Fri, 11/21/2025 - 15:15

Papaprodromou going all out in hunt for first training title

Barbara D. Livingston

George Papaprodromou plans to run Balladeer in next weekend's Hollywood Turf Cup at Del Mar.

Few Southern California trainers are as eager as George Papaprodromou for the resumption of racing at Del Mar on Saturday.

Papaprodromou and John Sadler begin the weekend tied for first in the trainer standings with six wins. Papaprodromou is seeking his first training title.

Friday’s program was canceled because of overnight rain, leading the track to alter its racing schedule this weekend to a Saturday-through-Monday format. Papaprodromou has nine runners over those days compared to six for Sadler.

Fri, 11/21/2025 - 14:18

Cigar Mile hopefuls work

By David Grening

Barbara D. Livingston

Crazy Mason worked a half-mile in 49.50 seconds, his sixth work since finishing second in the Vosburgh.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – With rain expected Friday night into Saturday morning, a trio of Grade 2 Cigar Mile contenders put in workouts Friday morning over Belmont’s training track.

Fri, 11/21/2025 - 14:16

Full Screen may have earned stakes opportunity

By David Grening

Coady Media

Full Screen earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 100 for his most recent win at Aqueduct.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Full Screen, a six-length winner of a third-level allowance here Thursday, may have earned a start in the $150,000 Queens County Stakes here Dec. 27.

Full Screen, a 6-year-old gelding by Big Screen who’s trained by Brad Cox, ran 1 1/8 miles in 1:47.41, earning a Beyer Speed Figure of 100 for the performance.

“Impressive,” Cox said of Full Screen’s effort. “I’m glad I got him back up there.”

Fri, 11/21/2025 - 14:14

No looking back for Gargan as he readies Talkin for Remsen

By David Grening

Barbara D. Livingston

Talkin was barely considered for the Breeders’ Cup in large part because his connections did not want to ship cross-country to Southern California.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Though the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile ultimately went off with just six horses at Del Mar earlier this month, trainer Danny Gargan said he has no regrets that Talkin was not in that field.

Talkin, second to Napoleon Solo in the Grade 1 Champagne at Aqueduct, was barely considered for the Breeders’ Cup in large part because his connections did not want to ship cross-country to Southern California. The Juvenile, won by Ted Noffey, originally drew eight entrants but went postward with just six horses.

Thu, 11/20/2025 - 14:43

American Pharoah winner Intrepido done for the season

By Steve Andersen

Barbara D. Livingston

Intrepido will likely kick off his 3-year-old season in a stakes at Santa Anita.

Intrepido, winner of the Grade 1 American Pharoah Stakes at Santa Anita on Oct. 4, but fifth of six in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Del Mar on Oct. 31, will not race again this year.

Trainer Jeff Mullins said on Thursday that Intrepido’s next start will occur at the Santa Anita winter-spring meeting that begins on Dec. 26. There are four graded stakes for 3-year-olds on dirt at the meeting, beginning with the Grade 2 San Vicente Stakes at seven furlongs on Jan. 10, followed by the Grade 3 Robert Lewis Stakes at a mile on Feb. 7.

Thu, 11/20/2025 - 14:30

Dr. Venkman will focus on races from seven furlongs to a mile in 2026

By Steve Andersen

Barbara D. Livingston

Trainer Mark Glatt already has his eye on the Churchill Downs Stakes on Kentucky Derby Day for Dr. Venkman.

Dr. Venkman, third in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint at six furlongs at Del Mar on Nov. 1, will have a 2026 campaign focused on longer sprints and one-turn mile races.

In the immediate future, Dr. Venkman will not do much, trainer Mark Glatt said on Thursday.

“We’ll give him a little bit of a break and gear him up for the spring,” Glatt said.

Dr. Venkman will be considered for races such as the Grade 1 Churchill Downs Stakes at seven furlongs on May 2, part of the undercard of the Kentucky Derby program.

Wed, 11/19/2025 - 14:51

Overnight purses increased for Santa Anita winter-spring meet

By Steve Andersen

Barbara D. Livingston

This year's Santa Anita winter-spring meeting will offer higher purses in overnight races.

Overnight purses will rise by approximately 6 percent to 7 percent in some categories at the 2025-26 Santa Anita winter-spring meeting from Dec. 26-April 5.

In addition, two $100,000 stakes on turf have been restored to the schedule after not being held this year. The Astra Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 1/2 miles will be run Jan. 19. The Providencia Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/8 miles is scheduled for April 5.

Wed, 11/19/2025 - 14:51

Mika back to Maker after eye-popping win

By Patrick Moquin

Jim McCue/Maryland Jockey Club

Mika's 95 Beyer in his last race race is the third highest earned by any runner at Laurel this meet.

Mika, a runaway allowance winner at Laurel Park on Sunday, will leave trainer Brittany Russell’s barn in Maryland and return to Mike Maker to continue his 3-year-old campaign in New York. Steve Spielman, owner of Nice Guys Stables, said that he could possibly ship to Florida and California in the future.

Wed, 11/19/2025 - 14:07

Capuano thriving like no other with youngsters

By Patrick Moquin

On a list that includes Chad Brown and Bob Baffert, trainer Gary Capuano stands apart. The Mid-Atlantic horseman is currently enjoying a stellar campaign with juveniles, winning 18 of 44 races with 17 horses. His 41 percent strike rate with 2-year-olds is the highest in the country among trainers with at least 40 starts.

“I pinch myself most of the days just thinking, ‘When’s it going to stop?’ ” Capuano said. “But these horses are really doing well and we’re finding some good spots, and things have just been working out for us. We’ll ride the wave as long as we can.”

Wed, 11/19/2025 - 14:05

Civaci targets December return; Snap Decision retired

By David Grening

Barbara D. Livingston

Snap Decision retires as the second-leading money earner in U.S. steeplechase history.

Jockey Sahin Civaci, who was thought to have fractured two vertebrae in his back in a spill at Aqueduct on Nov. 13 and was expected to be out a month, is targeting a Dec. 4 return, agent Mike Sellitto said Wednesday.

Sellitto said Civaci was cleared by doctors on Tuesday to resume riding, but Sellitto said he told Civaci to wait until Dec. 4, which is the start of the new condition book. Sellitto added that when a different doctor looked at recent X-rays of Civaci, he said, “It was probably an old injury.”

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