OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Angel Cordero Jr. was reticent to discuss the details of what led to the breakup between him and longtime client John Velazquez, but said he holds no ill will toward the jockey, whom he still considers part of his family.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Stan the Man, who finished last behind Mr. Buff in the Jazil Stakes on Jan. 25, will seek to rebound in Saturday’s $125,000 Stymie Stakes at Aqueduct.
Trainer John Terranova doesn’t have a real excuse for Stan the Man’s virtual no-show effort in the Jazil, other than deducing that he didn’t care for the deep, sloppy Aqueduct main track. Stan the Man had run well over wet surfaces in the past.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – As he watched several sets of horses train Monday morning at Belmont Park, Henry Argueta, the longtime assistant to trainer Jason Servis, was still beaming with pride over Maximum Security’s victory in Saturday’s inaugural $20 million Saudi Cup.
“Super exciting,” said Argueta, who has been with Servis since 2002. “Amazing horse. And people don’t understand what a great job Jason has done with him. He managed that horse perfect. He would never run that horse if he wasn’t doing good.”
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – While the last-place finish by Dennis’ Moment in Saturday’s Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream Park may have dealt a setback to Dale Romans in his bid to get to the Kentucky Derby, the trainer will jump right back in the Triple Crown fray when he ships up Attachment Rate for Saturday’s Grade 3, $300,000 Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – The only anxious part of the enigmatic Hidden Scroll making his 4-year-old debut Sunday at Gulfstream came right before it, and not during it.
The Juddmonte Farms homebred acted up behind the starting gate for a few scary moments before allowing himself to be loaded without further incident into post 5 for the $44,000 first-level allowance at six furlongs. He proceeded to break sharply, put away one overmatched rival, then strolled to a 12 1/2-length romp, with jockey John Velazquez barely moving a muscle.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Chance It isn’t the only horse trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. has on the Kentucky Derby trail at the moment. On Sunday, Joseph worked Ny Traffic and Disc Jockey, after which he said both would run in one of the upcoming Derby preps.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Tiz the Law, currently the top rated 3-year-old on Daily Racing Form’s Derby Watch, returned to the work tab for the first time in three weeks when breezing an easy half-mile in 50 seconds Monday morning at Palm Meadows with regular rider Manny Franco aboard. The work was the second for Tiz the Law since his convincing victory over Ete Indien in the Grade 3 Holy Bull on Feb. 1.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – As Seen On Tv, second in a four-way scramble for second – third-place overall – behind Ete Indien in the Fountain of Youth, will run in one of the final Derby preps worth 170 points, trainer Kelly Breen said.
“He got a good learning experience, had a couple things go against him that he might not have liked, being down inside and all,” Breen said. “We’re going to pick out one of the 100-point races and move forward.”
Dirt for Cheermeister?
ARCADIA, Calif. – Umberto Rispoli, who has vaulted into the top four in the jockey standings in his first winter in California, will soon need a new agent.
Late last week, Rispoli learned that agent Ron Anderson is joining with Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez and will be moving to the East Coast. Anderson will continue to represent Joel Rosario, but not Rispoli. Agents are allowed to represent only two riders.
“It was a thunderstorm on my head,” Rispoli said of his reaction.
“I’m a little lost. I’ll find myself soon.”
ARCADIA, Calif. – At least once a year in the last few seasons, Next Shares has displayed a brilliant performance in a graded stakes on turf. At least once a year, Next Shares has run a clunker.
Earlier this year, Next Shares was last of 12 in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Turf Championship at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 25, a loss preceded by a 27-1 win in the Grade 2 Seabiscuit Handicap at Del Mar on Nov. 30.
