Sat, 01/15/2011 - 13:57

Joey P. still going strong, with Gulfstream victory at age 9

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Jockey Joe Bravo probably said it best when summing up the performance by the amazing old pro Joey P. after the 9-year-old had reasserted himself after relinquishing the lead near midstretch to outgame the favored Safe Trip and win Friday’s fifth race.

“How cool is that?” said Bravo who has been aboard Joey P. for 13 of his 18 career victories.

Sat, 01/15/2011 - 13:29

Little Mike changes barns

Bob Coglianese
Little Mike wins the Fort Lauderdale at Gulfstream.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Little Mike, upset winner of the Grade 3 Fort Lauderdale Stakes for trainer Allen Iwinski last Sunday, has been transferred to trainer Dale Romans's barn, the gelding’s owner-breeder Carlo Vaccarezza said on Saturday.

 

Sat, 01/15/2011 - 13:23

Big Drama breaks track record winning Mr. Prospector

Adam Coglianese
Big Drama runs six furlongs in a track-record 1:08.12 to capture the Mr. Prospector.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Trainer David Fawkes said it would have been a little embarrassing to show up at Monday’s night’s Eclipse Award ceremonies had his Eclipse Award candidate Big Drama lost his 2011 debut 48 hours earlier in Gulfstream Park’s $100,000 Mr. Prospector Handicap.

Sat, 01/15/2011 - 13:12

Champ Pegasus kicks off season in San Marcos

ARCADIA, Calif. – Last January, Champ Pegasus was a maiden. By July, he was a two-time winner and stakes-placed. By October, he was a two-time stakes winner. A month later, he nearly won the nation’s biggest turf race in the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Churchill Downs.

All that makes for high anticipation for Champ Pegasus’s 2011 campaign, which begins in Monday’s $150,000 San Marcos Stakes at Santa Anita.

Sat, 01/15/2011 - 11:47

Ben's Cat should feel at home in Native Dancer

Jim McCue/Maryland Jockey Club
Ben's Cat had won eight in a row before losing his last race.

Ben’s Cat, whose eight-race unbeaten streak ended when he shipped to New York for a two-turn overnight stakes, returns to Maryland and resumes racing around just one turn in Monday’s holiday feature, the $75,000 Native Dancer Stakes at Laurel Park.

Sat, 01/15/2011 - 09:31

Square Eddie sets Santa Anita record in return

ARCADIA, Calif. - Square Eddie returned from a layoff of more than 11 months to win an allowance race over 6 1/2 furlongs in track record time of 1:13.11 in Friday’s seventh race at Santa Anita.

Square Eddie was on or near the led throughout the allowance race, setting early fractions of 21.47 and 43.47 seconds. He ran through the six-furlong mark in 1:06.81 and finished 3 1/4 lengths over Stacy Hope without being urged in the last few strides.

Sat, 01/15/2011 - 09:21

Decisive Moment kicks away in Jean Lafitte

Decisive Moment was second-best shipping from Florida to Louisiana for the rich Delta Jackpot on Nov. 20, but second to none when back for another Delta try in the $250,000 Jean Lafitte Stakes on Friday night.

Sat, 01/15/2011 - 09:15

Horses able to train over track at Oaklawn

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Oaklawn Park resumed morning training Saturday for the first time in five days following a snowstorm that had forced the track to cancel Friday’s opening-day card. The meet is scheduled to begin on Saturday.

More than five inches of snow fell on Hot Springs late Sunday, leading to the cancellation of training from Monday through Thursday. Oaklawn was able to open its track for training late Friday afternoon, after maintenance crews harrowed the surface for about eight hours.

Fri, 01/14/2011 - 17:52

Visits to track hard to come by for Pitino

Bob Coglianese
Soaring Empire, owned by Rick Pitino's Ol Memorial Stable, won his first graded stakes in the Hal's Hope.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. − About the time Soaring Empire was walking toward the starting gate for last Saturday’s Grade 3 Hal’s Hope, owner Rick Pitino was pulling into his son’s driveway in Gainesville, Fla. Pitino arrived just in time to watch on television as the star of his stable rallied to the first graded stakes win of his career.

Fri, 01/14/2011 - 17:26

Oaklawn track opens for training; meet expected to begin Saturday

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Oaklawn Park was able to open its track for training for the first time since last Sunday late Friday afternoon, and plans to race as scheduled on Saturday.

The track was forced to cancel its opening-day card on Friday.

A snowstorm blew into Hot Springs late Sunday and forced the cancellation of training from Monday through Thursday. The track opened just before 4 p.m. Central on Friday, and about 20 horses were training in the first set. Maintenance crews had been harrowing the track since 8:30 a.m. Central.