Next Saturday's program at Hollywood Park will be highlighted by the $150,000 Californian Stakes over 1 1/8 miles for older horses, a key prep to the $500,000 Hollywood Gold Cup on July 10.
Rail Trip, the winner of the 2009 Gold Cup, and the Grade 2 Mervyn LeRoy Handicap in his 2010 debut on May 8, will be favored in the Californian. Trained by Ron Ellis, Rail Trip worked six furlongs in 1:12.80 at Hollywood Park on Friday, the fastest of seven recorded works at the distance.
There is a short field of four horses for the $50,000 John Longden 6000 Sunday, and the presence of Teide is the main reason for that.
Trainer Rob Gilker has entered Tommy Danzigger, but he wasn't overly optimistic about his chances. Tommy Danzigger, who won the Grade 3 Canadian Derby last year, will appreciate stretching out to 1 1/16 miles after finishing second behind Teide in the 6 1/2-furlong George Royal.
After having a rough time filling four racing days in a row, management at Hastings has decided to alter the racing schedule so it doesn't happen again. Friday, July 2, has been dropped and to make up for the lost day, Friday, Sept. 24 has been added.
"We were optimistic that we could maintain the scheduling of four consecutive racing dates," said Hastings general manager Raj Mutti. "But after the Victoria Day weekend, the toll on the horse population prompted management to reconsider the original racing schedule."
Remington Park has made some subtle but significant changes to its 26-race stakes schedule, which will once again be highlighted by the $400,000 Oklahoma Derby on Oct. 10. Remington, which opens for a 67-date meet Aug. 19, will offer more than $3 million in stakes purses during the season. Remington will race through Dec. 11.
The Oklahoma Derby, at 1 1/8 miles, will be run on the lone Sunday card of the meet. It will share a program with four other stakes, including the $200,000 Remington Park Oaks and the $150,000 Remington Green, for total purses of $850,000.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Macho Again had his final workout in preparation of his defense of the Grade 1 Stephen Foster Handicap when he breezed five furlongs in 1:02.20 with regular rider Robby Albarado aboard Friday morning at Churchill Downs.
Macho Again is one of at least six older horses expected to run next Saturday, June 12, in the $600,000 Foster.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Under a heady ride from Rajiv Maragh, Krypton upset previously undefeated Nordic Truce by a neck in Friday's Grade 3, $100,000 Hill Prince Stakes at Belmont Park.
Nordic Truce, the 3-5 favorite who surprisingly set the pace under Ramon Dominguez, finished second, 3 1/2 lengths ahead of Lethal Combination. Gold Medallion and Noah's Dream completed the order of finish. Avenging Spirit scratched.
Krypton had to withstand a steward's inquiry and objection from Dominguez, who claimed interference in the stretch, to maintain the victory.
Jim Gaffney Sr., the regular exercise rider of champion Thoroughbreds Secretariat and Riva Ridge, died on Thursday from pneumonia. He was 75.
Gaffney lived in Commack, N.Y. In addition to being the exercise rider, he worked as a mutuel clerk at the New York Racing Association from 1957 until 2000 when he retired.
Gaffney exercised horses for many years - and got on Northern Dancer, Spanish Riddle Angle Light and Fort Marcy - but retired after Secretariat retired in 1973.
"It was hard to top that for $2 an hour," said Gaffney's son, Jim Gaffney Jr.
Churchill Downs Inc. has completed its acquisition of Youbet.com in a transaction that will make Churchill the largest account-wagering company in the U.S.
The deal closed on Wednesday, Churchill said in a release, after drawing some scrutiny from federal anti-trust regulators. The deal valued Youbet.com at approximately $133 million at Wednesday's stock prices by giving Youbet shareholders 99 cents for each share of Youbet stock they owned and one share of Churchill stock for every 17 shares of Youbet stock.