DEL MAR, Calif. – The top older females Ce Ce, Fighting Mad, and Hard Not to Love all worked Sunday morning at Del Mar in preparation for the Grade 1 Clement Hirsch one week later.
The race is of particular meaning for the connections of Ce Ce, who is owned by Bo Hirsch, the son of the race’s late namesake. Ce Ce, best known for winning the Apple Blossom earlier this year, worked five furlongs in 1:01 under exercise rider Lidio Barrientos and then had a long, powerful gallop out.
DEL MAR, Calif. – Led by Santa Anita Derby winner Honor A. P., a field of six was entered on Sunday in the Shared Belief Stakes, which is part of Del Mar's Saturday card headed by the Bing Crosby and is the last local prep for the Kentucky Derby on Sept. 5.
Regular rider Mike Smith has the mount on Honor A. P. for trainer John Shirreffs.
DEL MAR, Calif. – McKinzie began his career going seven furlongs and never has run at a shorter distance, but he could cut back to six furlongs Saturday for Del Mar's Grade 1 Bing Crosby, a race in which he was entered Sunday morning following a sharp drill hours earlier.
DEL MAR, Calif. – As far back as prior to the 2019 Kentucky Derby, trainer Bob Baffert had expressed admiration for the fight he had seen in Maximum Security. Now that he’s training the colt his appreciation for what Maximum Security brings to the track has only grown.
Baffert thought Maximum Security showed plenty of grit at Del Mar on Saturday in winning the San Diego Handicap, a race in which he got a Beyer Speed Figure of 101 after running 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.54. The strong fig emanating from a pedestrian raw time indicates how slow the track was playing.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Ricardo Santana Jr. will ride Midnight Bisou in Saturday’s Grade 1, $500,000 Personal Ensign Stakes at Saratoga, said Jeff Bloom, president of the Bloom Racing Stable partnership that owns the mare, on Sunday.
Regular jockey Mike Smith will be unable to ride the 2019 champion older female due to COVID-19-related restrictions on movement of riders at Del Mar, where Smith is based, and Saratoga.
“He’s been working her pretty much every week, he worked her prior to the Fleur de Lis, she’s familiar with him,” Bloom said.
Colonial Downs has postponed its opening-day card on Monday due to a forecast for excessive heat.
With forecasts calling for a heat index greater than 100 degrees on Monday, the track has canceled Monday’s card and will start its 18-date season with a nine-race card on Tuesday.
Tuesday’s card features a pair of stakes for Virginia-bred 2-year-olds – the Hansel and the White Oak Farm for fillies. First post on Tuesday will be 5:30 p.m. Eastern.
DEL MAR, Calif. – Led by Santa Anita Derby winner Honor A. P., a trio of prospects for next Saturday’s Shared Belief Stakes all worked Saturday at Del Mar during a busy morning that saw 195 horses record drills, including important preps by the older horse Improbable, the terrific 3-year-old sprinter Collusion Illusion, and the older mare Ollie’s Candy.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Shortly after Tiz the Law breezed on Saturday at Saratoga, fellow New York-bred millionaire Mr. Buff worked five furlongs in 1:01.44 in preparation for a start in next Saturday’s Grade 1, $750,000 Whitney Stakes.
Mr. Buff, under Junior Alvarado, worked in company with the 3-year-old Famished, the pair getting their last quarter in 24.17 and galloping out six furlongs in 1:14.20.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - It was another picture-perfect morning in Saratoga on Saturday both in the weather department and for leading 3-year-old Tiz the Law, who put in another solid workout over the main track in preparation for the Grade 1, $1 million Runhappy Travers on Aug. 8.
