OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Funny Guy came out of his last-place finish in the Grade 3 General George Stakes at Laurel Park on Feb. 20 with an injury and has been retired, trainer John Terranova said Friday.
Terranova said Funny Guy suffered “a small fracture” in his left knee that would heal given time, but “to get back to the level he’s been running at probably wouldn’t happen,” Terranova added.
The Grade 2 Del Mar Derby in 2018 was the start of a four-race winning streak for Ride a Comet. It would have been impossible to predict the second win of the streak would come more than two years later.
Ride a Comet is scheduled to try and stretch his win streak to five in the Grade 1, $400,000 Frank Kilroe Mile on turf at Santa Anita on March 6.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Dayoutoftheoffice was a notable absentee from the Davona Dale lineup Saturday at Gulfstream Park, but trainer Tim Hamm said not to count out the filly from the April 30 Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs. Dayoutoftheoffice, second as the pacesetter in the Nov. 6 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies in her most recent start, has not breezed since Jan. 24 but “will be working in the next few days” at Tampa, said Hamm.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – The colt named Soup and Sandwich will get his shot at making the Kentucky Derby after passing a simple test in an allowance race Wednesday at Tampa Bay Downs.
Soup and Sandwich, a gray Florida-bred by the red-hot sire Into Mischief, faced just two opponents in what amounted to little more than a paid workout when getting a mile and 40 yards in 1:39.65 with jockey Antonio Gallardo up. He earned an 80 Beyer Speed Figure, which followed an eye-catching Jan. 28 debut in a 6 1/2-furlong Gulfstream maiden race that resulted in an 89 Beyer.
Indiana Grand will run 40 stakes worth $3.65 million during its 2021 race meeting, the racino announced in a release Thursday.
During an abbreviated 2020 racing season, Indiana Grand hosted 34 stakes worth $3.2 million.
The stakes schedule tilts heavily toward Indiana-bred and Indiana-sired racing; 26 of the 2021 stakes are of this restricted variety and two more are so-called “sales stakes,” another type of heavily restricted contest.
PHOENIX – A confirmed COVID-19 positive from a person in the jockey’s room at Turf Paradise caused track management to cancel racing on Thursday and Friday.
Vince Francia, general manager of the Phoenix track, said the track plans to resume live racing Monday after two dark days over the weekend. As a result of the confirmed positive, ontrack personnel – including valets and gate crew – had to be tested and that likely couldn’t be accomplished before the Friday card, Francia said.
Francia said the track would add races on upcoming cards to make up for lost programs.
The New York Racing Association on Thursday announced updated jockey protocols for the remainder of the Aqueduct winter meet that will allow out of town riders to participate provided they produce two negative COVID-19 tests within a five-day period.
Boosted by strong handle from account-wagering sources, Del Mar will offer significantly higher overnight purses compared to recent years at its 31-day summer meeting from July 17 to Sept. 6, the track announced Thursday.
Including stakes, the track expects to distribute approximately $700,000 per day.
Del Mar, and other Southern California tracks, have benefited from a rise in account-wagering handle during the coronavirus pandemic, which forced customers to bet from phones or computers. Tracks have limited attendance largely to owners with horses racing on a given day.
In an effort to increase the local horse population, Emerald Downs is offering a $10,000 bonus to any trainer outside the region who brings a stable of horses to the track for the first time. To be eligible for the bonus, a trainer must bring at least 10 horses to the Auburn, Wash., track. The bonus program is limited to the first five trainers who qualify.
