MIAMI – Big Drama worked five furlongs in 1:00.76 seconds on Saturday over a fast but cuppy racetrack at Calder as he continues to prepare for his appearance in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Churchill Downs on Nov. 6.
MIAMI – Big Drama worked five furlongs in 1:00.76 seconds on Saturday over a fast but cuppy racetrack at Calder as he continues to prepare for his appearance in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Churchill Downs on Nov. 6.
Ju Jitsu Jax defeated arch-rival Immortal Eyes for the second straight time in Friday night’s $51,450 HBPA Jefferson County Commission Handicap at Charles Town.
The 4-year-old Ju Jitsu Jax, ridden by J.D. Acosta for trainer Scott Lake, led from gate to wire in the 4 1/2-furlong sprint, completing the distance in 50:72 seconds, while finishing 1 1/4 lengths in front of Immortal Eyes.
It was a repeat of their most recent meeting, in a half-mile allowance race at Timonium in late August. In June, Immortal Eyes prevailed by a half-length in the $100,000 Charles Town Dash.
Philadelphia Park-based trainer Juan Carlos Guerrero’s remarkable success with horses he recently claimed continued Friday night when Royal Clash, making his first start off a six-length loss while running for a $16,000 tag, romped to an 8 ¼-length victory in Friday night’s $75,000 Nepal Stakes for Pennsylvania-breds at Penn National Race Course.
LEXINGTON, Ky. - Julien Leparoux winning on a 33-1 shot isn't a common occurrence, either in Kentucky, where he tends to dominate, or elsewhere. And yet 3-year-old Mimi's Bling was so overshadowed by more accomplished older mares going into the $100,000 Franklin County Stakes on Friday at Keeneland that even the presence of Leparoux in the saddle could do little to keep the filly's odds from floating skyward.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Where’s the Remote, the runner-up in the Grade 1 Clement Hirsch Turf Championship at Hollywood Park on Oct. 3, may be bound for the Breeders’ Cup after all.
Trainer Mike Mitchell is considering a start in the $500,000 Breeders’ Cup Marathon over 1 3/4 miles on the main track at Churchill Downs on Nov. 6 for the 4-year-old gelding.
“My gut feeling is I will work him twice here and that will tell us what to do,” Mitchell said. “I want to run him in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Marathon, but I don’t want to waste my guy’s money.”
ELMONT, N.Y. – When it comes to New York Showcase Day, Dominic Galluscio usually comes well prepared. He has won two runnings of the Empire Classic and one running each of the Sleepy Hollow and Maid of the Mist Stakes.
Next Saturday, when Belmont hosts the annual New York Showcase Day program – an entire card devoted to New York-breds – Galluscio once again figures to be prominent with three major players for the afternoon’s seven traditional stakes races.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Antares World has won six races at her home track, Golden Gate Fields, and lost all four starts in Southern California. So why leave home again?
Because when Antares World runs a mile on turf in the Grade 3 Harold C. Ramser Handicap for 3-year-old fillies Sunday at Hollywood Park, she might be a slam dunk.
“She shipped well, she is training well, and she should be pretty tough,” trainer Steve Specht said.
ELMONT, N.Y. – The sight of Violon Sacre tossing his head about early in his races is probably a bit disconcerting to those who backed him at the windows. But the sight of Violon Sacre lengthening his stride and roaring through the stretch has, more times than not, had a soothing effect on those who put their money down.