ARCADIA, Calif. - Gio Ponti, the runner-up in the Breeders' Cup Classic in November, breezed three furlongs in 36.60 seconds at Santa Anita on Saturday, his first workout since the BC Classic.
Trainer Christophe Clement said he is considering the San Antonio Handicap or two races at Gulfstream Park - the $500,000 Donn Handicap over 1 1/8 miles on dirt on Feb. 6 or the $150,000 Canadian Turf Stakes over a mile on Feb. 20. The Dubai World Cup is a long-term goal.
With Aqueduct canceling last Sunday's card due to extreme cold and high winds, the $65,000 Ruthless Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at six furlongs has been rescheduled for this Sunday. The race will be open to all original nominees - supplemental nominees can also be made - and will be redrawn Thursday.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Laus Deo's front-running victory in Saturday's at Aqueduct earned him a ticket out of New York for the remainder of the winter. While his connections haven't picked out where the promising 3-year-old son of Medaglia d'Oro will make his next start, they have ruled out the $100,000 Whirlaway here Feb. 6.
OLDSMAR, Fla. - Trainer Jamie Ness's 2009 season can best be described as mind-boggling. Ness won training titles here at Tampa Bay Downs and at Presque Isle, finishing the year with 258 wins, fourth best in the nation. He won with 32 percent of his starters.
This year, Ness, a 32-year-old native of South Dakota, plans to try and put the emphasis on quality instead of quantity.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Richard's Kid, the winner of the $1 million Pacific Classic last September, will not start in Saturday's $150,000 San Pasqual Handicap at Santa Anita and will be pointed for the $150,000 San Antonio Handicap on Feb. 7, trainer Bob Baffert said on Sunday.
Baffert said the Grade 2 San Pasqual Handicap over 1 1/16 miles is "too short" for Richard's Kid, who has not started since finishing sixth in the 1 1/4-mile Breeders' Cup Classic here on Nov. 7. The Grade 2 San Antonio is run over 1 1/8 miles. The Pacific Classic is run over 1 1/4 miles.
Enchanted Outlaw, who last meet at Sunland Park was beaten for a claiming price of $5,000, won his second consecutive New Mexico-bred stakes on Sunday in the at Sunland. He drew off by 4 1/2 lengths in the 1 1/16-mile race, one start after winning the $191,000 New Mexico Cup Classic at Zia Park in November.
Enchanted Outlaw ($6.80) stalked leader Runnin Red through an opening quarter in 24.20 seconds, then overtook him and went on to win in 1:45.54. A.J. Juarez Jr. rode Enchanted Outlaw for trainer Todd Fincher.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Tuscan Evening won her seventh race in the last 12 months in Sunday's , holding off threats from the outsiders Czechers and Empressive Lady in the final furlong.
The victory was Tuscan Evening's first stakes win on Santa Anita's hillside turf course, in her third attempt. Last year, she was third in two Grade 3 handicaps on the course - the Las Cienegas and Sen. Ken Maddy. More recently, she had been racing at a mile on turf, winning the Grade 2 Las Palmas Handicap and finishing second in the Grade 1 Matriarch Stakes in November.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Quality Road was on his best behavior Sunday - from the time he came into the paddock right up until he left the winner's circle following his 2 3/4-length victory over You and I Forever in the on opening day at Gulfstream Park.
Earlier on the card, the third race had to be declared a no-contest due to a delay in removing the starting gate from the turf course, resulting in refunds of more than $730,000 systemwide.
OLDSMAR, Fla. - Jockey Daniel Centeno, three-time leading rider at Tampa Bay Downs and currently second in the standings, was taken to a local hospital after being reportedly kicked in the chest in the paddock prior to the seventh race.
Centeno, who came into the day with 15 wins to rank second, one win behind Rosemary Homeister Jr., was taken to Town and Country Hospital, where he was reported to be conscious, alert, and in stable condition.
Stylish Jess Br won the third Grade 1 race of her career in Saturday's $100,000 Charger Bar Handicap at Los Alamitos, her first start since being disqualified from second to seventh in the $750,000 Champion of Champions last month.
Ridden by Cesar DeAlba, Stylish Jess Br ($3) ran 400 yards in 19.56 seconds, easily beating the 17-1 Bills Glamour by 1 1/4 lengths. Stylish Jess Br was a head behind Bills Glamour in the first 100 yards and took advantage midway through the race.
