LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Someone with less fortitude might have broken – both physically and mentally.
Not Declan Cannon. The 34-year-old jockey was made whole again Saturday when he guided Top of the Charts to a front-running victory in the third race at Churchill Downs, marking his first winner since returning from a spill in which he narrowly averted a life-altering injury.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Roman Centurian will run in the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap at Del Mar on July 30 after finishing first via disqualification at Santa Anita on May 15 in his first start of the year.
Trained by Simon Callaghan for Don Alberto Stable and Qatar Racing, Roman Centurian was second by three-quarters of a length in an allowance at a mile, but was promoted to first when race winner Special Ride was disqualified to second for causing interference at the start.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Forbidden Kingdom, last of six as the even-money favorite in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby on April 9, recently resumed racetrack training after being sidelined with a swollen throat.
The illness was diagnosed after the loss in the Santa Anita Derby, which put an end to any plans for a start in a Triple Crown race for Forbidden Kingdom.
Forbidden Kingdom galloped on Sunday, and has done so for several days, trainer Richard Mandella said.
“It’s really good, good enough to train,” Mandella said of Forbidden Kingdom’s condition.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Jockey Juan Hernandez recorded his first five-win day at Santa Anita on Saturday, the third time he achieved that mark in his career and the first time he won four stakes on a single day.
There could be more milestones in 2022 for Hernandez, the leading rider at the track’s winter-spring meeting.
Hernandez won five races on a single day at Golden Gate Fields in 2018 and 2019. The Saturday program was his best afternoon since he relocated from Northern California in 2020.
ELMONT, N.Y. - The best part of finishing second in the Peter Pan Stakes was that it earned Golden Glider a fees-paid berth into the June 11 Belmont Stakes. So, to trainer Mark Casse, it makes pointing the horse to the Belmont Stakes a virtual no-brainer.
“I don’t know what you take out of it,” Casse said, “but we got a free ride into the Belmont.”
Zilkha, a 2-year-old filly out of 2010 Horse of the Year Zenyatta, had her first workout at Santa Anita on Wednesday, exercising three furlongs in 38.40 seconds.
“We wanted to show her the track,” trainer John Shirreffs said.
Zilkha, by Candy Ride, arrived at Santa Anita and the Shirreffs stable earlier this month, having undergone early training in Florida.
Jockey Jessica Pyfer, the champion apprentice of 2021, is switching agents.
Pyfer said on Friday that she will be represented by Bill Castle beginning next week at Santa Anita. Castle said in a text message he will continue to book mounts on behalf of Ramon Vazquez. Castle and Vazquez relocated to California from the Midwest last month.
Pyfer was previously represented by Brandon O’Bryan, who said on Friday that he will continue working for jockey Drayden Van Dyke.
ELMONT, N.Y. - In addition to his two prospects for the Belmont Stakes - Mo Donegal and Nest - trainer Todd Pletcher worked several other notable runners on Friday morning at Belmont Park.
Life Is Good, the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile and Pegasus World Cup Invitational winner, breezed a half-mile in 49.05 seconds by himself over the Belmont training track. He is preparing for a start in the Grade 2, $250,000 John Nerud Stakes here on July 2.
Kelsey Danner would like nothing more than win a stakes this year with a 4-year-old named Gladys – not that the filly isn’t already extremely valuable.
Gladys was sired by Medaglia d’Oro and produced by Lotta Kim, making her a full sister to the great Rachel Alexandra. She posted her third victory from 12 career starts in a second-level allowance going 1 1/16 miles on the Churchill turf May 19, and now Danner is looking for a spot for black type. Gladys was nominated to the Keertana here this weekend, but the race came back too quick.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Peter Miller, who announced last fall to considerable fanfare that he was taking a hiatus from training, will have his first starter in six months when a 3-year-old gelding named Respect the Code runs under his name in the eighth race Sunday at Churchill Downs.
Miller said via text message early Friday from California that he is gearing up his stable for the upcoming Los Alamitos and Del Mar meets on his home circuit. He said Respect the Code, owned by Gary Barber, is his only horse in Kentucky.
