Mon, 04/13/2020 - 11:31

Heartbreak for one Rainbow 6 player

Sunday’s card at Gulfstream ended in agony for one unlucky player who was alive for the entire Rainbow 6 jackpot of $1.3 million had Gran Hombre won the finale.

Gran Hombre, one of three horses alive in the nightcap for the entire jackpot, stuck his head in front of the 8-5 favorite Blazing Desire entering the stretch only to have Blazing Desire come back along the rail to win.

The resulting Rainbow 6 payoff with all six winners on multiple tickets was worth $27,407. There will be a guaranteed jackpot of $1.5 million when racing resumes Thursday.

Sat, 04/11/2020 - 16:48

Asmussen pointing Fire Coral to Fantasy Stakes

Coady Photography
British Idiom (outside) works a half-mile in 48.20 seconds in company with Hungry N Scrappy at Oaklawn on Saturday. British Idiom is expected to run in the Fantasy Stakes.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Fire Coral will put a perfect two-turn record on the line next month when the promising 3-year-old filly moves into stakes company at Oaklawn Park.

Trainer Steve Asmussen said Fire Coral is being pointed for the Grade 3, $400,000 Fantasy on May 1. The start comes off back-to-back wins at the meet, both at the 1 1/16-mile distance of the Fantasy.

“I think she’s a very nice Curlin filly that obviously has some talent,” said Asmussen.

Sat, 04/11/2020 - 15:33

Three Technique recuperating from ankle surgery

Ronnie Betor
Three Technique is out of the first crop of the beautifully bred stallion Mr Speaker.

Three Technique, a one-time Kentucky Derby prospect, is recuperating from ankle surgery and will be pointed to one-turn races later this year, trainer Jeremiah Englehart said.

Three Technique, a son of Mr Speaker owned by Hall of Fame football coach Bill Parcells, finished fourth in the Grade 2 Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park on March 14. Englehart said upon resuming training following that race, Three Technique was found to have some pressure in an ankle. Follow-up X-rays revealed a “small flake” that has since been surgically removed, Englehart said.

Sat, 04/11/2020 - 14:41

Fair Grounds Oaks winner Bonny South now stabled at Keeneland

Amanda Hodges Weir/Hodges Photography
Bonny South earned her way into the Kentucky Oaks by winning the Fair Grounds Oaks. Now trainer Brad Cox has to figure out how to get her to the Sept. 4 race.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Bonny South is chillin’ up north.

Trainer Brad Cox said that the Fair Grounds Oaks winner is settled in at Keeneland in Lexington, Ky. She’s in a holding pattern of sorts as her connections plot the best course to get her to the Kentucky Oaks, which due to the coronavirus has been postponed to Sept. 4. 

Bonny South won an Oaklawn optional-claiming race in February before going on to capture the Grade 2 Fair Grounds Oaks on March 21.

Thu, 04/09/2020 - 12:56

Code of Honor can be ready to run in a flash

Barbara D. Livingston
Trainer Shug McGaughey says Code of Honor can be ready to race by early June.

Though he has not recorded an official workout yet this year, multiple Grade 1 stakes winner Code of Honor could be ready to run by early June provided there is a place to run, trainer Shug McGaughey said.

:: To stay up to date, follow us on: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

Thu, 04/09/2020 - 12:56

With staffing thin, Kimmel sends Mr. Buff to the farm

Barbara D. Livingston
Mr. Buff has won 10 of his last 14 starts, including the Haynesfield Stakes at Aqueduct by 20 lengths on Feb. 22.

Trainer John Kimmel has resisted the urge to ship Mr. Buff to Oaklawn Park for the Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap on May 2, and due to a coronavirus situation at his Belmont Park barn he has shipped the 6-year-old New York-bred gelding to the farm for a little while.

:: To stay up to date, follow us on: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

Wed, 04/08/2020 - 17:26

MATCH Series scrapped for this year due to coronavirus pandemic

Jim Duley/Maryland Jockey Club
After a three-week break, Laurel Park opens its fall meeting on Friday.

The Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred Championship Series is the latest horseracing casualty of the coronavirus pandemic.

The 35-race series, which was brought back in 2018 after a long absence, was scheduled to begin April 18, with races at Laurel Park and Charles Town. MATCH Series races were also on the stakes schedules of Colonial Downs, Delaware Park, Monmouth Park, Parx Racing, Penn National, and Pimlico Race Course. The Series would have concluded on Oct. 10.

Wed, 04/08/2020 - 16:15

Castellano back in New York, plans to resume riding May 1 at Oaklawn Park

Barbara D. Livingston
Javier Castellano rode seven winners during the first three days of the Keeneland meet.

Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano, who tested positive for coronavirus on March 24 and who hasn’t ridden since March 15, returned to New York on Tuesday night. He is aiming to return to race-riding May 1 at Oaklawn Park.

Castellano and several other jockeys who had ridden out of town, took tests for coronavirus before they were permitted to ride the March 28 Florida Derby Day card. Though he did not exhibit any symptoms, Castellano’s test came back positive.

Wed, 04/08/2020 - 15:16

Uncertainty causes reshuffling of the deck for Kentucky Derby

Barbara D. Livingston
Gouverneur Morris will now be given strong consideration for the May 2 Arkansas Derby, according to trainer Todd Pletcher.

The uncertainty in coming months regarding racing in general, and preps to the Kentucky Derby specifically, has caused a number of trainers to tweak their approaches with their top 3-year-olds in coming weeks. Other factors are at play in their decisions, including rules regarding shipping imposed by the owners of Gulfstream Park, and where horses stand on the current points list.

Wed, 04/08/2020 - 15:06

Costs mount for owners, trainers without live racing

Barbara D. Livingston
Eoin Harty, president of the California Thoroughbred Trainers, said the CTT will appeal to racing officials throughout the state for a long-term resolution for workers’ compensation costs.

As Santa Anita approaches its third weekend without racing because of the coronavirus outbreak, costs continue to mount for owners and trainers who are keeping more than 1,600 horses active in the track’s stable area.

As of Wednesday, there was no word on when racing would resume.

Santa Anita was ordered shut by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health on March 27 with less than an hour to post time. The venue was deemed a nonessential business during the outbreak.