A third 2-year-old filly in the Tim Hamm barn will get a chance to become a stakes winner at 3 after Charge It All pulled a mild upset Sunday in an allowance race at Tampa Bay Downs.
Hamm said Charge It All could go next in the Jan. 16 Gasparilla at the Oldsmar, Fla., oval after rallying for a 1 1/2-length victory in 1:18.30 going 6 1/2 furlongs. She paid $13.40 when coming off a nose victory in a $50,000 maiden-claiming race at Gulfstream West.
Jockeys Tyler Baze, Abel Cedillo, Ruben Fuentes, Juan Hernandez, Jessica Pyfer, and Eduard Rojas were fined earlier this month by Los Alamitos stewards for incidents of excessive use of the whip. All were cited for using the whip more than six times in a race, exceeding the limit of a rule implemented on Oct. 1.
Hernandez was fined $1,250 - $500 for an infraction on Dec. 12 and $750 for a violation the following day. Fuentes was fined $1,250 - $500 for an infraction on Dec. 12 and $750 for an infraction on Friday.
Jockey Flavien Prat has had some memorable afternoons on opening day of the Santa Anita winter-spring meeting. Prat, 28, won two graded stakes on opening day in 2016, was winless in 2017, won two graded stakes in 2018, and missed the big day last year because of illness.
Prat won the Mathis Brothers Mile in 2016 on Conquest Enforcer and again in 2018 with River Boyne. On Saturday’s opening day at Santa Anita, Prat is booked to ride Scarto in the $200,000 Mathis Brothers Mile and is scheduled to have mounts in the other five stakes.
Maxfield looked as good Sunday morning back in trainer Brendan Walsh’s barn at Fair Grounds as he did making his first start since May 23 on Saturday afternoon.
Maxfield, running his career record to four wins from four starts, won the $75,000 Tenacious Stakes by 2 1/2 lengths. He ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.35 and got a career-best 98 Beyer Speed Figure.
“He looks good, ate up good, everything is good,” Walsh said Sunday. “We’ll get him back to the track in a couple days. Normally I’d give three days off, but he can get a little fresh, so we’ll see.”
The last time Phil Bauer spent any length of time at Oaklawn Park it was working as an assistant trainer to Ken McPeek.
Bauer will return to the track as a head trainer this meet, with a 10-horse division in place for the season that opens Jan. 22. Bauer also has a division of horses at Fair Grounds.
“With the numbers that we have, we’re going to split horses this year,” he said.
Bauer is a private trainer for the Rigney Racing operation of Richard and Tammy Rigney. He took out his trainer’s license in 2013.
Trainer Ken McPeek won both of the stakes he had starters in on the Springboard Mile card at Remington Park on Friday night, taking the $75,000 She’s All In with Jeweled Princess and the $60,000 Trapeze with Oliviaofthedesert. Both horses invaded from Keeneland, and are now headed to McPeek’s farm in Florida.
“They’ll be going to Florida to get a rest,” McPeek said Saturday. “Both have been going all year. They’re both really professional. I was real pleased with the season they had and glad to top it off with a stakes win.”
Senor Buscador is being pointed to a Kentucky Derby prep race following his commanding win in Friday night’s $200,000 Springboard Mile at Remington Park.
The horse roared to a 5 3/4-length victory over Cowan, covering the mile for 2-year-olds in 1:37.87. For the effort, Senor Buscador earned a preliminary Beyer Speed Figure of 93.
The morning after his race, trainer Todd Fincher was traveling with Senor Buscador.
“I’m driving down the road listening to Christmas music,” Fincher said Saturday. “He’s in the trailer behind me. We’re going to Houston.”
The Virginia Racing Commission on Thursday approved a 21-day 2021 race meeting for Colonial Downs.
The season is schedule to span July 19 through Sept. 1 with racing on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays. Purses are projected to average roughly $500,000 per day.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. -- All stakes race run at Gulfstream Park will be run Lasix-free effective Jan. 1, 2021, the track's parent company, 1/ST Racing, announced Friday. Among the races affected by new the medication-free format are the $3 million Pegasus World Up Invitational and the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational on Jan. 23 as well as the Grade 1 Florida Derby on March 27.
