Thu, 03/10/2011 - 14:35

Hillsborough Stakes tops Tampa Bay Derby undercard

OLDSMAR, Fla. – Askbut I Won’ttell has won two of her last three races in Grade 3 company and finished a fast-closing second in her most recent start, the $300,000 Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf. She will meet Queen Elizabeth  II Challenge Cup runner-up Zagora in Saturday’s Grade  3, $150,000 Hillsborough Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs.

The Hillsborough, a 1 1/8-mile turf race for fillies and mares, tops the Tampa Bay Derby undercard.

Thu, 03/10/2011 - 14:30

Santa Margarita can put Switch on top

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ARCADIA, Calif. – For a few moments on a Saturday afternoon last October, the impossible, or at least the highly unexpected, seemed on the verge of occurring: Zenyatta, 18 races into her unbeaten career, trailed Switch by three lengths with a furlong to go in the Grade 1 Lady’s Secret Stakes at Hollywood Park and the champion wasn’t making ground on the 3-year-old filly.

Thu, 03/10/2011 - 13:31

Fonner: Budweiser-Tondi lures speedy Honkeytonk Stomp

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. – A strong field of eight older horses take their first steps towards an ultimate goal of the $75,000 Bosselman/Gus Fonner Stakes in late April when they go six furlongs in the $25,000 Budweiser-Tondi Stakes on Saturday at Fonner Park.

Two-time defending champion The Nutz makes his seasonal debut here, as does Reach One More and Tiger Lake. Any of them could be the favorite, but they will also have to contend with the blazing speed of the 4-year-old Honkytonk Stomp.

Thu, 03/10/2011 - 13:06

Laurel's Conniver softer spot for Sweet Goodbye

Jim McCue/Maryland Jockey Club
Sweet Goodbye drops into the Conniver for Maryland-breds at Laurel.

Sweet Goodbye’s last three races haven’t been nearly as good as her first four starts in 2010, when she won three stakes, highlighted by the Grade 2 Barbara Fritchie Handicap, and placed second in the $250,000 Sugar Maple.

A class drop from graded stakes to Maryland-bred company may be suffiicient for the 6-year-old mare Sweet Goodbye to regain her old form in Saturday’s $75,000 Conniver Stakes at Laurel Park.

Thu, 03/10/2011 - 13:02

Majority interest in Silver Medallion sold

Marcel Langevin/Vassar Photography
Silver Medallion wins the El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate Fields.

A majority interest in Silver Medallion, the El Camino Real Derby winner, was sold Thursday to Blackrock Racing Partners, a partnership headed by oil entrepreneur Steve Marshall, according to both Marshall and Michael Ryan, who previously owned 100 percent of the colt.

“I’ve sold a little over 50 percent,” Ryan, a bloodstock agent based in Kentucky, said from Ocala, Fla., where he is attending a 2-year-old sale. “The horse will remain with Steve Asmussen.”

Thu, 03/10/2011 - 11:14

Louisiana Derby loses Rogue Romance to foot bruise

Barbara D. Livingston
Rogue Romance will miss a planned start in the Louisiana Derby due to a foot bruise.

Rogue Romance, the third-place finisher in last month’s Risen Star Stakes, has a heel bruise that will keep him out of the Grade 2, $1 million Louisiana Derby on March 26, his connections announced on Thursday.

According to trainer Ken McPeek, the injury should not impact Rogue Romance’s ability to make the Kentucky Derby on May 7. Options for his next race now include the Grade 1, $1 million Arkansas Derby and the Grade 1, $750,000 Blue Grass Stakes, both April 16.

Thu, 03/10/2011 - 08:26

Turf Paradise matches Table Mesa, Holding Her Ground in Mesa

PHOENIX – There isn’t much that bothers Table Mesa. She’s won on turf, on dirt, routing, sprinting, and on wet ground. She is a stakes winner routing and sprinting on dirt, and is stakes placed routing on turf. So when the 6-year-old mare gets in the gate for Saturday’s $25,000 Mesa Handicap at Turf Paradise, she’ll surely be comfortable in the 6 1/2-furlong main track event.

But one thing that could get in her way is the competition. Holding Her Ground comes in from California and is the 123-pound highweight in a field of eight fillies and mares.

Wed, 03/09/2011 - 16:55

Autrey gains major client in Midwest Thoroughbreds

Midwest Thoroughbreds, the leading owner in North America by wins in 2010, has joined up with trainer Cody Autrey to open a division racing in Louisiana and Texas.

Midwest, whose principal is Rich Papiese, won 310 races in 2010, 52 more than the second-highest total by an owner. So far in 2011, Midwest has won 37 races to rank second in terms of victories, but as of Wednesday was leading the country in earnings, with $545,206.

Wed, 03/09/2011 - 16:52

Bridgmohan losing out on mounts for Asmussen

The longstanding relationship between trainer Steve Asmussen and jockey Shaun Bridgmohan has been put on at least a temporary hold.

Bridgmohan last rode a horse for Asmussen in the second race on March 5, and was not aboard any Asmussen-trained starters during races at Fair Grounds from March 6-8. Bridgmohan was named to ride Awesome Bet in a maiden race on Friday, but was not named to ride any of Asmussen’s other horses entered at Fair Grounds on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday.

Wed, 03/09/2011 - 16:44

Dubai: Godolphin Mile next for I Want Revenge

Barbara D. Livingston
I Want Revenge will run in the Godolphin Mile instead of the Dubai World Cup.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – I Want Revenge is going to Dubai after all. Unfortunately for trainer Rick Dutrow and an ownership group headed by the IEAH Stable, he won’t be going into the race they’d hoped for.

I Want Revenge will compete in the $1 million Godolphin Mile at Meydan on the evening of March 26 rather than the main event, the $10 million Dubai World Cup. He’ll be accompanied on the flight by stablemate Stradivinsky, who’ll run in the $1 million Al Quoz going five furlongs on the turf.