camino Real but scratched.

Sat, 02/12/2011 - 19:57

Two jockeys hospitalized, one horse euthanized following Penn National spill

Jockeys Vladimir Diaz and Emilio Flores were taken to Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center with undisclosed injuries following a spill in the third race Saturday night at Penn National Race Course.

Both riders were unseated from their mounts when Sleetingntexas fell heading into the far turn.

Sat, 02/12/2011 - 19:54

Hayley's Halo makes it four in a row by taking El Diario

Lisa Dominguez/Coady Photography
Hayley's Halo, ridden by Alejandro Medellin, extends her winning streak in the El Dario.

Hayley’s Halo has stepped up her game with the move to dirt. She won her fourth straight race Saturday in the $50,000 El Diario at Sunland Park, when she wired the field by two lengths. Tornado Betty finished second, three lengths clear of She’smylittleman.

Hayley’s Halo, who began her career on the synthetic surfaces in Southern California, set a quick pace in the El Diario. She led the field through an opening-half mile in 44.70 seconds, and went on to cover the 6 ½ furlongs on a fast track in 1:15.61.

Sat, 02/12/2011 - 19:38

Vision in Gold prevails in three-horse photo in Santa Maria

BENOIT PHOTO
Vision in Gold and jockey Joel Rosario (right) outrun Zardana (middle) and St Trinians to win the Santa Maria Stakes.

ARCADIA, Calif. -- Jockey Joel Rosario knocked off another heavy favorite on Saturday at Santa Anita when Vision in Gold led from start to finish to score a mild surprise over Zardana and favored St Trinians in the Grade 2, $150,000 Santa Maria Stakes for older fillies and mares.

Sat, 02/12/2011 - 19:24

Lanerie's ground-saving trip helps Ravi's Song win Pelleteri at Fair Grounds

Hodges Photography / Lou Hodges Jr.
Ravi's Song takes the Pelleteri Stakes at Fair Grounds under jockey Corey Lanerie.

Some call Calvin Borel by the name Borail, given his propensity for rallying up the fence. How does Corail Lanerie sound? Corey Lanerail? The names don’t fit, but the point remains the same: Jockey Corey Lanerie has been scraping paint to great effect this winter at Fair Grounds, and he did it again with Ravi’s Song in the $59,400 Pelleteri Stakes on Saturday.