Los Alamitos will race two days this week and not at all next week, canceling Friday’s program because of an expected rainstorm and taking a scheduled winter break next week.
Los Alamitos is the second California track to preemptively cancel racing Friday. Santa Anita also announced that it would not race Friday. Both tracks are scheduled to race on Saturday and Sunday.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – A decision on whether to give the Kentucky Derby trail a shot is pending as Fire At Will continues to work back into shape after upsetting the Nov. 6 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf in his latest start.
“We’re still talking about it,” said Mike Maker, who trains Fire At Will for the Three Diamonds Farm of Kirk Wycoff.
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HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Shug McGaughey will be looking to go down the Kentucky Derby trail with Greatest Honour when he saddles the Tapit colt Saturday for the Grade 3 Holy Bull Stakes, the first of three major Gulfstream Park preps toward the May 1 Derby.
“I do think he has a chance to be a nice horse,” McGaughey said. “I think he’ll run as far as they want to run.”
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HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Senor Buscador, who closed at 34-1 in Pool 2 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager, has options at Fair Grounds and Oaklawn for his 3-year-old debut, trainer Todd Fincher said Tuesday.
Senor Buscador won the $200,000 Springboard Mile in December at Remington Park. He’s since been working regularly at his winter base of Sam Houston.
“He’s been working well and is ready to run, whenever we find a spot,” Fincher said. “It’s either going to be the Risen Star or the Southwest. Probably the
Essential Quality, the odds-on favorite to be named champion 2-year-old of 2020 when the Eclipse Awards are announced this week, will make his 3-year-old debut in the Southwest Stakes on Feb. 15 at Oaklawn Park, trainer Brad Cox said Tuesday.
Bell’s the One, a Grade 1 winner last year and third in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint, has rejoined trainer Neil Pessin’s barn and should post her first 2021 work in a week or 10 days, Pessin said. Bell’s the One was turned out at a Kentucky farm following the Breeders’ Cup but has resumed steady galloping in New Orleans.
“She’s training just as good or better than she ever has,” Pessin said.
Bell’s the One will make her 2021 debut in the Madison Stakes at Keeneland in April.
The minor illness that kept Mystic Guide from a start last weekend in the Pegasus World Cup is fully behind him as the colt worked a strong six furlongs in 1:14.20 on Friday at Fair Grounds.
Winner of the Jim Dandy Stakes and most recently second in the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup in October, Mystic Guide caught a little virus percolating in the Fair Grounds equine population and didn’t post a timed workout between Dec. 15 and Jan. 15. Now, he’s gotten back on a regular work pattern and is on course to make his 4-year-old debut in February.
Oaklawn Park handled more than $16.6 million on its races over its three-day opening weekend, which ran from last Friday through Sunday, according to figures provided by the Hot Springs, Ark., track. The average daily handle from all sources was $5,544,881.
Oaklawn, which ran nine races each card, experienced its peak handle and attendance numbers Saturday. Handle from all sources reached $6,370,725, and the estimated attendance ontrack was 2,600. The handle ontrack was $365,000.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Mr. Buff, who won his third consecutive Jazil Stakes on Saturday, will most likely make his next start in the $125,000 Stymie Stakes going a one-turn mile Feb. 27, trainer John Kimmel said.
Last year, Mr. Buff came out of the Jazil to run in the Haynesfield Stakes, a race for New York-breds he won by 20 lengths. The Haynesfield, a one-turn mile race previously held in mid-February, is scheduled for March 21 this year.
Mr. Buff earned a 102 Beyer Speed Figure for his seven-length win in the Jazil, his 10th stakes victory.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – The only non-claiming race on Thursday’s Aqueduct card is an $80,000 maiden race for 3-year-olds going six furlongs. Six of the eight horses in the field are first-time starters.
Trainer Rudy Rodriguez has the coupled entry of Rudy Rod and Hyperactive Chris, each making his debut Thursday. Rudy Rod, by Orb, is a half-brother to seven winners, including Tapizar, the 2012 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile winner. Tapizar did not win first time out, but three progeny of Rudy Rod’s dam, Winning Call, did.
