Mon, 01/25/2010 - 00:00

Penn jockeys: Gill horses a safety risk

Michael Gill, who won the Eclipse Award for top owner in 2005 and led all North American owners in wins last year, once again is the subject of controversy in the wake of several of his horses breaking down at Penn National Race Course in Grantville, Pa.

Mon, 01/25/2010 - 00:00

Fincher wins another Sunland stakes

Trainer Todd Fincher won his fourth stakes in the last month at Sunland on Sunday, when Queen Greeley overtook pacesetter and favorite Tornado Betty in the stretch to win the $50,000 El Paso Times Stakes by 2 3/4 lengths. Pyrite on My Mind rallied for second, while it was another 2 1/2 lengths back in third to Tornado Betty.

Fincher also won the $125,000 Pepsi Cola for statebreds at Sunland on Saturday with Chuchuluco, and earlier in the month accounted for the Albert Dominguez Memorial and the La Senora.

Mon, 01/25/2010 - 00:00

For Bold Chieftain, one last dance

ARCADIA, Calif. - Bold Chieftain, a 7-year-old millionaire, has won 11 stakes over the last 3 1/2 years throughout California. If he wins a 12th in Saturday's $500,000 Sunshine Millions Classic at Santa Anita, trainer Bill Morey will be stunned.

Morey said over the weekend that the Sunshine Millions Classic could be the last Southern California appearance for Bold Chieftain, describing the race as "the last big dance for this horse."

Mon, 01/25/2010 - 00:00

Derby's two-tier draw eliminated

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Churchill Downs is scrapping the two-tiered post-position draw that has been used for the Kentucky Derby since 1998 and will revert to the traditional draw for the 136th running on May 1.

Sun, 01/24/2010 - 00:00

Loup Breton gets up to take San Marcos

Benoit & Associates
Loup Breton gets up to win by a half-length in Sunday's Grade 2 San Marcos.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Loup Breton won his first stakes in the United States in Sunday's at Santa Anita, a race that featured an element of suspense in the stretch.

Loup Breton was behind horses at a pivotal point with a furlong remaining and then bumped soundly with rival Riviera Cocktail before finding sufficient room to win by a half-length.

Jockey Garrett Gomez said he had little choice but to stay behind the leaders through the stretch, hoping for running room. When Gomez found space, Loup Breton responded quickly.

Sun, 01/24/2010 - 00:00

Flavor becomes stakes winner in Forego

Flavor won for the fourth time in five starts since being claimed for $30,000 and posted his first stakes victory Saturday with a dominant performance in the $50,000 Forego Stakes at Turfway Park in Florence, Ky.

With Rex Stokes riding for owner Billy Hays and trainer Joe Woodard, Flavor prevailed by three lengths, returning $3.80 as the heavy favorite in a field of seven older runners. Grand Daddy finished second, 1 1/2 lengths before Godolphin Gray. Golden Country, the 2-1 second choice, ran fifth.

Sun, 01/24/2010 - 00:00

Taptam upsets Euphony at Oaklawn

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Taptam edged comebacking 6-5 favorite Euphony near the wire to win the on a sloppy main track Saturday at Oaklawn Park.

Euphony finished a half-length back in second in her first start since August, while it was another 3 1/4 lengths back in third to pacesetter Be Fair.

Sun, 01/24/2010 - 00:00

Migliore suffers concussion in spill

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Jockey Richard Migliore suffered a mild concussion as a result of a spill he was in during the running of the first race Saturday at Aqueduct.

Sun, 01/24/2010 - 00:00

Yate's Black Cat looking sharp

Adam Coglianese
Yate's Black Cat rallied to win his 2010 debut in an allowance race Friday.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - It's an old adage, but Yate's Black Cat may actually be getting better with age.

Yate's Black Cat, who registered the first stakes victory of his career in 2009, kicked off his 7-year-old campaign in impressive fashion by rallying from the rear of the pack to defeat a strong field of allowance horses by two widening lengths here Friday. The victory was the eighth overall for the son of Black Minnaloushe, who was ridden to victory by Kent Desormeaux.

Sun, 01/24/2010 - 00:00

Papa Clem retired with ankle injury

Benoit & Associates
Papa Clem wins the Jan. 16. San Fernando Stakes. He emerged from the race with an ankle injury.

Papa Clem, who won the San Fernando Stakes at Santa Anita on Jan. 16, emerged from the race with an injury to his left front ankle and has been retired, trainer Gary Stute said Saturday.

"He's had a little problem off and on with his ankle," Stute told Santa Anita's publicity department. "After the San Fernando, it filled. He was never lame, but when I X-rayed it, my veterinarian said a big part of the sesamoid had eroded away, so I'm turning him out."