Sun, 06/28/2020 - 17:34

Galilean could try turf in California Dreamin' Stakes

Benoit Photo
Galilean won a stakes for first time in 16 months, taking the Soi Phet under Juan Hernandez on Saturday at Los Alamitos.

Galilean, winner of the $101,500 Soi Phet Stakes for California-breds on dirt Saturday at Los Alamitos, could have his turf debut at Del Mar, if he remains in the statebred division.

Terry Finley, the founder and chief executive of West Point Thoroughbreds that co-owns Galilean, said Sunday that no decisions have been made on Galilean’s plans for the Del Mar summer meeting.

Two options are the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap at 1 1/16 miles on dirt on July 18 or the $125,000 California Dreamin’ Stakes for statebreds at 1 1/16 miles on turf July 26.

Sun, 06/28/2020 - 17:24

SoCal simulcast locations resuming operations

The Southern California simulcasting network is slowly resuming business after being forced to close earlier this year because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Hollywood Park’s satellite facility resumed simulcasting on June 22, while Santa Anita reopened Friday. Los Alamitos announced Saturday that it will reopen for simulcasting on July 6, but only for daytime racing.

Sun, 06/28/2020 - 17:16

Maximum Security works bullet six furlongs

Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia/Doug DeFelice
Maximum Security, with Luis Saez up, wins the $20 million Saudi Cup over Midnight Bisou.

Maximum Security had his fifth workout of June on Saturday at Santa Anita, moving closer to his first start for trainer Bob Baffert and first start since a win in the $20 million Saudi Cup on Feb. 29 in Saudi Arabia.

Maximum Security, the champion 3-year-old male of 2019, worked six furlongs in 1:12.40, his second consecutive six-furlong workout.

Sunday, Baffert did not specify a race goal for Maximum Security, but said the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap at 1 1/16 miles on July 18 at Del Mar is a “possibility.”

“He’ll be nominated everywhere,” Baffert said.

Sun, 06/28/2020 - 16:59

Infinite Patience shipping in for Fury Stakes

Four-Footed Fotos
Infinite Patience rolled by six lengths in Saturday's Sadie Diamond Futurity at Hastings.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – The Vancouver invasion began successfully last Saturday when perennial leading Hastings trainer Phil Hall won his first Woodbine race with Saltini.

The Hastings sensation Infinite Patience is expected to put her unbeaten record on the line in her season opener in Sunday’s $125,000 Fury Stakes, a seven-furlong event for Canadian-bred 3-year-old fillies.

Sun, 06/28/2020 - 15:46

Tacitus, Frank's Rockette work fast for upcoming stakes

Barbara D. Livingston
Tacitus, By Tapit out of champion Close Hatches, will be one of the best bred horses in the Kentucky Derby.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Trainer Bill Mott is expected to have horses in all five graded stakes next Saturday at Belmont Park, including Tacitus and Frank’s Rockette, who on Sunday put in a sharp half-mile workout over the Belmont main track in preparation for their engagements.

Sun, 06/28/2020 - 14:56

Quarantine lifted on Belmont barn after negative test

ELMONT, N.Y. – The New York Racing Association and the New York State Gaming Commission have lifted a precautionary quarantine placed on Barn 37 at Belmont Park after tests on a horse suspected of having a case equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) tested negative for the disease, it was announced Sunday.

Sun, 06/28/2020 - 14:29

Trip home proves biggest obstacle for Victim of Love

Joe Labozzetta/NYRA
Victim of Love, trained by Todd Beattie, upsets the Grade 3 Vagrancy at Belmont Park.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Victim of Love got a bad trip Saturday. Fortunately for trainer Todd Beattie, the traffic issues occurred that evening on the van trip from Belmont Park back to his barn at Penn National and not during the running of the Grade 3 Vagrancy, which Victim of Love won at odds of 27-1 in a race run during a driving rainstorm.

Sun, 06/28/2020 - 13:52

Mean Mary sets sights on Diana after New York Stakes win

Susie Raisher/NYRA
Mean Mary, trained by Graham Motion, wins the Grade 2 New York Stakes at Belmont Park.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Trainer Graham Motion may have found his Diana horse in Mean Mary.

Mean Mary recorded her fourth consecutive victory by taking Saturday’s Grade 2, $250,000 New York Stakes by 5 1/4 lengths. After getting away with a relatively easy pace, she powered home her last quarter in 22.64 seconds under Luis Saez. She earned a career-best 101 Beyer Speed Figure.

“She just galloped them into the ground,” Motion said. “She really has a high cruising speed. It looked kind of effortless for her.”

Sat, 06/27/2020 - 15:27

Barn quarantined due to suspected case of equine herpesvirus

ELMONT, N.Y. - Barn 37 at Belmont Park was placed under a precautionary quarantine on Saturday by officials at the New York Racing Association and the New York State Gaming Association due to a suspected case of equine herpesvirus-1 in that barn.

Freudnme, a 4-year-old colt trained by Chris Englehart, developed a fever and neurological symptoms on Saturday morning and has started treatment under the care of a private veterinarian, according to NYRA officials.

Fri, 06/26/2020 - 15:26

Commission instructs Laurel officials not to write Lasix-free races

Jim Duley/Maryland Jockey Club
According to the Maryland Racing Commission, Lasix-free races are not permitted under current regulations.

The Maryland Racing Commission on Thursday informed officials with Laurel Park that the track cannot write races for 2-year-olds that would prohibit the raceday administration of furosemide without a change to existing regulations, according to officials who participated in the meeting, which was conducted via teleconference.