Music Please, unbeaten in three starts as a 3-year-old last year while racing exclusively at seven furlongs, tries to run a bit farther and significantly faster than she has ever run before in Saturday’s $75,000 Nellie Morse Stakes at Laurel Park.
The one-mile Nellie Morse drew a field of six fillies and mares, includiing stakes winner Baltimore Belle and graded-stakes-placed New York shipper McVictory.
Because of a developing snowstorm in the northern Kentucky region, officials at Turfway Park canceled the nine-race card scheduled for Thursday evening at the Florence, Ky., track. Racing is scheduled to resume Friday with a 5:30 p.m. Eastern post time.
Churchill Downs also canceled simulcast wagering at its Trackside OTB in Louisville on Thursday.
PHOENIX – Saturday’s $25,000 Swift Stakes at Turf Paradise is a fork in the road for one-time top sprinter Twin Sparks and the local sprint division. The 5 1/2-furlong event may be the last chance for Twin Sparks, now 8, to reclaim some of his old glory, or it could mark a changing of the guard in the division. The six-furlong world-record holder, Twin Sparks heads a field of nine.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. -- While Uncle Mo understandably garners most of the attention when it comes to trainer Todd Pletcher’s band of 3-year-old prospects, there are at least a half-dozen other prominent youngsters of both sexes who could have a major impact in stakes races throughout the course of the winter.
Brethren, Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver’s little brother, is still a few breezes away from his 3-year-old debut.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Uncle Mo is about ready to get back to some serious work.
Uncle Mo, crowned juvenile champion at Monday’s Eclipse Award ceremonies, has been galloping steadily at the Palm Meadows training facility and according to his trainer, Todd Pletcher, is almost up to his first breeze as a 3-year-old.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Bob Baffert, who leads all trainers with 17 wins, has picked early February stakes for two of his stakes horses who won or placed last weekend.
Always a Princess, who won Sunday’s Grade 2 El Encino Stakes for 4-year-old fillies, is being pointed to the $150,000 La Canada Stakes over 1 1/8 miles on Feb. 13.
There were only 52 recorded works on the main track Wednesday, a day after track maintenance crews completed a multi-day project to add sand to the surface.
Many trainers said they were taking a cautious approach to training Wednesday but planned more extensive works later this week. By comparison, there were 134 recorded works on Wednesday, Jan. 12.
Several trainers said the surface had responded well to the additional sand.
“I’ve asked a few of my riders, and they said it felt fine,” trainer Jack Carava said.
NEW ORLEANS – Al Stall called out instructions to the riders aboard a set of horses waiting on the racetrack alongside the outside fence before breaking off into their training regimens Wednesday morning To one exercise rider Stall said, “Regular,” but the rider shook his head and held up one finger, signifying one lap around, not the regular routine to which Stall had referred.
“That’s right, that’s right,” said Stall, who had been away from his Fair Grounds string the last two mornings while in Florida for the Eclipse Awards. “Two days away and you get out of your rhythm.”
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. –Trainer Tony Dutrow won with his first-ever Oaklawn Park starter on Monday and can keep the barn’s momentum going in Friday’s eighth race. He will send out Holyfield in a second-level optional $35,000 claiming race at six furlongs, and the recency the horse has on all but one of his six rivals makes him a chief contender.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Sidney’s Candy resumed training Wednesday at Santa Anita after tests conducted Monday revealed no injuries to his right hind foot, which kept him from starting in the San Fernando Stakes last week, trainer John Sadler said.
Sadler said that Sidney’s Candy will be pointed to the $300,000 Frank Kilroe Mile on turf on March 5.
The colt underwent a nuclear scan test Monday that is more detailed than a conventional X-ray and can reveal hard-to-find injuries. Sidney’s Candy’s tests revealed no injuries.
