Fri, 03/28/2025 - 15:00

Longtime Northern California trainer ships three horses south, contemplates retirement

The barn area at the Alameda County fairgrounds closed as an auxiliary training center this week, forcing the remaining horsemen to decide how, or whether, to continue their operations.

Trainer Tim Bellasis is running two-thirds of his stable at Santa Anita on Saturday and Sunday.

The team numbers only three horses and by the end of the weekend Bellasis may be down to two horses after Union Wave runs in the fifth race on Saturday, and Acero starts in Sunday’s fourth race. Both race in $5,000 claimers.

The claiming crowd has their eyes on one, he said.

“I hear I might lose one of them,” he said on Friday. “That’s what I’ve been told.”

Fri, 03/28/2025 - 12:14

Romans to test Sorcerer's Silver with Pat Day Mile

By David Grening

Ryan Thompson/Coglianese Photos

Off an impressive win, Sorcerer's Silver will likely try the Pat Day Mile on the Kentucky Derby undercard.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Dale Romans may not leave South Florida with a Kentucky Derby horse, but in Sorcerer’s Silver it does appear he has a nice 3-year-old for shorter races in the division.

On Thursday, Sorcerer’s Silver won a first-level allowance race, restricted to Florida-breds, by seven lengths. He ran six furlongs in 1:09.29 and earned an 89 Beyer Speed Figure. That followed a debut win against Florida-breds by 8 1/4 lengths, a race in which he earned an 84 Beyer.

Fri, 03/28/2025 - 12:13

Integration to get another try at Maker's Mark Mile if turf is dry

By David Grening

Debra A. Roma

Integration will likely to try improve off a third-place finish in last year's Maker's Mark Mile in this year's running.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – After briefly flirting with a trip to Dubai, the connections of Integration, runner-up in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Turf at Gulfstream on Jan. 25, have decided to remain stateside and point toward the Grade 1, $650,000 Maker’s Mark Mile at Keeneland on April 11 – weather permitting.

Last year, Integration finished third in the Maker’s Mark Mile, a race run over yielding turf.

“He was third on a track he hated,” trainer Shug McGaughey said.

Fri, 03/28/2025 - 12:12

Gaffalione most likely to miss riding Triple Crown season

By David Grening

Barbara D. Livingston

Jockey Tyler Gaffalione will likely miss the Triple Crown season and the entirety of the Keeneland meet with a broken ankle.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – There’s never a good time for a jockey to get injured, but the broken left ankle suffered by Tyler Gaffalione earlier this week at Gulfstream Park seemingly couldn’t have come at a worse time.

Gaffalione was scheduled to meet with doctors on Friday to discuss a plan of action on how to deal with the injury. Before that meeting took place, Matt Muzikar, Gaffalione’s agent, said he believes his rider will miss two months.

Thu, 03/27/2025 - 15:13

After more than a year off, Spirit of Makena returns in San Carlos

By Steve Andersen

Benoit Photo

Spirit of Makena, off for 18 months due to quarter cracks, returns in Saturday's San Carlos Stakes at Santa Anita.

Two years ago, Spirit of Makena was in peak form in sprints at Santa Anita, winning consecutive starts in graded stakes, including the Grade 3 San Carlos Stakes.

On Saturday, Spirit of Makena is back in the $100,000 San Carlos at seven furlongs for his first start in 18 months. The San Carlos can show whether the now 7-year-old Spirit of Makena will be a factor in California’s sprint division.

“I hope he surprises me, but he’s been off for a year,” trainer George Papaprodromou forewarned on Thursday. “He might need the race.”

Thu, 03/27/2025 - 15:13

Thomas looking forward to Del Mar meet with loaded barn

By Steve Andersen

Benoit Photo

Trainer Jonathan Thomas will have a full-time string at Del Mar for the upcoming summer meet.

The Del Mar summer meeting is slightly less than four months away, but close enough to weigh on the mind of trainer Jonathan Thomas.

Thomas, who has won three stakes at the current Santa Anita winter-spring meeting, will have a full-time presence at Del Mar this summer for the first time. In the last few weeks, Thomas has been in Kentucky, where he has a home. He will remain there for much of April, seeking to build his California stable. The West Coast division currently numbers 12.

Thu, 03/27/2025 - 11:51

E.P. Taylor Now a 'Win and You're In' Breeders' Cup race

By Ron Gierkink

Debra A. Roma

E.P. Taylor runner-up Moira went on to win last year's Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf.

The Grade 1, $750,000 E.P. Taylor Stakes has been added to the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series as a “Win and You’re In” event. It becomes the fourth such Woodbine race to earn that distinction, along with the Woodbine Mile, Summer, and Natalma Stakes.

The new designation offers the E.P. Taylor winner a fees-paid berth into the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf on Nov. 1 at Del Mar, a race won by Taylor runner-up Moira last year.

Wed, 03/26/2025 - 19:16

Gaffalione breaks ankle; Smith to pick up Florida Derby mount

By David Grening

Ryan Thompson/Coglianese Photos

Gaffalione was booked to ride all 14 races on Saturday’s Gulfstream Park card.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Jockey Tyler Gaffalione will be out indefinitely after he suffered a broken left ankle as a result of an incident prior to the start of Wednesday’s fourth race at Gulfstream Park, his agent Matt Muzikar said.

Gaffalione, the second-leading rider at the Gulfstream winter meet, was booked to ride all 14 races on Saturday’s Gulfstream Park card, including Madaket Road in the Grade 1, $1 million Florida Derby. Mike Smith will instead ride Madaket Road in that race for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, according to Muzikar.

Wed, 03/26/2025 - 15:47

Woodbine, Ontario HBPA agree on 2-year deal

By Ron Gierkink

Julie Wright

Woodbine will opens its 128-date meet on April 26.

Woodbine Entertainment and the Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association of Ontario announced Wednesday that they have reached an agreement in principle on a new two-year deal that boosts purses by $5.7 million. The new agreement commits $64.7 million in purses in 2025 and $65 million in 2026, both with 128-day race meets.

The 2025 meet begins Saturday, April 26, and concludes on Sunday, Dec. 14.

Wed, 03/26/2025 - 15:41

S S Sinatra is Hohlbein's best hope for first stakes win

By Patrick Moquin

Jim McCue/Maryland Jockey Club

After a career as a jockey and exercise rider, Hohlbein began training in 2022.

Kerry Hohlbein, a former rider now working as a trainer at Laurel Park, missed out on her first stakes victory by a nose earlier this month when S S Sinatra lost a photo finish in the $75,000 Not For Love Stakes. She’s confident that more opportunities will come, however.

“He ran a great race and I’m not upset that he just got beat like that,” Hohlbein said of the 5-year-old gelding. “It would have been nice to win, but he ran great.”

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