Tue, 08/04/2020 - 13:47

Colonial Downs cancels Tuesday card due to heavy rain

Colonial Downs in New Kent, Va., canceled its Tuesday card because of heavy rain from Tropical Storm Isaias, the track announced Tuesday morning.

A tweet from the Colonial Downs account said Tuesday racing had been abandoned "due to heavy rains" on Monday night. The Tweet said the card was to be made up on Sunday, Aug. 9.

Colonial now has canceled two of its first five programs this year. The opening-night card of July 27 was canceled because of dangerously hot temperatures. That program was made up on Sunday.

Tue, 08/04/2020 - 13:22

Ready to Repeat points to Soaring Free Stakes

Michael Burns
Ready to Repeat wins the Victoria Stakes, earning a 74 Beyer Speed Figure.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – You knew it could be a great day for the Coxes last Sunday when Greg Cox won the second race with Soexotic. Six races later, his wife, Gail, took the $104,200 Victoria Stakes for 2-year-olds with the favored Ready to Repeat, a speedy son of More Than Ready who could be going places.

Ready to Repeat came close to breaking the course record when graduating second time out July 12 on the inner turf. After starting a bit slowly in the Victoria on the Tapeta, he went to the lead and never looked back to win comfortably with a 74 Beyer Speed Figure.

Tue, 08/04/2020 - 11:53

Paris Lights out of training, will miss Alabama

Debra A. Roma
Paris Lights (No. 6) wins the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks over Crystal Ball on July 18 at Saratoga.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Paris Lights, winner of the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks here July 18, will be out of training for 60 days due to filling in a hock, said Elliott Walden, president and CEO of WinStar Farm.

Paris Lights is officially owned by WinStar Stablemates, a fan initiative that started 10 years ago and has turned into a racing syndicate that leases horses from WinStar Farm.

Mon, 08/03/2020 - 17:29

Aug. 31 added to live schedule as a make-up date

Benoit Photo
The field breaks from the gate in front of an empty grandstand during the first race of the 2020 Del Mar summer meet.

Del Mar has added a day of racing on Monday, Aug. 31, as a makeup for a weekend of racing lost in July after a coronavirus outbreak among jockeys, the track announced on Monday. There was no racing from July 17-19 because of the outbreak.

Del Mar previously added a day of racing on Monday, July 27, but is otherwise racing on a Friday-through-Sunday basis at the summer meeting through Sept. 7. In recent summers, Del Mar has raced five days a week, from Wednesdays-through-Sundays, but reduced the schedule this year because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Mon, 08/03/2020 - 16:06

Bodenheimer romps in debut, headed to a stakes

Coady Photography
According to trainer Valerie Lund, Mr. Jagermeister was "distressed" following his second-place finish in the 10,000 Lakes Stakes.

Mr. Jagermeister made his career debut in July 2017 at Canterbury Park and won a 2-year-old maiden race by 11 1/2 lengths, earning an 81 Beyer Speed Figure. Valorie Lund trained Mr. Jagermeister, a son of Atta Boy Roy, whom Lund got to the Breeders’ Cup Sprint in 2010.

Mon, 08/03/2020 - 15:56

Smullens cut from the same saddlecloth

Barbara D. Livingston
Tiz the Law works five furlongs Saturday under Robin Smullen. He then galloped out a mile.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – They share the same passion, work ethic, and dedication for their job. It’s what makes working together quite comfortable for Robin Smullen and her niece Heather, two main components behind the development and success of Tiz the Law, the leading 3-year-old colt in the country.

“She’s a mini-me,” Robin said of Heather. “She feels the same things I feel, sometimes she feels more than what I feel and I feel a lot when I’m on a horse.”

Mon, 08/03/2020 - 15:30

Farmington Road impresses in turf debut, eyes Virginia Derby

Coady Photography
Farmington Road (No. 2), ridden by Tyler Conner, wins a first-level turf allowance at Colonial Downs in his turf debut.

You wouldn’t know it from the Beyer Speed Figure or margin of victory, but Farmington Road might have found a home on turf.

Mon, 08/03/2020 - 15:00

Louisiana Cup will be held with assistance from horsemen's groups

Louisiana Downs in Bossier City, La., on Monday announced purses would be increased starting Saturday and the Louisiana Cup Day program of stakes would be held in September.

Louisiana Downs is increasing overnight purses $1,500 race. The Louisiana Cup, which was called off this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, will now be held Sept. 19. It will be comprised of the traditional six divisional stakes for Louisiana-breds. Each race will be worth $40,000.

Mon, 08/03/2020 - 14:56

Brennan considering stakes options for Salow

Lauren King/Coglianese Photos
Salow wins a Gulfstream Park maiden race in his debut on July 3. On Sunday at Lone Star, he remained perfect with an allowance score.

Salow remained undefeated in two starts with a sharp allowance win Sunday at Lone Star Park and is now under consideration for stakes options at Kentucky Downs and Remington Park.

Trainer Terry Brennan said Monday he and owners Tony Caver and D.K. Strickland are discussing what direction to take with Salow.

They are looking at either the $750,000 Dueling Grounds Derby at 1 5/16 miles on the turf Sept. 10 at Kentucky Downs or the Grade 3, $200,000 Oklahoma Derby at 1 1/8 miles on dirt Sept. 27 at Remington Park.

Mon, 08/03/2020 - 13:56

Golden Pal may skip trip to York, race at Monmouth instead

Racenews Photo
Golden Pal (No. 6) finishes second to The Lir Jet in the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot in June.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Golden Pal, beaten a neck in the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot in June, may skip a scheduled trip to York for the Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes on Aug. 19, trainer Wesley Ward said Monday.

Golden Pal, a maiden after two runner-up finishes, worked a very fast half-mile over the Oklahoma turf course in 48.29 seconds on Sunday. Ward said it was a bit quicker than he was looking for and said he would enter him Wednesday for Saturday’s $75,000 Tyro Stakes at Monmouth Park and decide later in the week whether to run there or make the overseas trip.