The road to the Kentucky Derby just got longer, and with that trainers will have to adjust their preparation for a race postponed by four months, including those with horses scheduled to run Saturday in the Grade 2, $1 million Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds.
“We had been gearing our horses to be ready for the first Saturday in May,” said Mark Casse, who sends out Enforceable and Lynn’s Map in the Louisiana Derby. “This is new territory for all of us. But we’ll get through it.”
Sam Houston Race Park in Houston is riding a wave of momentum heading into Saturday night’s Texas Champions Day program of seven stakes worth a cumulative $525,000.
It’s the second richest program of the season – a season in which Sam Houston has seen double-digit gains in handle compared to the comparable meet in 2019.
Sam Houston was able to increase purses from an average of $140,000 a program last year to $240,000 this meet because of a new Texas law that makes a portion of existing taxes on horse products and services available for purses at the state’s tracks.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Jockey Luca Panici, who has been idle since suffering a fractured collarbone in a riding mishap here last month, is hoping to be able to return to the saddle next week, his agent, Kevin Meyocks, said Wednesday.
“Luca’s therapy has gone well,” Meyocks said. “He meets with his doctor on Thursday and is hopeful he’ll be cleared to start riding immediately. If so, he’ll begin getting on horses right away and point for a return next Wednesday.”
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Add Tyler Gaffalione and Irad Ortiz Jr. to the list of locally based riders who will not make the trip to Dubai next week to ride on the rich Dubai World Cup card at Meydan as originally intended. Luis Saez made a similar announcement Monday.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Jockey Jose Ortiz will take the remainder of the Gulfstream Park Championship meet off after reporting he still felt some discomfort in his right wrist, injured in a post parade mishap here last month, his agent, Jimmy Riccio, said on Wednesday.
Riccio said Ortiz made the decision after riding Basha in Wednesday’s third race.
British Idiom, champion 2-year-old filly of 2019, is likely to make her next start in the Fantasy Stakes at Oaklawn Park, trainer Brad Cox said Wednesday.
The Fantasy and the rest of the later Oaklawn stakes schedule could be subject to revision following the cancellation of the Keeneland spring meet and the postponement of races like the Kentucky Derby and the Kentucky Oaks.
When the calendar flipped to 2020, one might have imagined trainer Brad Cox having Taraz or British Idiom, both Fair Grounds-based at the time, in the Fair Grounds Oaks and Mr. Monomoy in the Louisiana Derby. None of those horses will start Saturday on the biggest card of the Fair Grounds meet, but Cox still will be well represented in both races.
Bonny South, who looks like second choice to Finite, starts in the Fair Grounds Oaks, while Cox runs two, Wells Bayou and Shake Some Action, in the Grade 2, $1 million Louisiana Derby.
Anneau d’Or, a close second in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile in November but ninth as the even-money favorite in the Grade 2 Risen Star Stakes last month at Fair Grounds, is on schedule for a start in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby on April 4.
Anneau d’Or worked six furlongs in 1:12.80 at Golden Gate Fields last Saturday, the colt’s second workout since the loss in the Risen Star on Feb. 15.
:: KENTUCKY DERBY 2020: Derby Watch, point standings, prep schedule, news, and more
Del Mar officials held discussions on Tuesday about including a stakes race at its summer meet designed as a prep for the rescheduled Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on Sept. 5.
Churchill Downs announced on Tuesday that Kentucky Derby will be postponed from May 2 to September because of the coronavirus outbreak.
:: KENTUCKY DERBY 2020: Derby Watch, point standings, prep schedule, news, and more
Trainer Pete Eurton was relieved his Plan A for Royal Act worked out, because Plans B and C ended up going away.
Eurton had desired running Royal Act in the Grade 2, $1 million Louisiana Derby on Saturday at Fair Grounds, believing the race’s 1 3/16 miles would be of benefit to his colt. But until entry time Saturday, Royal Act was in danger of winding up on the also-eligible list, as there were 14 others who were preferred under the race’s conditions.
