Trainer John Terranova is considering shipping Killybegs Captain to Oaklawn Park for the Grade 3, $350,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap on April 18.
Killybegs Captain, who won the Pelican Stakes on Feb. 15 at Tampa Bay Downs, was among the U.S.-based horses who shipped to Dubai but did not get to run on the March 28 World Cup Card at Meydan. Killybegs Captain was pointing to the $2.5 million Golden Shaheen.
The opening of the stable area and Oklahoma training track in Saratoga, scheduled for April 15, will be delayed indefinitely the New York Racing Association announced Wednesday, owing to the coronavirus pandemic.
Under the 2008 franchise agreement with the state, NYRA is required to “maintain and operate” the Oklahoma training track from April 15-Nov. 1 each year, subject to weather conditions. NYRA received permission from the New York State Gaming Commission to delay the opening of the Oklahoma track.
The New York racing community on Wednesday was mourning the passing of Martin Zapata who died Tuesday due to the coronavirus, racing officials said. Zapata, a hotwalker who worked for trainer Tom Morley, was 63.
Zapata, who lived and worked at Belmont Park, tested positive for coronavirus on March 24. Two day later, he was admitted to the hospital, where he died.
Trainer Bill Mott is considering sending at least two horses to Oaklawn Park for stakes on April 18.
Golden Award, most recently second in the Royal Delta Stakes at Gulfstream Park, is being pointed to the Grade 1, $600,000 Apple Blossom Handicap, while Hidden Scroll, a 12 1/2-length winner of a first-level allowance on March 1, could join her for the Grade 3, $350,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap the same day.
Trainer John Servis was planning to send Mischevious Alex and Diamond King to Oaklawn Park this weekend for stakes races, but canceled those plans due to the restrictive quarantine rules put in place by The Stronach Group.
Horses that race at Oaklawn would have to serve a 14-day quarantine period at a farm in Florida before being able to return to Gulfstream Park or the Palm Meadows training center, both Stronach Group properties. Further, Servis said, any help he would send to Oaklawn would not be permitted to return Gulfstream or Palm Meadows at all.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – With the quality of the local horse population far superior to what it would normally be at this time of the season due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Gulfstream Park racing office will adjust accordingly starting with the second condition book that begins April 23.
The 2020 spring stakes schedule does not begin until May 2 with a pair of $75,000 stakes on the grass for 3-year-olds and 3-year-old fillies, the English Channel and Honey Ryder, and the $100,000 Big Drama for Florida-breds going seven furlongs.
Sunland Park’s ownership has donated $2 million to help New Mexico residents during the coronavirus pandemic, the track and New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced late Tuesday.
The donation is from the Stanley E. Fulton Family Foundation, endowed by the late Stan Fulton. The All Together NM Fund will oversee distribution of the donation to charities and food banks.
Sunland Park’s meet was closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, just a week before Sunland Derby Day in March.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Mr. Money, a millionaire who won four straight graded stakes races last year, remains on course to launch his 4-year-old season Saturday in the $150,000 Oaklawn Mile, trainer Bret Calhoun said Tuesday.
The race will share a card with the $200,000 Oaklawn Stakes for 3-year-olds. Entries are to be drawn Wednesday.
Thousand Words, who suffered his first career loss when fourth in the San Felipe Stakes on March 7 at Santa Anita, will try to rebound with his first race outside California when he competes in the Oaklawn Stakes on Saturday at Oaklawn Park.
Trainer Bob Baffert on Tuesday said he had sent Thousand Words to the Oaklawn Stakes, which flip-flopped dates with the Arkansas Derby, now scheduled for May 2.
Joe Talamo will have the mount, Baffert said.
