Wed, 01/19/2022 - 11:16

Twelve Volt Man shipping in for Jazil Stakes

Ryan Thompson/Coglianese Photos
Twelve Volt Man, trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., will ship in from Florida for Saturday’s $100,000 Jazil Stakes at Aqueduct.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. is still a few months away from sending a string back to New York, but he will be represented in Saturday’s $100,000 Jazil Stakes at Aqueduct with Twelve Volt Man.

The chance to run Twelve Volt Man again at 1 1/8 miles around two turns is what made the Jazil attractive to Joseph, who is atop the trainer standings at Gulfstream Park through the first six weeks of that meet. Twelve Volt Man got Joseph’s Gulfstream meet off to a good start when he won the Claiming Crown Jewel last month. It was his first start going two turns on dirt.

Mon, 01/17/2022 - 14:56

Sweet as Pie ships in for weak Silverbulletday

The lone horse being shipped from Florida for the 3-year-old stakes races Saturday is Sweet as Pie, and she’ll stand a strong chance of winning a modest renewal of the $150,000 Silverbulletday for 3-year-old fillies.

Mon, 01/17/2022 - 14:56

On edge Cyberknife has the tools for Lecomte

Cyberknife has made mistakes in all three of his starts, which, theoretically, gives him plenty of room to improve jumping from a Dec. 26 Fair Grounds dirt-route maiden win into the Grade 3, $200,000 Lecomte Stakes on Saturday.

On the other side of the same coin, Cyberknife has made mistakes in all three of his starts and, not theoretically but actually, he can’t afford to make more of them in the Lecomte.

Mon, 01/17/2022 - 13:46

California Cup a roller-coaster of emotions for Lewis

Emily Shields
Brickyard Ride's triumph in the California Cup Sprint at Santa Anita on Saturday was worth $5.40.

ARCADIA, Calif. – In slightly more than 24 hours last Friday and Saturday, Craig Lewis experienced several emotions that accompany the job of Thoroughbred trainer.

Friday, Margot’s Boy was found to have a minor injury, a day before a scheduled start in the $196,000 Unusual Heat Turf Classic for older California-breds at Santa Anita.

Mon, 01/17/2022 - 12:46

Brooks feeling at home in South Florida

G Sonny Hughes
Gatsy earns a 103 Beyer for winning the Sunshine Sprint Saturday at Gulfstream.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Gerry Brooks is enjoying his new venture at Gulfstream in such a way that he could become the next horseman to base himself year-round in South Florida.

“I’m tired of moving every six months,” the 55-year-old trainer said. “If things keep working out the way they are, I might just wind up racing here all the time.”

Brooks sent out Backatya ($5.40) and Designed by Kitten ($6.60) to win here Friday, marking his second Gulfstream two-bagger since he moved his stable to Florida for the first time in late October. The first was on Nov. 13.

Mon, 01/17/2022 - 12:46

McPeek to save Smile Happy for Risen Star

Coady Photography
Smile Happy wins the 2021 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes for trainer Kenny McPeek.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Trainer Kenny McPeek said he is likely to wait for the Risen Star at Fair Grounds with Smile Happy instead of having the unbeaten colt make his 3-year-old debut here at Gulfstream Park in the Holy Bull on Feb. 5 as had been originally contemplated.

McPeek said Monday he has “really thought things through” for Smile Happy and that “ideally I’ll just need two preps” toward the Kentucky Derby on May 7 for a colt who came to prominence by dominating the Kentucky Jockey Club on Nov. 27 at Churchill Downs off a debut maiden triumph.

Mon, 01/17/2022 - 12:30

Fromanothamutha's maiden win propels him into Gotham Stakes

Adam Coglianese/NYRA
Trainer Ray Handal plans to run Constitutionlawyer (above) in the Withers on Feb. 5 and Fromanothamutha in the Gotham on March 5.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Trainer Ray Handal is planning to be represented in both of the upcoming graded stakes for 3-year-olds on this circuit.

Having already said he will run Constitutionlawyer in the Grade 3, $250,000 Withers on Feb. 5, Handal said Sunday that he will point recent maiden winner Fromanothamutha to the Grade 3, $300,000 Gotham on March 5.

Mon, 01/17/2022 - 12:26

10-year-old Backsideofthemoon may not be finished racing yet

Chelsea Durand/NYRA
Backsideofthemoon wins the 2020 Queens County. He will turn 10 on Jan. 1 and under a rule instututed earlier this year will not be allowed to race or stable at NYRA tracks.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Owner Charlie Hallas doesn’t want to retire Backsideofthemoon just yet.

Barred from racing Backsideofthemoon at New York Racing Association tracks, Hallas is scouring venues near and far to stable and race the 10-year-old old gelding. NYRA, last April, put in place a rule that prohibits horses 10 years old or older from stabling or racing at its three tracks – Aqueduct, Belmont Park, and Saratoga.

Mon, 01/17/2022 - 11:50

Imprimis back on work tab with eye on Silks Run

Ryan Thompson/Coglianese Photos
Imprimis will undergo a second throat procedure. Plans call for him to race next year at age 8.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Nearly 200 horses worked over the main and Tapeta surfaces here Sunday morning, among the most noteworthy the multiple graded stakes-winning turf sprint specialist Imprimis, who breezed three furlongs in 36.40 seconds over the synthetic strip. The work was his first since returning to training following tie-back throat surgery during the fall.

Mon, 01/17/2022 - 09:46

Pasco, Gasparilla winners earn good figures, big bonuses

SV Photography
Markhamian concreta su victoria en el Pasco S.

Markhamian earned an 82 Beyer Speed Figure in winning the Pasco Stakes on Saturday, while Outfoxed got a 78 Beyer for winning the filly counterpart, the Gasparilla, some 30 minutes later. Both races for 3-year-olds were run at seven furlongs.

Neither the Pasco nor Gasparilla were restricted races, but as Florida-breds, Markhamian and Outfoxed earned $105,000 for their respective owners because of statebred, winner-only bonuses of $75,000 each.