Blame has reacclimated to his surroundings at Keeneland and remains firmly on target for the Oct. 2 Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park, trainer Al Stall Jr. said early Saturday from the Lexington, Ky., track.
By the time he departs by plane for New York on Sept. 30, Blame will have had four straight Sunday workouts over the Polytrack surface at Keeneland, the second of which was scheduled for this Sunday, said Stall.
Gayego won the $250,000 Presque Isle Mile on Friday evening and established a track record in the process.
Gayego was kept to the outside by jockey Alan Garcia, just behind the pressured pace set by Black Belt. Succesful Dan, under Julien Leparoux, pressed the pace in second. On the far turn, Garcia made his move while Successful Dan took the lead. Gayego got on even terms and the two dueled in the stretch before Gayego drew clear late to win by two lengths. Running Stag got up for third, three lengths behind Successful Dan.
Saturday night's nine-race program will mark the end of the summer racing season at Penn National Race Course. The Grantville, Pa., track will take a two-week break for its regularly scheduled fall maintenance. Live racing will resume on Wednesday, Sept. 29.
POMONA, Calif. – Jockey Martin Pedroza popped the gate Thursday at Fairplex Park, winning with six of his nine mounts on opening day of the Los Angeles County Fair meet.
But in the “King of the Ring” match race between all-time leading Fairplex rider Pedroza and second-leading rider David Flores, it was Flores who got the jump. He led wire to wire on Cat Brando, winning the 1 1/16-mile race by a length over Pedroza and favorite Dave’s Ruler. The jockey assignments were made by random draw.
POMONA, Calif. – Despite a disappointing fourth in an allowance race last out, Via Veneto will be favored to win the $50,000 Bangles and Beads Stakes on Sunday at Fairplex Park.
A small field of five fillies and mares entered the 6 1/2-furlong stakes, and trainer Bob Baffert already cleared the first hurdle by gaining the services of Fairplex all-time leading jockey Martin Pedroza.
“She’s training well, and Martin took the call,” Baffert said. “At this track, Martin Pedroza gets first call; Martin Garcia gets second call.”
MIAMI – Steve Dwoskin has been leading owner at Calder three times but has never won a training title. Now he’s trying to accomplish both feats during the same meet.
Dwoskin entered Friday’s program with 27 wins since the session began on April 25, six more than his closest pursuer, Bill White. He also owned 21 of those 27 winners, putting him eight victories in front of Jacks or Better Farm in the race for the owners crown.
Trainer Gary Thomas makes it count when he ships in to race at Zia Park in Hobbs, N.M.
He has had one career starter at the track, Golden Yank, who in 2008 won the $150,000 Zia Derby. Thomas will be back in town Sunday with Greeley’s Conquest, a multiple stakes-winning sprinter who could go favored in the $100,000 Premiere Cup Handicap.
“It looks like the right spot to me,” Thomas said of making the trip from Remington Park.
The undefeated champion mare Zenyatta rolled through an impressive workout Friday morning at Hollywood Park as she prepares for the Grade 1 Lady’s Secret on Oct. 2.
According to Hollywood clocker Russ Hudak, Zenyatta and jockey Mike Smith broke off behind workmate El Vino, tracked that one until near the head of the stretch, then cruised the final quarter-mile in 23.60 seconds for a six-furlong time of 1:13.20, breezing.
ELMONT, N.Y. − Hoping to find a softer, gentler turf course in Canada than the one he expected to get at Belmont Park, trainer Robert Ribaudo said he would scratch Grand Couturier from Saturday’s Grade 2 Bowling Green Handicap and point him to the $750,000 Northern Dancer Turf Stakes at Woodbine on Sept. 19.
Ribaudo said it had rained in Canada during the week and that more rain was expected. He said he feels Grand Couturier is better on a turf course that has some give in it as opposed to a firm turf. Grand Couturier won last year’s Bowling Green over yielding turf.
The California Horse Racing Board, in a special meeting held via teleconference, on Friday voted to approve the license for the Oak Tree Racing Association to run its fall meeting for the first time at Hollywood Park, a transfer that had been given the green light by the board at its regular monthly in August.