Tue, 02/18/2020 - 12:38

Warrior's Charge likely to stay the course and run in Oaklawn Handicap

Coady Photography
Warrior's Charge earned a 97 Beyer Speed Figure for his win in the Razorback on Monday.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Warrior’s Charge is likely headed to the Grade 2, $1 million Oaklawn Handicap on April 18 following his Monday win in the track’s Razorback Handicap, trainer Brad Cox said on Tuesday. 

Warrior’s Charge on Monday set the pace in the Grade 3, $500,000 Razorback Handicap, engaged in a stretch battle with Bankit, and came out a head winner. He covered the mile and a sixteenth in 1:43, the second fastest time in the race’s last 18 runnings, ranking behind Gun Runner’s time of 1:40.97 in 2017. 

Mon, 02/17/2020 - 15:10

Cardenas to miss time with minor hand injury

Adam Coglianese/NYRA
Luis Cardenas injured his hand when he was unseated during training hours Sunday.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Apprentice jockey Luis Cardenas, who has gotten his career off to a terrific start, will be sidelined for about two weeks after injuring his hand in a Sunday morning training incident at Belmont Park.

Cardenas was working a horse for trainer Phil Serpe when the saddle slipped. Turning into the stretch, Cardenas was unseated. Though he got up fairly quickly, he was taken to a local hospital with hand pain.

P.J. Campo, the agent for Cardenas, said the injury is not serious but doctors told Cardenas to take it easy for a week to 10 days.

Mon, 02/17/2020 - 15:06

Kimmel changes direction, enters Mr. Buff in Haynesfield

Joe Labozzetta/NYRA
Mr. Buff is coming off a five-length victory in the 1 1/8-mile Jazil Stakes.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – After initially thinking about stretching Mr. Buff out in distance in the $100,000 Bernardini Stakes going 1 5/16 miles on Feb. 29, trainer John Kimmel instead opted to shorten the New York-bred up in distance and on Monday entered him in Saturday’s $100,000 Haynesfield Stakes for New York breds going a one-turn mile.

In his last seven starts, Mr. Buff has won five stakes going 1 1/8 miles, including the Alex M. Robb by 7 1/2 lengths on Dec. 28, the last time he faced New York-breds. He is coming off a five-length victory in the Jazil Stakes here on Jan. 25.

Mon, 02/17/2020 - 14:26

Endorsed to head west for Big Cap

Barbara D. Livingston
In his lone start this year, Endorsed won an optional-claiming race by two lengths at Gulfstream Park.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Endorsed, fourth in the Grade 1 Travers Stakes at Saratoga last August, will have his California debut in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap on March 7, trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said on Monday.

In his only start since the Travers, Endorsed won an allowance race with a $62,500 claiming option by two lengths at 1 1/16 miles at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 11.

“He won an allowance race impressively,” McLaughin said. “He’s a really nice horse that we’ve had some setbacks with, nothing major.”

Mon, 02/17/2020 - 14:20

McKinzie works six furlongs; ships to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday

Julie Wright
McKinzie worked six furlongs in 1:11.80 on Monday. Trainer Bob Baffert timed him galloping out seven furlongs in 1:26.

ARCADIA, Calif. – McKinzie, unraced since a second in the Breeders’ Cup Classic in November, zoomed six furlongs in 1:11.80 at Santa Anita on Monday in advance of a scheduled start in the $20 million Saudi Cup in Saudi Arabia on Feb. 29.

McKinzie and stablemate Mucho Gusto, the winner of the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 25, are scheduled to be flown to Saudi Arabia early Tuesday.

Mon, 02/17/2020 - 14:20

Charlatan gets 105 Beyer in debut victory

Benoit Photo
Charlatan earned a 105 Beyer Speed Figure in his Sunday victory.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Trainer Bob Baffert was watching the Harlem Globetrotters at Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles with his son early Sunday afternoon when his cell phone began buzzing with text messages.

Baffert had planned to attend the basketball game long before he realized the 3-year-old colt Charlatan would make his debut at Santa Anita the same afternoon.

“I knew he was running at 2,” Baffert said. “My phone went off. Everything said ‘wow’ on it. I thought, I hope it’s a good wow.”

Mon, 02/17/2020 - 14:16

If workout any indication, Chance It is ready for Fountain of Youth

Ryan Thompson/Coglianese Photos
In Reality winner Chance It missed some time due to a temperature.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. can only hope everything goes as well for Chance It a week from Saturday in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth as it did in his final major work for the race here Monday.

:: Fountain of Youth Day 2020: News, analysis, picks, past performances, and more

Mon, 02/17/2020 - 12:05

Undefeated 3-year-old filly Taraz euthanized after fracturing pastern

Coady Photography
Taraz, trained by Brad Cox and owned by Juddmonte Farms, was undefeated in three starts.

The Triple Crown-nominated filly Taraz was euthanized Monday due to injuries sustained in a workout at Oaklawn Park, according to her breeder and owner, Juddmonte Farms. She had been pointing for the Grade 3 Honeybee Stakes at the Hot Springs, Ark., track on March 7.

Taraz sustained a severe fracture to her left front pastern in the work, according to the press release. Taraz underwent diagnostics back at the Oaklawn division of her trainer, Brad Cox, undergoing X-rays that were reviewed with Dr. Bob Hunt of Hagyard Equine Hospital.

Mon, 02/17/2020 - 11:30

Imperial Hint on the muscle for Saudi Arabia trip

Ronnie Betor
Imperial Hint will make his first start Saturday since winning his second straight Vanderbilt Handicap at Saratoga.

Luis Carvajal Jr. had every intention of giving Imperial Hint a final breeze at Tampa Bay Downs before jetting off to Saudi Arabia, but the 7-year-old horse failed to cooperate.

:: Get Free Saudi Cup PPs, presented by RUNHAPPY here: 

Sun, 02/16/2020 - 19:02

Ginobili bound for Bay Shore Stakes

Emily Shields
Ginobili will target races around one turn in the near term.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Ginobili, a game second to the well-regarded Nadal in the Grade 2 San Vicente Stakes at seven furlongs at Santa Anita on Feb. 9, will remain in sprints in coming months.

Trainer Richard Baltas said on Sunday that Ginobili will be pointed for the Grade 3 Bay Shore Stakes at Aqueduct on April 4. The $250,000 Bay Shore Stakes is run at seven furlongs.

“He came out of the race in good shape,” Baltas said.