Jockey Devin Magnon, who sustained significant injuries when his mount fell on him during a Jan. 14 race at Delta Downs, is recuperating in Maurice, La., agent Wes Landry said Thursday.
“He’s progressing very well,” Landry said. “I saw him today. Stopped and checked on him. He looked great, sounded great. He was in real good spirits and anxious to keep going forward.”
Welder, who won an unprecedented third consecutive title as Oklahoma-bred of the year, is scheduled to launch what will likely be his final season of racing in April, trainer Theresa Luneack said Wednesday.
She said Welder, now 8, is being pointed to the $50,000 Highland Ice, a six-furlong sprint April 13 at his home track of Will Rogers Downs. The Claremore, Okla., meet opens March 22.
Welder has won his last four races, all at Remington Park. His wins included three Oklahoma-bred stakes and an allowance over open foes in his most recent start Dec. 19.
Senor Buscador is scheduled to launch his 3-year-old season Feb. 13 in the Grade 2, $400,000 Risen Star at Fair Grounds, trainer Todd Fincher said Thursday.
The Kentucky Derby points race will be the horse’s first start since his Dec. 18 win in the $200,000 Springboard Mile at Remington Park. Senor Buscador is wintering at Sam Houston and breezed a half-mile in 48.20 seconds there Thursday.
“We worked a good half with a big gallop-out,” Fincher said. “He worked good.”
Jockey Antonio Gallardo reached the career 2,000-win milestone when Do What It Takes fought back for a narrow victory Wednesday in the fourth race at Tampa Bay Downs.
Do What It Takes, a 5-year-old New York-bred mare, appeared beaten when passed on the outside by Exceed the Goal in deep stretch of the seven-furlong race for $5,000 claimers, but she re-rallied to prevail by a nose. Do What It Takes, trained by Jose Delgado for Carole Star Stables, returned $9.40 after finishing in 1:25.51 over a fast track.
Fans arriving early in the Tampa area for weekend sports action such as the Davis card on Saturday and a football game known as the Super Bowl on Sunday can avail themselves to a nine-race Friday card, although there’s not so much as one allowance on offer.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – La Signare is likely to go postward the heavy favorite in a small field drawn for Saturday’s Grade 3 Suwannee River Stakes. The Brendan Walsh-trained La Signare, who’ll make her first start since finishing fifth in the Grade 1 Flower Bowl, will face a lineup that includes the stakes-placed Great Island for trainer Chad Brown, Logic N Reason, Loving Moment, and supplemental nominees Drop a Hint and Tiltingatwindmills.
:: Click to learn about our DRF's Free Past Performance program.
An outstanding renewal of the Grade 3 Tampa Bay Stakes is part of the Saturday undercard at Tampa Bay Downs, with accomplished veterans such as Admission Office, Fancy Liquor, and Sole Volante entered in the 1 1/16-mile turf race, along with the Chad Brown pair of Greyes Creek and Delaware. Thirteen are entered, with as many as 12 allowed to start.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – When trainer Robert “Butch” Reid Jr. mapped out the schedule for his Eclipse Award-winning filly Vequist to open her 3-year-old campaign, he wasn’t looking for a rematch with chief nemesis Dayoutoftheoffice right off the bat. But at the moment, that appears likely to be the case with the top two finishers from the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies presently on course to kick off the 2021 season here on Feb. 27 in the Grade 2 Davona Dale.
Like most other trainers based on the Atlantic Coast at this time of year, Dale Romans ships the occasional runner across the Florida peninsula to Tampa Bay Downs, mostly for stakes. Predictably, the results have been a mixed bag.
“My history of going over there isn’t all that great, actually,” said Romans, “but I think we might do some good Saturday.”
In each of the last three seasons, Bob and Jackie has won at least one minor turf stakes in Southern California.
Bob and Jackie won the Eddie Logan Stakes for 2-year-olds in 2018, the restricted Let It Ride Stakes at Del Mar in November 2019, and the restricted Wickerr Stakes at Del Mar last July.
Now 5, Bob and Jackie could have a breakthrough in a graded stakes this year, potentially in Saturday’s Grade 3 Thunder Road Stakes at a mile on turf at Santa Anita.
