Mon, 12/07/2009 - 00:00

Even in retirement, Zenyatta keeps working

The retired undefeated superstar Zenyatta worked a half-mile at Hollywood Park on Monday, but it does not mean that the winner of 14 races is going to have another start before being bred in 2010.

Trainer John Shirreffs said on Monday that Zenyatta needed the workout "to take the edge off a little." She breezed a half-mile in 50.40 seconds, the eighth fastest of 17 recorded works at the distance.

Zenyatta has not raced since becoming the first female to win the Breeders' Cup Classic, at Santa Anita on Nov. 7.

Mon, 12/07/2009 - 00:00

Charles Town to get table games

In a reversal of a referendum conducted two years ago, voters in Jefferson County, W. Va., last weekend voted to allow the Charles Town Races and Slots to add table games to its existing 5,000 slot machines, according to published reports.

Mon, 12/07/2009 - 00:00

Juvenile boys in spotlight

After a big week for 2-year-old fillies, the boys get a chance to shine this week at Golden Gate Fields.

The one-mile, $50,000 Gold Rush Stakes will be contested Saturday, with multiple stakes winner Our Minesweeper topping the expected cast. A Michael Lenzini-trained son of Idaho sire Cause It, Our Minesweeper won the one-mile Bart Heller in September and has been waiting for another chance to go two turns. He has finished fourth in a pair of sprint stakes since that victory.

Mon, 12/07/2009 - 00:00

Zia cancels Monday card

Zia Park in Hobbs, N.M., canceled its Monday afternoon racing program due to inclement weather.

There will no make-up of the canceled Monday program. Racing at Zia Park is scheduled to conclude Tuesday.

Mon, 12/07/2009 - 00:00

Bear's Hard Ten wins Display

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Bear's Hard Ten ($7.60) made amends for a subpar last effort in allowance company, notching his first stakes in the on Saturday at Woodbine.

Jockey Eurico Da Silva had Bear's Hard Ten in a three-wide stalking position on the backstretch, as Send Him In set lively fractions in the 1 1/16-mile test for 2-year-olds.

Bear's Hard Ten joined Send Him In on the lead on the far turn, and then drew off in the stretch to prevail by 3 3/4 lengths over the lukewarm favorite, Giant's Tomb. Redverse finished third as the lone filly in the seven-horse field.

Sun, 12/06/2009 - 00:00

Quindici Man outduels Red Lead in derby

Quindici Man won his third consecutive stakes Saturday, when he edged Red Lead for a neck win in the $150,000 Zia Park Derby. It was another 7 3/4 lengths back in third to Star Redeemer.

Quindici Man ($10.80) began his stakes streak at Fairplex Park in September, when he won the $50,000 Pomona Derby. He then shipped to Turf Paradise and ran on turf and won the $50,000 Jack Coady Sr. in November.

Sun, 12/06/2009 - 00:00

Black Hills scores in Distance Championship

Black Hills continued his love affair with the 1 1/8-mile distance Sunday, when he won his third stakes at the trip in the at Zia Park. The race was the richest Thoroughbred offering of the meet, which will close Tuesday.

Black Hills ($14.80) has never been beaten at 1 1/8 miles, with his other two starts at the distance resulting in stakes wins at SunRay Park and the Downs at Albuquerque.

In the race at Zia, he was well back, then rallied to overtake Orientate Express in the stretch for a 1 1/4-length win. Black Hills covered the distance in 1:53.22.

Sun, 12/06/2009 - 00:00

Kinsale King goes wire to wire in Underwood

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - The stakes debut of Kinsale King in Sunday's gave trainer Carl O'Callaghan his first stakes win.

Ridden by Martin Garcia, Kinsale King led throughout the Grade 3 race over six furlongs and held off a stretchlong threat from Delta Storm to win by a neck.

The milestone came on the eve of O'Callaghan's 34th birthday. O'Callaghan has a 35-horse stable at Hollywood Park.

Kinsale King ($16.40) set a moderate pace of 23.23 and 46.53 seconds, shook loose by a length with a furlong remaining, and won by a neck over Delta Storm.

Sun, 12/06/2009 - 00:00

Cloudy's Knight rerallies in Valedictory

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Cloudy's Knight ($3.60) battled back along the rail after surrendering the lead on the final turn and captured Sunday's , the closing day feature of the 167-day Woodbine meet.

Cloudy's Knight was rank in the early stages of the 1 3/4-mile race before jockey Rosemary Homeister Jr. let him have the lead the first time they crossed the wire, with a mile left.

Sun, 12/06/2009 - 00:00

Ibboyee recovers to take Damon Runyon

Ibboyee and Opus A overcame adventurous trips Sunday to take a pair of two-turn stakes for New York-bred 2-year-olds at Aqueduct.

In the for colts and geldings, Ibboyee stumbled badly at the start and got shuffled back on the turn before coming with a four-wide rush in the stretch under Ramon Dominguez to win by 2 1/2 lengths over City Trooper. It was two lengths back to Shrimp Dancer in third.