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
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.
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.
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.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Mucho Gusto, the winner of the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream Park last month in his 2020 debut, worked six furlongs in a quick 1:11.80 at Santa Anita on Sunday.
Mucho Gusto is scheduled to be flown to Saudi Arabia early Tuesday for the $20 million Saudi Cup at Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Feb. 29 where he rates as a leading contender in the race at 1 1/8 miles.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Hard Not to Love was a quiet and cool filly in the minutes before Saturday’s Grade 2 Santa Monica Stakes at Santa Anita. That does not bode well for the opposition in coming months.
Hard Not to Love, a one-eyed filly who has had bouts with anxiety, refused to warm-up before the Grade 1 La Brea Stakes at seven furlongs on Dec. 28, standing stubbornly in front of the stands for several minutes before she was coaxed into a jog by jockey Mike Smith and an outrider. Hard Not to Love won the race by 2 1/4 lengths at 11-1.
NEW ORLEANS – Modernist, the horse that shipped to Fair Grounds from Florida to win the second division of the Risen Star Stakes on Saturday, is scheduled to return to New Orleans for the $1 million Louisiana Derby on March 28. But Fair Grounds-based Mr. Monomoy, who won the first division of the Risen Star, is less certain to make his next start in the Louisiana Derby.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Wicked Trick, who was scratched from Saturday’s Grade 3, $250,000 General George Stakes after showing signs of colic, was back at his Belmont Park barn Sunday and could return to the races in early March.
Linda Rice, the trainer and part-owner of Wicked Trick, said the gelding showed signs of colic shortly after he arrived at Laurel following a van ride from Belmont on Saturday morning.
“We treated him in Maryland for colic, we shipped him back last night and he hasn’t shown any ill effects this morning,” Rice said Sunday.
NEW ORLEANS – Two more horses at Fair Grounds have tested positive for the prohibited drug levamisole, one of them Silver Dust, who had his victory in the Jan. 18 Louisiana Stakes taken away because of the bad test.
Trainer Bret Calhoun agreed to pay a $1,000 fine and Silver Dust was placed last in the Louisiana after stewards notified Calhoun late afternoon this past Friday of the test result. Had Calhoun not agreed to the penalties, Silver Dust would’ve been scratched from the Mineshaft Stakes here on the Saturday, Feb. 15 card, a race he won.
