ARCADIA, Calif. - Weston, the winner of the Grade 2 Best Pal Stakes at Del Mar on Aug. 8, was withdrawn from Saturday’s Grade 1 American Pharoah after a bout with colic, but showed improvement later in the weekend, trainer Ryan Hanson said.
“He needed some medication,” he said. “He was not going to run to his ability. He was feeling better this morning.”
ARCADIA, Calif. - Venetian Harbor, second in the Grade 1 Test Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Saratoga in August, may have her next start in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Keeneland on Nov. 7.
“She’s training lights-out at San Luis Rey Downs,” trainer Richard Baltas said over the weekend. “I’m pretty happy with her right now.”
On Sept. 22, Venetian Harbor worked five furlongs in 58.60 seconds.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Sharp Samurai, a five-time stakes winner on turf who was second to Maximum Security in the Grade 1 Pacific Classic on the main track at Del Mar on Aug. 22, will start in Saturday’s Grade 2 City of Hope Mile on turf at Santa Anita.
Trainer Mark Glatt said plans were finalized Sunday. Glatt co-owns Sharp Samurai with Red Baron’s Barn and Rancho Temescal. The partners were also considering Saturday’s Grade 1 Shadwell Mile on turf at Keeneland.
Sharp Samurai won the City of Hope Mile in 2018.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Trainer Gail Cox has enjoyed a sensational 2020 Woodbine meet. Her season might reach a pinnacle on E.P. Taylor Stakes Day - Oct. 18 - when she could have runners in three stakes.
Rideforthecause is scheduled to contest the Grade 1, $600,000 E.P. Taylor. The 4-year-old notched her first stakes at 22-1 in the Grade 2 Canadian going about 1 1/8 miles on Sept. 12. Cox said longer distances have been the key to getting Rideforthecause to reach her potential. In that case, the 1 1/4- mile Taylor should be right up her alley.
ARCADIA, Calif. - An ill stablemate led to Get Her Number winning his debut on the main track in Saturday’s Grade 1 American Pharoah Stakes for 2-year-olds at Santa Anita.
Get Her Number, fourth in the Del Mar Juvenile Turf on Sept. 7, and Superman Shaq, a maiden race winner at Del Mar on Sept. 6, worked six furlongs in company at San Luis Rey Downs on Sept. 19. When Superman Shaq emerged from the workout showing signs of illness, Get Her Number became a candidate for the $301,000 American Pharoah Stakes at 1 1/16 miles.
ARCADIA, Calif. - An emphatic win by Improbable in Saturday’s Grade 1 Awesome Again Stakes at Santa Anita gave the 4-year-old his third consecutive win at that level and left one knowledgeable observer pondering if the colt has reached his peak.
“He’s getting better and better,” trainer Bob Baffert said Sunday morning.
That could be a frightening thought in advance of Improbable’s next scheduled start, in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland on Nov. 7.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Firenze Fire came out of his victory in Saturday’s Grade 2, $150,000 Vosburgh Stakes at Belmont Park in good order and will target a fourth straight appearance in the Breeders’ Cup when he runs in the $2 million Sprint at Keeneland on Nov. 7.
A 5-year-old son of Poseidon’s Warrior, Firenze Fire at 2 ran seventh in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Del Mar, at 3 was fourth in the Dirt Mile at Churchill Downs and at 4 finished fifth in the Sprint at Santa Anita. He will again target the Sprint, a race for which he earned an automatic entry by winning the Vosburgh.
Come Dancing, winner of the Grade 2 Honorable Miss Stakes at Saratoga on Sept. 6, began preparations for a return trip to the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint when she worked a half-mile in 47.00 seconds Sunday morning over Belmont Park’s training track.
Though it was the fastest of 75 works at the distance on a busy Sunday morning, Come Dancing was just galloping through the stretch after going her opening quarter in 23.36 seconds.
“I thought that was great this morning, super smooth,” trainer Carlos Martin said.
Viadera and Blowout, the 1-2 finishers from Saturday’s Grade 3, $100,000 Noble Damsel Stakes, will be pointed to the Grade 1, $300,000 Matriarch at Del Mar on Nov. 29, trainer Chad Brown said Sunday.
Viadera is owned and bred by Juddmonte Farms, which has won the Matriarch six times. Five of those wins came with trainer Bobby Frankel, for whom Brown worked several years. Brown has won two of the last three runnings of the Matriarch with Noble Damsel winners Uni (2018) and Off Limits (2017).
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Nine 2-year-olds ran in Saturday’s 1 1/16-mile In Reality Stakes at Gulfstream Park, only two of whom had previous experience around two turns. One of those was Boca Boy, who parlayed his second-place finish on the turf in the one-mile Proud Man Stakes four weeks earlier into a two-length, upset victory over 1-5 favorite Breeze On By in the final leg of the open division of the Florida Sire Series.
