There are three allowances on a 10-race Sunday card at Fair Grounds, but as far as Kentucky Derby watchers are concerned, only one that matters.
A chestnut colt named Machen will make the second start of his career in the fifth race, and after earning an eye-popping 95 Beyer Speed Figure in a romping victory in his Jan. 2 debut at the New Orleans track, a similar performance on the stretchout Sunday surely would bump him up a few rungs on everyone’s list of 2011 Derby prospects.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Trainer Todd Pletcher survived a major scare when a quarantine imposed Thursday morning on all three of his barns at Palm Meadows – where juvenile champion Uncle Mo is stabled – and the one he occupies at Gulfstream Park was lifted later that afternoon. Pletcher shares Barn 2 at Gulfstream with trainer Jonathan Sheppard, who had one of his horses display symptoms of a neurological disorder on Wednesday. Fortunately, tests on the sick horse returned negative for the equine herpesvirus.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Trainer Rick Dutrow said that missing Sunday’s Grade 3 Holy Bull with likely favorite Boys At Tosconova was definitely a disappointment, but nothing that has him too concerned.
“I want to run him when he’s on top of his game,” said Dutrow. “He could be, but I don’t think he is at the moment.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – For the most part, the Grade 3 Holy Bull has simply been regarded as the first step on the road to both the Florida Derby and ultimately Kentucky Derby for 3-year-olds stabled in south Florida each year. And while the one-mile Holy Bull remains the first of the local Derby preps, its status has dramatically changed due to a purse increase, up from $150,000 to $400,000 this winter, which basically turns the race into a win and you’re in event for the Kentucky Derby.
Laurel Park canceled its Friday card after the second race due to track conditions. The Friday program started under snowy skies.
The central Maryland track cancelled live racing Wednesday and Thursday after snow hit the Baltimore and Washington D.C. areas.
Live racing is expected to return Saturday with a nine-race card. First post is 12:35 p.m.
After calling 20,191 consecutive races at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark., announcer Terry Wallace decided to watch Friday’s fifth race on the track apron in a move that brought an end to a streak that began 37 years ago. Frank Mirahmadi, who had been retained as the backup announcer for Oaklawn for 2011, took over for the fifth race, with Wallace returning to call the remainder of the card.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Gulfstream Park's ten-cent Rainbow Pick-6 was hit for the first time Thursday, with one lucky ticket-holder walking away with the entire jackpot of $221,677.41. The winning ticket was bought for $640 at a U.S. offtrack site through an Oregon wagering hub.
Gulfstream management said it would seed the new jackpot with $15,000 for Friday's card.
"Because so many customers are having a lot of fun with this bet, we've decided to seed the pool beginning Friday with $15, 000," said Gulfstream's president and general manager, Steve Calabro.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Gulfstream Park officials late Thursday afternoon lifted the quarantine track management had implemented earlier that morning on one barn at the track and four others at its training center at Palm Meadows after an unidentified horse from trainer Jonathan Sheppard's barn displayed signs of a potential neurological disorder.
Pica Slew was an exceptionally fast filly at 3 last year, a season that included two stakes wins at Calder, notably the Grade 3 Azelea Stakes.
After an eighth as the 7-2 favorite in the Grade 1 Test Stakes at Saratoga last August, a race in which she led early and faded, Pica Slew was sent to trainer John Shirreffs. The filly makes her first start for Shirreffs in Sunday’s $250,000 Santa Monica Stakes over seven furlongs.
Shirreffs does not expect Pica Slew to be wildly fast for her California debut.
Bob Baffert, who leads all trainers at this meeting with 19 wins through Sunday, has two starters in an intriguing maiden special weight race for 3-year-olds over six furlongs in Saturday’s second race.
Baffert starts Tokubetsu, who was a game second at Hollywood Park in his debut on Dec. 5, and Midnight Interlude, a first-time starter by War Chant. Midnight Interlude is owned by breeder Arnold Zetcher and has shown quick works, including two from the gate, in recent weeks.
