DEL MAR, Calif. – Maximum Security on Sunday morning at Del Mar had a drill that trainer Bob Baffert described as "the best he's worked," as he motored through six furlongs in 1:12.80 in preparation for the Grade 1, $500,000 Pacific Classic here Aug. 22.
Maximum Security made his first start for Baffert last month in the San Diego Handicap, in which he gutted out a narrow win over Midcourt.
"That race really woke him up," Baffert said. "I couldn't be happier with the way he's doing."
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Seventeen years after winning the Kentucky Derby with the New York-bred gelding Funny Cide, who pulled off a 12-1 upset, trainer Barclay Tagg and Sackatoga Stable will be heading back to Churchill Downs with another New York-bred who will be a much shorter price in the world’s most famous horse race.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - About 13 hours before some of the best 3-year-old colts were to square off in the Grade 1, $1 million Travers at Saratoga, Swiss Skydiver, arguably the leader of the 3-year-old filly division, put in her final workout in preparation for next Saturday’s Grade 1, $500,000 Alabama Stakes.
Swiss Skydiver, working shortly after the Oklahoma training track opened at 5:30 a.m., went five furlongs in 1:01.56. Breaking from the 4 1/2-furlong pole, Swiss Skydiver went her opening quarter in 25.44 seconds and her final three furlongs in 36.12.
The Del Mar press box will be named for Dan Smith, the longtime publicist who retired this year following 56 years of service, the track announced in a release Friday.
The ceremony will take place next year, in the hope that the press box will be functioning at capacity after the interruptions caused this year by the coronavirus pandemic.
Horses in consecutive races at Del Mar on Friday were pulled up by their riders, but subsequently walked off the course accompanied by an outrider’s pony.
In Race 3, Veteran, under Abel Cedillo, was leading coming to the quarter pole in a six-furlong maiden-claiming race was pulled out of the race. He has stopped suddenly in all three of his races, but this was the first time he had been pulled up.
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DEL MAR, Calif. – Jockey Drayden Van Dyke has dropped his appeal of a five-day suspension handed out May 22, during the Santa Anita meeting, and will serve those days during the five cards here from Aug. 14 through 22, Del Mar’s stewards announced in a ruling this week.
The Aug. 22 card is highlighted by the Pacific Classic, as well as the Del Mar Handicap and Del Mar Oaks, races in which Van Dyke theoretically would be allowed to compete as designated races are exempt from the suspension, per the ruling.
DEL MAR, Calif. -- A rare double disqualification in race 7 at Del Mar on Friday resulted in three-day careless-riding suspensions for two jockeys, Brice Blanc and Tiago Pereira, whose horses were taken down in that grass race.
Del Mar’s stewards on Saturday ruled that both Blanc and Pereira would sit out Aug. 15, 16, and 21 for their actions.
Blanc was aboard Goodtingscominpink, who finished second but was moved back to third after coming out and slamming into Zucchera as both narrowly fell short of catching the victorious Solitaire.
DEL MAR, Calif. – My Girl Red assumed pro-tem leadership of Del Mar’s 2-year-old filly division with her 4 3/4-length victory on Friday in the Grade 2 Sorrento Stakes, and she will seek to solidify that position in the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante on Sept. 6.
My Girl Red is from the first crop of Texas Red, the 2014 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner. She was bred by Erich Brehm, who was a co-owner of Texas Red, and is trained by Keith Desormeaux, who trained Texas Red.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - The New York stewards on Friday released rulings against five jockeys for seven careless riding infractions at Belmont Park and Saratoga.
All five riders have appealed their suspensions, stays have been granted, and all may continue to ride until hearings are held.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer George Weaver is hoping to get dual Grade 1 winner Vekoma back on the work tab next weekend after he missed some time with a bruised foot.
The Blood-Horse first reported Vekoma’s issue on Thursday.
Vekoma, who won the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap and Grade 1 Carter at the Belmont spring meet, is targeting the Grade 1 Forego here Aug. 29.
“Still looking to make the Forego if everything goes well,” Weaver said Friday. “If I can get two or three works in him we’ll be fine to run. We’ll take it day by day.”
