Fri, 05/28/2010 - 00:00

Pincelada's pedigree favors turf

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Pincelada is fast, and she finishes. Can she run on grass?

Trainer Jorge Periban has little doubt that Pincelada will handle a surface change Sunday at Hollywood Park in the six-furlong, $60,000 Manhattan Beach Stakes. A turf sprint for 3-year-old fillies, the Manhattan Beach will test her trainer's pedigree research.

"I'm moving to the turf because she has a pedigree for grass. Her momma won four races on grass," Periban said, referring to Flo's Z Fury, who won 4 of 15 on turf, including a stakes.

Fri, 05/28/2010 - 00:00

Quality Road faces seven in Met Mile

ELMONT, N.Y. - Quality Road will face seven challengers when he returns to the races for the first time in four months in Monday's Grade 1, $500,000 Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont Park.

Quality Road, the 124-pound highweight, will be making his first start since he won the Grade 1 Donn Handicap by 12 3/4 lengths at Gulfstream Park on Feb. 6, with a season-high Beyer Speed Figure of 121. He will break from post 7 under John Velazquez.

Fri, 05/28/2010 - 00:00

Stonehouse succumbs to colic

Stonehouse, who was named champion Illinois-bred older horse in 2009, died suddenly of colic on Monday evening, his trainer, Spanky Broussard, said.

Broussard said Stonehouse began showing signs of discomfort mid-afternoon Monday, and was treated for colic and taken by van to an area clinic. But Stonehouse's condition rapidly deteriorated, and he was put down around 7 p.m., according to Broussard. It was discovered that Stonehouse had been suffering from a fully twisted intestine, a dire condition for a horse.

Fri, 05/28/2010 - 00:00

Blinkers off Timbavati at Arapahoe

Timbavati, who won a maiden special weight at Santa Anita in January, will make his Arapahoe Park debut Sunday in the $30,000 Inaugural. The six-furlong race drew a field of eight 3-year-olds, including the undefeated Danzip.

Fri, 05/28/2010 - 00:00

Train Rider Blues favored at Ruidoso

Train Rider Blues loves Ruidoso Downs, where last year he won a pair of six-figure futurities for Thoroughbreds. Sunday, he's back in town and should go favored in the $40,000 Norgor Derby, a six-furlong race that is part of opening weekend at Ruidoso.

Train Rider Blues will be making his first start since March. He worked three furlongs in a bullet 36 seconds at Ruidoso on May 22.

"He really likes it up here," said Terry Walker, who trains Train Rider Blues for Freda McSwane and Joe Walters. "He's had a lot of results up here."

Fri, 05/28/2010 - 00:00

Carignan's winter work ethic paying off

FORT ERIE, Ontario - Jockey Krista Carignan, just a few days short of her 22nd birthday, has much to celebrate.

Heading into this week's action Carignan leads the rider standings here with 16 wins, well clear of rivals Rui Pimentel and Anthony Stephen, who both have nine wins.

Carignan, who last year spent time at both Woodbine and Fort Erie, decided to give this track her full attention for the 2010 meet.

Thu, 05/27/2010 - 00:00

Terraciano appealing fine, ban

Trainer Neil Terraciano has appealed a 60-day suspension and a $1,000 fine handed him by the New York stewards after a horse who ran under his name had a higher than acceptable level of carbon dioxide in his blood, something usually associated with the administering of milkshakes. A milkshake is a mixture of bicarbonate of soda, sugar, and electrolytes, a combination thought to relieve fatigue.

The horse, Martha's Mandate, finished last in the first race on May 16 at Belmont Park.

Thu, 05/27/2010 - 00:00

Presious Passion back to work

OCEANPORT, N.J. - Presious Passion bounced back nicely from his trip to Dubai, according to trainer Mary Hartmann. He will head back to work in the Grade 3 Monmouth Stakes on June 12, the race Presious Passion captured last year as the prep for a second straight victory in the Grade 1 United Nations Stakes.

The 7-year-old gelding has had one breeze, an easy 52 seconds at Monmouth on May 17, since running 16th as the 3-1 favorite after setting the pace in the Dubai Sheema Classic on March 27. His next work will be Tuesday or Wednesday of next week.

Thu, 05/27/2010 - 00:00

Calder roundup

WHO'S HOT

Apprentice Luis Saez has battled defending Calder jockey champion Manoel Cruz tooth and nail for the top spot in the standings in the opening month of the meet. Saez easily led all riders with seven victories the week of May 20-23; three of those wins came Friday and two came Sunday, including the feature event aboard Trippi's Sailor.

Daniel Coa and Luis Jurado also posted hat tricks last week, Coa on Friday and Jurado the following afternoon.

Thu, 05/27/2010 - 00:00

Monmouth roundup

WHO'S HOT