Jockey Abel Lezcano, who through Wednesday was tied for eighth in the standings at the Del Mar summer meeting with seven wins, has dropped an appeal of a seven-day suspension issued at Los Alamitos earlier this summer.
Lezcano’s penalty begins Friday and covers seven racing days through Aug. 31. He will be permitted to ride designated races, or graded stakes, during the suspension.
The undefeated Grade 1 winner Cavalieri resumed workouts earlier this month with the hope the 4-year-old filly can start for the first time since early March in the Grade 2 Zenyatta Stakes at Santa Anita on Sept. 28.
Trained by Bob Baffert for Speedway Stables, Cavalieri has had two half-mile workouts this month – in 48.80 seconds on Aug. 11 and 47.60 on Monday. On Thursday, Baffert described Cavalieri’s condition as “very good.”
“She’s pointing to the Zenyatta,” he said.
Hall of Famer Bob Baffert led all trainers at Del Mar’s summer meeting with 16 wins through Wednesday. The stable’s 2-year-old division has accounted for half of those wins, with a chance for more success with two impeccably bred colts in Saturday’s first race at a mile.
Nysos, the easy winner of the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap on July 26, was pronounced on schedule for the Grade 1 Pacific Classic on Aug. 30 by trainer Bob Baffert after working five furlongs in a quick 58.80 seconds at Del Mar on Thursday.
A winner of 5 of 6 starts in a disrupted career, Nysos will start at 1 1/4 miles for the first time in the $1 million Pacific Classic, Del Mar’s richest annual race. The winner of the Pacific Classic receives a fees-paid berth to the Breeders’ Cup Classic at 1 1/4 miles at Del Mar on Nov. 1.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer Carlos Martin and owner Marc Holliday didn’t have much time to celebrate the debut victory of their 2-year-old New York-bred filly Celtic Dawn in Wednesday’s sixth race.
After winning the off-the-turf race by three lengths and having her picture taken in the winner’s circle, Celtic Dawn had to be vanned off the track. She was taken to Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital about a mile from the track where she was diagnosed with a fractured pastern in her left foreleg.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – After briefly flirting with taking him cross-country for the Grade 1 Pacific Classic at Del Mar, the connections of White Abarrio have decided to leave their 2023 Breeders’ Cup Classic winner on the East Coast and run him in the Grade 1, $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup on Aug. 31 at Saratoga.
Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said what he’s seen from White Abarrio’s training since his fourth-place finish in the Whitney here on Aug. 3 leads him to believe he’s sitting on a top effort.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The Jockey Club Gold Cup will be shown on national Fox during a one-hour broadcast from 1-2 p.m. on Aug. 31, it was announced Friday. Post time for the Gold Cup will be 1:45 p.m. and first post for that day’s card will be 11:20 a.m. Eastern.
Stronghold, winner of the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby in 2024, is one of five graded stakes winners among nine expected runners in Saturday’s Grade 2 Pat O’Brien Stakes at seven furlongs at Del Mar.
Trained by Phil D’Amato, Stronghold is a two-time stakes winner who has not raced since he finished 10th of 11 in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 25. Other graded stakes winners expected to run in the Pat O’Brien are Dr. Venkman, Express Train, Speed Boat Beach, and Spirit of Makena. Awesome Rhythm, Man O Rose, Maymun, and Tapalo are the other probable runners.
Gulfstream Park and Santa Anita will introduce a $1 pick six incorporating the final three races at each venue starting at the Santa Anita autumn meeting on Sept. 26, according to documents filed with the California Horse Racing Board.
Santa Anita officials will appear before the regulatory agency in Del Mar on Thursday, seeking approval of a 16-day autumn meeting from Sept. 26 to Oct. 26.
Trainer Brad Cox has two leading 3-year-old turf fillies, Fionn and Destino d’Oro, aimed toward the Dueling Grounds Oaks next month at Kentucky Downs. He has a third horse in the same division, Yes It Tiz, headed toward favoritism in the co-featured eighth race Friday at Ellis Park.
