Mon, 02/01/2021 - 15:16

After big Sam Houston win, Palazzi to stay at home, for now

Coady Photography
Palazzi (No. 1) beats Excess Magic by a nose in Sunday's Texas Turf Mile at Sam Houston Race Park.

The 3-year-old colt Palazzi is 0 for 4 on dirt and now 2 for 2 on turf after moving from a Fair Grounds grass maiden win in December to a winning performance Sunday at Sam Houston in the $200,000 Texas Turf Mile.

Mon, 02/01/2021 - 15:06

Mystic Guide headed to Razorback at Oaklawn

Barbara D. Livingston
Mystic Guide (left), who finished second in the Jockey Club Gold Cup last time out, will return in the Feb. 13 Razorback at Oaklawn.

Mystic Guide, whose most recent start produced a close second-place finish in the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup on Oct. 10, will launch his 4-year-old campaign Feb. 13 at Oaklawn Park in the $600,000 Razorback, trainer Mike Stidham said Sunday.

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Mon, 02/01/2021 - 15:00

Stall finally gets plugged in at Fair Grounds

Lou Hodges Jr./Hodges Photography
Trainer Al Stall will keep his impressive maiden winner He's in Charge in sprints for the time being.

New Orleans native son Al Stall had his best day of the 2020-21 Fair Grounds season this past Saturday, when he sent out sharp 3-year-old maiden winner He’s in Charge and cut back the turf filly In Good Spirits to good effect.

Mon, 02/01/2021 - 13:46

Debut winner Soup and Sandwich likely to try allowance ranks rather than stakes

Lauren King/Coglianese Photos
Soup and Sandwich, a Live Oak Plantation homebred, wins his debut by 7 1/4 lengths last Thursday.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Trainer Mark Casse said he would like to try the flashy maiden winner Soup and Sandwich in a two-turn race for his next start, but not necessarily on the Kentucky Derby trail.

Bred and owned by the Live Oak Plantation of Charlotte Weber, Soup and Sandwich earned an 89 Beyer Speed Figure in winning his career debut at six furlongs last Thursday at Gulfstream. The gray 3-year-old colt is by the red-hot sire Into Mischief.

Mon, 02/01/2021 - 13:40

Pletcher first to crack $400M mark in stable earnings

Barbara D. Livingston
Todd Pletcher is in his first year of eligibility to be elected to the Racing Hall of Fame.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Every weekend seems to bring a milestone or some sort of stakes success to Todd Pletcher. Last weekend brought both.

Pletcher became the first trainer in North American racing history to surpass the $400 million earnings mark on Saturday, the same day he won the Grade 3 Forward Gal at Gulfstream for the fourth time. Zaajel, a Shadwell Stable homebred, earned a 68 Beyer Speed Figure in winning the seven-furlong race as a 3-5 favorite.

Mon, 02/01/2021 - 13:40

Suwannee River, Ladies Turf Sprint to top Saturday card

Coady Photography
Great Island wins an October allowance at Keeneland. She recently was second in the Via Borghese.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Filly-mare turf runners will take the weekend spotlight at Gulfstream Park when the Suwannee River and Ladies Turf Sprint are renewed Saturday.

The Grade 3, $100,000 Suwannee River and the $100,000 Ladies Turf Sprint will anchor a program marking a respite of sorts from the last two Saturdays here, when the Pegasus World Cup and Holy Bull highlighted huge cards on Jan. 23 and 30, respectively.

Mon, 02/01/2021 - 13:26

Four graded stakes, mandatory pick six payout on tap Saturday

Emily Shields
Santa Anita will have a mandatory payout in its Rainbow pick six on Saturday.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Santa Anita will have four stakes on Saturday’s program, which is scheduled to start at noon and include 10 races.

The track postponed the Grade 2 San Marcos Stakes from last Saturday to this Saturday because of extensive rain on Jan. 28-29. The forthcoming Saturday program already includes the Grade 2 San Vicente Stakes for 3-year-olds at seven furlongs, the Grade 3 Thunder Road Stakes for turf milers, and the Grade 3 Las Virgenes Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at a mile.

Mon, 02/01/2021 - 13:26

Wildman Jack points to Golden Shaheen Sprint

Benoit Photo
Wildman Jack wins the Grade 3 Palos Verdes Stakes on Jan. 23 at Santa Anita.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Wildman Jack, a multiple stakes winner in sprints on turf and dirt, is likely to have his next start in the Group 1 Golden Shaheen Sprint at six furlongs on dirt at Meydan Racecourse on March 28 in Dubai.

Wildman Jack won the Grade 3 Palos Verdes Stakes at six furlongs on Jan. 23 at Santa Anita, drawing away by 4 1/4 lengths. Trainer Doug O’Neill said the Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint at about six furlongs on turf on March 28 at Meydan is another possibility.

“We’ll probably lean dirt,” O’Neill said.

Mon, 02/01/2021 - 13:26

Express Train punches ticket to Santa Anita Handicap

Emily Shields
Express Trains wins the Grade 2 San Pasqual Stakes by 3 1/4 lengths.

ARCADIA, Calif. – The 4-year-old colt Express Train has shown rapid improvement at a key time this winter.

After finishing second to Charlatan in the Grade 1 Malibu Stakes at seven furlongs for 3-year-olds on Dec. 26, Express Train won his 2021 debut, and the first stakes of his career, in Saturday’s Grade 2 San Pasqual Stakes at 1 1/8 miles at Santa Anita.

Mon, 02/01/2021 - 11:50

Longtime stewards on temporary leave, possibly due to COVID-19

An apparent outbreak of COVID-19 has led to temporary changes in the stewards’ stand at Tampa.

As of last week, the stewards in place were Samantha Randazzo, Jack Houghton, and Pat Bovenzi. Longtime association stewards Dennis Lima and Eddie Cantlon are on temporary leave, although Tampa officials, citing privacy laws, were unable to confirm whether or not that’s because of COVID-19, as several sources have divulged. There is no timetable for their return.