Mon, 02/07/2011 - 16:11

Decision to race son of Bellamy Road pays off for owner

Adam Coglianese/NYRA

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Dianne Cotter said she didn’t have seller’s remorse after watching Bellamy Road go through the auction ring in 2004 as a 2-year-old for $87,000 and return a year later for George Steinbrenner to win the Wood Memorial by 17 1/2 lengths and head to Louisville as the Kentucky Derby favorite.

Mon, 02/07/2011 - 16:03

Rodman, Rereadthefootnotes nearing returns for Hushion

Adam Coglianese/NYRA
Rodman, who last raced in the Grade 3 Queens County in December 2009, is nearing a return to the races for trainer Mike Hushion.

That Mike Hushion had Common Currency ready to win a New York-bred maiden race Saturday off a seven-month layoff was a good sign for the trainer. In the coming weeks, Hushion will try to bring back two stakes winners off even longer absences.

Mon, 02/07/2011 - 16:01

Annual Appeal should get the pace she needs in Aqueduct feature

OZONE PARK, N.Y.– Annual Appeal needs a strong pace to be most effective and she just might get it in Wednesday’s featured $44,000 first-level allowance race going six furlongs at Aqueduct.

In a field of mostly maiden winners, Annual Appeal, a 4-year-old daughter of Successful Appeal, has recorded three victories, all of them coming when the pace has been hot and heavy in front of her. The last of those victories came on Nov. 14 at Parx Racing when she came from seven lengths off the pace to win a starter allowance by one-half length.

Mon, 02/07/2011 - 14:26

Zito thinking Dubai World Cup for Donn duo

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Trainer Nick Zito said both Morning Line and Fly Down came out of Saturday’s Grade 1 Donn Handicap at Gulfstream Park in good order and both remain under consideration for a possible trip to Dubai for the World Cup.

DUBAI RACING CARNIVAL: Past performances, race analysis, and results

Mon, 02/07/2011 - 14:21

McPeek sees benefit in Casper's Touch's loss

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - One day after watching one of his top Kentucky Derby prospects, Casper’s Touch, suffer through a horrendous trip in his 3-year-old debut at Gulfstream Park on Saturday, trainer Ken McPeek was calm and composed discussing the unfortunate circumstances that led to the colt’s second-place finish as the even-money favorite in the nine-furlong, entry-level allowance event

Mon, 02/07/2011 - 14:12

Awesome Feather may return to training by month's end

Barbara D. Livingston
Awesome Feather, Jeffrey Sanchez up, wins the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Awesome Feather, the undefeated 2-year-old filly Eclipse Award champion, could return to training before the end of the month.

Trainer Chad Brown said Awesome Feather, who was discovered to have a tendon injury shortly after her victory in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies and subsequent purchase by Frank Stronach’s Adena Springs, is currently walking under tack at Brown’s barn at the Palm Meadows training center in Boynton Beach, Fla.

Mon, 02/07/2011 - 14:03

Exchanging Kisses, Commandeered figure to battle out front at Gulfstream

Barbara D. Livngston
Commandeered will try turf for the first time in an optional claimer Wednesday at Gulfstream Park.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – A pair of 6-year-olds who usually do their best work on the lead, Exchanging Kisses and Commandeered, could end up on an early collision course in Wednesday’s $55,000 feature event at Gulfstream Park, a second-level optional claiming race carded at a mile on the grass.

Mon, 02/07/2011 - 13:46

Brethren to start year with Sam Davis at Tampa Bay

TAMPA, Fla. - Brethren, a half-brother to 2010 Kentucky Deby winner Super Saver, is being pointed for Saturday’s Grade 3, $225,000 Sam F. Davis Stakes for his 2011 debut, according to trainer Todd Pletcher. The Sam Davis will be joined on the Saturday card at Tampa Bay Downs by Grade 3, $125,000 Endeavour Stakes and the $125,000 Florida Oaks.

Unbeaten in two starts, Brethren worked five furlongs Sunday at Palm Meadows in 1:01.00, the fourth-best time of 23 runners who worked that distance. Ramon Dominguez will be aboard on Saturday, Pletcher said.

Sun, 02/06/2011 - 18:23

Master Dunker wins Hallandale Beach on disqualification

Bob Coglianese/Gulfstream Park
King Congie finished first in the Hallandale Beach on Sunday at Gulfstream Park but was disqualified and placed third for interference in the stretch. Master Dunker was promoted to first by the stewards.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – When somebody finally writes that book titled “100 Ways to Lose a Horse Race,” Sunday’s Hallandale Beach Stakes at Gulfstream Park and trainer Tom Albertrani must be included among the first few chapters.

Sun, 02/06/2011 - 17:44

Gladding leads gate to wire in San Antonio at Santa Anita

Benoit & Associates
Gladding, under jockey Rafael Bejarano, leads gate to wire in Sunday's Grade 2 San Antonio at Santa Anita.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Trainer John Sadler’s remarkable weekend at Santa Anita continued Sunday when Gladding, making his stakes debut, led from start to finish in the Grade 2, $150,000 San Antonio Stakes for older horses.

The win came on the heels of a Saturday in which Sadler won the Strub Stakes with Twirling Candy and the Las Virgenes Stakes with Zazu.

“This is a good habit,” a beaming Sadler said in the winner’s circle.