Wed, 06/02/2010 - 00:00

No Flies On Doodle heads Belvoir road show

AUBURN, Wash. - No Flies On Doodle is movin' up and movin' out.

A courageous winner of the 6 1/2-furlong Washington State Legislators Handicap at Emerald Downs on Monday, the 4-year-old filly is scheduled to start next in the one-mile King County Handicap here on July 4, trainer Vann Belvoir said. After that, she will be shipped to Minnesota for a race at Canterbury Park, and then to Oklahoma, where Belvoir plans to keep a string of horses at Remington Park.

Wed, 06/02/2010 - 00:00

Oak Tree looking to seal a Magna deal

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Oak Tree Racing Association officials are hoping to reach a resolution in coming days with executives from Magna International Development, the parent company of Santa Anita Park, over a lease arrangement for Oak Tree's fall meeting at Santa Anita, according to Oak Tree's executive vice-president, Sherwood Chillingworth.

If an agreement can't be reached soon, the Oak Tree meeting, which has been run at Santa Anita since 1969, could be relocated to Hollywood Park in Inglewood, Calif., Chillingworth said.

Wed, 06/02/2010 - 00:00

Buttigieg off to fast start, eyeing bigger races

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Paul Buttigieg has been training horses for almost 40 years. And, with the exception of a fling in the spotlight with the talented sprinter Rushiscomingup in the late 1990s, the 63-year-old Buttigieg generally has stayed beneath the radar.

It's been hard for Buttigieg to avoid attracting attention this spring, however, as he had sent out five winners from 28 starters heading into Wednesday night's program at Woodbine while adding two wins from four starts at Fort Erie.

Wed, 06/02/2010 - 00:00

Dubai's Connection goes for 5 in row

MIAMI - Mambo Meister became the No. 1 star at the meet after adding Monday's Grade 3 Memorial Day Handicap to his victory on opening day in the Grade 3 Miami Mile.

However, Mambo Meister will have to share some of that glory with Dubai's Connection, a 5-year-old mare who has made her name knocking around the lower-level claiming and starter-allowance ranks here this spring.

Wed, 06/02/2010 - 00:00

Garcia picks up mount on St Trinians

Martin Garcia is the new jockey for St Trinians, the 5-year-old mare expected to provide Zenyatta her main challenge June 13 in the Grade 1 Vanity Handicap at Hollywood Park. Trainer Mike Mitchell announced the rider change for St Trinians on Wednesday after Garcia worked St. Trinians six furlongs in 1:14, breezing.

St Trinians won her first four U.S. starts, including the Grade 2 Santa Maria Handicap, before she was roughed up finishing sixth against males in her most recent start March 6 in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap. St Trinians has been ridden by Joel Rosario.

Wed, 06/02/2010 - 00:00

Gutierrez looks to break out of slump

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Trainer Jorge Gutierrez could use a batch of luck this spring at Hollywood Park.

Through Monday, Gutierrez has had just one winner from 35 starters.

"It seems like nothing is going right," he said on Wednesday. "I want to win a race."

Friday evening, on a program that will have high interest from racing fans, Gutierrez has a chance to revive his slumping stable. He has starters in two of legs of a pick six that begins with a carryover of $150,594.

Wed, 06/02/2010 - 00:00

Ice Box gets post 6 as Belmont favorite

Barbara D. Livingston
Ice Box drew post 6 for Saturday's Belmont Stakes and was made the 3-1 favorite.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Ice Box has been listed as the 3-1 morning-line favorite in a field of 12 3-year-olds in the 142nd Belmont Stakes, the final leg of the Triple Crown to be run Saturday at Belmont Park.

Ice Box, assigned post 6 when entries were drawn Wednesday morning for the 1 1/2-mile race, will be making his first start since finishing second in the May 1 Kentucky Derby. Jose Lezcano has the mount back aboard Ice Box for two-time Belmont-winning trainer Nick Zito.

Wed, 06/02/2010 - 00:00

Migliore calls it a career

ELMONT, N.Y. - Richard Migliore recalled the day he knew he wanted to be a jockey.

It was Oct. 2, 1976, the day when the mighty 6-year-old Forego, carrying 137 pounds, including Bill Shoemaker, ran down the 3-year-old Honest Pleasure under Craig Perret at 119 pounds to win the Grade 1 Marlboro Cup by a head at muddy Belmont Park.

Migliore was 12 years old.

Wed, 06/02/2010 - 00:00

Kuntzweiler applies for jockey's license

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Greta Kuntzweiler has asked the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission to consider issuing her a jockey's license nearly three years after she pled guilty on drug-related offenses and ultimately agreed to five years' probation on a suspended 10-year prison sentence.

Wed, 06/02/2010 - 00:00

Mine That Bird breezes sharp half-mile

Mine That Bird had his second workout for trainer D. Wayne Lukas when he breezed a half-mile in 48 seconds over a fast track shortly after the renovation break Wednesday morning at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.

The Wednesday work reunited Mine That Bird with his regular rider, Calvin Borel, who guided the gelding to a smashing victory in the 2009 Kentucky Derby. Working solo, they went in splits of 12.40 and 24.20, with a five-furlong gallop-out time of 1:01.40, according to Churchill clocker John Nichols.