When jockey Jermaine Bridgmohan was presented with the opportunity to ride for trainer Steve Asmussen on a regular basis this meet at Remington Park, it did not take him long to make a decision. Not only has he watched his older brother, Shaun, carry on a successful relationship with the stable, but it was a chance to do business with the leading trainer in North America.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Negligee established her credentials as a significant player for next month's Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies when she upset the Grade 1 Alcibiades at odds of 12-1 on Oct. 9. Friday morning, she gave her connections more reason to like their chances in the Juvenile Fillies when she worked a solid four furlongs in 47.38 seconds at Belmont Park.
With exercise rider Simon Harris in the irons and maintaining a loose rein throughout, Negligee went off in 12.08 seconds and came home in 35.30 seconds. She proceeded to gallop out five furlongs in 1:00.09.
Ms. Cat Princess is a perfect 2 for 2 after winning the $70,000 Indiana Stallion at Hoosier Park on Friday afternoon.
Jockey Orlando Mojica kept the 2-year-old filly off the early pace until the turn when she was angled out for the stretch run. Ms. Cat Princess shot clear at the eighth pole and was in hand late to win by 4 1/4 lengths. Two Minute Thrill finished second, a head in front of Aly Storm in third.
Ms Cat Princess ran the six furlongs over a sloppy, sealed track in 1:13.00 and returned $2.80 to win.
FORT ERIE, Ontario - The annual Fort Erie Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association awards dinner was held Thursday and Nick Gonzalez was honored as leading trainer and also voted outstanding trainer by his peers.
Gonzalez ran away and hid on the rest of the field in total wins. His record included five visits to the winner's circle in one day and an eight-in-a-row streak.
Special mention in the outstanding trainer category went to Howard Keen. Top assistant trainer went to Sharon Simms.
MIAMI - Trainer Stanley Gold made $75 a week as a hotwalker when he first came on the racetrack in 1971. Last Saturday, Gold earned $24,000 for the one minute and 46 seconds it took his charge Jackson Bend to complete a sweep of the 2009 Florida Stallion Stakes with a victory in Calder's
Gold's life has certainly come a long way since he left his position as a public auditor for the firm of Arthur Young and Co. and took a job walking hots for trainer Doug Small Sr. at Monmouth Park nearly 40 years ago.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Citing a poor economy and a decline in wagering, management at Hastings has decided to end the 2009 racing season a day early. The meet was originally scheduled to finish on Nov. 8. Instead, in culmination with the simulcast of the Breeders' Cup from Santa Anita, Hastings will close on Nov. 7.
Blue Ribbon Downs in Sallisaw, Okla., will cease operations permanently when its current mixed meet ends on Nov. 28, the track's owner, the Choctaw Nation, announced on Thursday. Blue Ribbon began racing as a non-parimutuel track in the early 1960s, and the results of its races were officially recognized by the American Quarter Horse Association beginning in 1963. Blue Ribbon became Oklahoma's first parimutuel track, when it ran its first betting card on Aug. 30, 1984.
ARCADIA, Calf. - A $10,000 claiming sprint that was split in two (races 3 and 6) will challenge handicappers playing the Oak Tree at Santa Anita pick six on Friday.
The low-level races are problematic for two reasons - the anti-speed nuances of Pro-Ride, and the poker game of claiming.
In race 3, 5-2 favorite No Money No Love looks like the controlling speed. But there is one big problem. That is, no front-runner this meet has wired the field at seven furlongs.