Wed, 11/10/2010 - 12:46

West Ocean drops out of stakes for turf sprint allowance

Photos by Z/Keeneland
West Ocean, winning the Giant's Causeway this past spring, takes a class drop into allowance company Friday at Churchill Downs.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – West Ocean might have fit well in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint last Saturday, but discretion came into play. A far less demanding allowance race was just over the Churchill Downs horizon, and besides, her owners, the Wertheimer brothers of France, might have been a bit distracted anyway, what with their Goldikova shooting for – and ultimately achieving – an unprecedented three-peat in the BC Mile.

Wed, 11/10/2010 - 12:26

Apollitical Jess flourishes with more time between races

LOS ALAMITOS, Calif.– The three-week gap between the trials for the Los Alamitos Super Derby on Oct. 17 and the $1,052,000 final last Saturday gave Apollitical Jess sufficient time to recover – and run a career-defining race.

A five-week gap between the Super Derby and his next start in the $750,000 Champion of Champions at Los Alamitos on Dec. 11 may lead to a World Championship.

Wed, 11/10/2010 - 12:10

Bridgetown moves into Pletcher's barn

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Eugene Melnyk has transferred a string of five horses at Churchill Downs from Ken McPeek to Todd Pletcher, most notably Bridgetown, the fourth-place finisher in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint last weekend.

Bridgetown ran a big race at nearly 14-1 in the BC Turf Sprint when he moved strongly to challenge the race-long front-runner, Central City, in midstretch, only to fade in the final stages to finish 2 3/4 lengths behind the victorious Chamberlain Bridge.

Wed, 11/10/2010 - 11:58

Objection Denied looks set to graduate

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – The only two non-claiming events on Friday’s Woodbine Racetrack card are both for Ontario-sired runners, and neither of those races contain any world-beaters.

The Bob Tiller-trained Objection Denied should be favored in the third, a five-furlong maiden special for 3-year-olds up.

Objection Denied made all six of his starts in Ontario-sired maiden sprints. He wound up fourth in each of his first two outings at the meet, before ending up second to Don’t Think Twice in a slow six-furlong dash Aug. 18.

Tue, 11/09/2010 - 16:09

Midwest Thoroughbreds putting up big numbers in 2010

STICKNEY, Ill. – Drawn in the two inside posts for the featured sixth race Thursday at Hawthorne are the coupled entry of Down the Road and See I A. Take note of the ownership name on the horses, Midwest Thoroughbreds, because this stable has gone viral.

Tue, 11/09/2010 - 14:52

Opus A returns from sidelines after 11 months

Adam Coglianese/NYRA
Opus A will make her first start in 11 months on Thursday at Aqueduct.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Opus A, sidelined for 11 months since a remarkable win in the East View Stakes last December, returns in a $44,000 allowance/optional claiming race that serves as the Veterans Day headliner.

Opus A won 2 of 3 starts as a 2-year-old for Rick Violette Jr., her only loss coming in the Grade 1 Spinaway, after which she underwent minor throat surgery.

Racing with blinkers on in the East View, Opus A broke from the far outside post and raced very wide throughout, but she somehow rallied from next-to-last to win going away under Alan Garcia.

Tue, 11/09/2010 - 14:39

Treat Gently to take on males in Hollywood Turf Cup

Four-Footed Fotos
Treat Gently, winner of the Sheepshead Bay at Belmont in May, will be the only female in the Hollywood Turf Cup.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Treat Gently, a three-time group or graded stakes winner, will be the lone female in Saturday’s $250,000 Hollywood Turf Cup.

The Grade 1 Turf Cup is run over 1 1/2 miles, which trainer Bill Mott said is an ideal distance for Treat Gently.

“A mile and a half is her trip,” Mott said.

Tue, 11/09/2010 - 14:28

California board formally approves new Santa Anita surface

The California Horse Racing Board on Tuesday unanimously approved a waiver that will allow Santa Anita Park to complete the installation of a dirt surface as its main track.

Tue, 11/09/2010 - 14:21

Noble’s Promise eyeing Cigar Mile

Barbara D. Livingston
Noble's Promise could make his next start in the Nov. 27 Cigar Mile at Aqueduct.

Noble’s Promise could run back in the Nov. 27 Cigar Mile at Aqueduct and/or the Dec. 26 Malibu at Santa Anita following his impressive return to action on the Friday Breeders’ Cup undercard, according to trainer Ken McPeek.

Noble’s Promise, making his first start in nearly five months, won a six-furlong overnight stakes in 1:08.92, while Big Drama won the six-furlong BC Sprint in 1:09.05 the next day.

Tue, 11/09/2010 - 14:14

Battle of Hastings to wait for Fort Lauderdale Handicap

Benoit & Associates
Battle of Hastings will likely make his next start in the Jan. 9 Fort Lauderdale Handicap at Gulfstream Park.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Battle of Hastings probably won’t race again until the Jan. 9 Fort Lauderdale Handicap at Gulfstream Park after making a successful first run for new trainer Greg Fox in capturing the Grade 3 River City Handicap here last Thursday.

“He’ll move down to Payson Park with our other horses in a couple of weeks,” said Fox, who will have about 15 horses at the south Florida training center. “He ran the race I envisioned he would run, and obviously it’s very gratifying when that happens.”