Mon, 01/04/2021 - 13:15

Green but talented, Capo Kane targets Withers Stakes after impressive Jerome Stakes win

Susie Raisher
Capo Kane received an 84 Beyer Speed Figure for his victory in the Jerome Stakes at Aqueduct.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Capo Kane, the dominant 6 1/4-length winner of the $150,000 Jerome Stakes here on New Year’s Day, will likely return to Aqueduct for the Grade 3, $250,000 Withers Stakes on Feb. 6, trainer Harold Wyner said Monday.

Wyner, who is based at Parx Racing, said Capo Kane came out of the one-mile Jerome “real well,” and that the Withers, at 1 1/8 miles, is the next logical target for the California-bred son of 2007 Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense.

Sun, 01/03/2021 - 17:28

Life Is Good, Medina Spirit have Baffert thinking Kentucky Derby

Benoit photo
Life Is Good led throughout and won Saturday's Sham Stakes at Santa Anita by three-quarters of a length.

ARCADIA, Calif. - A certain Saturday at the start of May was foremost on Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert’s mind Sunday morning, a day after an attractive 1-2 finish by stablemates Life Is Good and Medina Spirit in the Grade 3 Sham Stakes at Santa Anita.

“They’ve got four months to improve,” Baffert said.

Sun, 01/03/2021 - 14:00

Road to the 2021 Kentucky Derby: Sham Stakes analysis

Benoit photo
Life Is Good was given a 101 Beyer Speed Figure for his victory in the Sham Stakes at Santa Anita.

Grade 3, $100,000 Sham Stakes, one mile, Santa Anita, Jan. 2, 2021
(10 Derby qualifying points for first, 4 for second, 2 for third, 1 for fourth)

Winner: Life Is Good, by Into Mischief
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Jockey: Mike Smith
Owner: CHC Inc. and WinStar Farm
Beyer Speed Figure: 101

Sun, 01/03/2021 - 12:35

Road to the 2021 Kentucky Derby: Jerome Stakes analysis

Susie Raisher
Capo Kane received an 84 Beyer Speed Figure for his victory in the Jerome Stakes at Aqueduct.

Listed, $145,500 Jerome Stakes, one mile, Aqueduct, Jan. 1, 2021
(10 Derby qualifying points for first, 4 for second, 2 for third, 1 for fourth)

Winner: Capo Kane, by Street Sense
Trainer: Harold Wyner
Jockey: Dylan Davis
Owner: Bing Cherry Racing and Leonard Liberto
Beyer Speed Figure: 84

Fri, 01/01/2021 - 17:24

Parx shipper Capo Kane much the best in Jerome Stakes

Chelsea Durand/NYRA
Capo Kane wins the Jerome Stakes 1-1-2021

OZONE PARK, N.Y. -  Before Ny Traffic became a staple in Kentucky Derby prep races for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. last year, he was a nondescript New York-bred running at Parx Racing for trainer Harold Wyner.

Wyner, who bought Ny Traffic for $27,000, advised owners John Fanelli and Leonard Liberto to send the horse to Florida and was glad he did after COVID-19 hit, shutting down racing operations at Parx and New York beginning in March.

Thu, 12/31/2020 - 12:20

Pickin' Time exchanges New York rain for Florida sunshine in Mucho Macho Man

Chelsea Durand/NYRA
Pickin' Time won the Nashua Stakes at Aqueduct in November (above), but then ran fourth of five over a sloppy track in the Remsen.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – When the rains came just prior to the Cigar Mile last month at Aqueduct, trainer Kelly Breen called an audible and sent Firenze Fire down to South Florida instead, where he ran a close second in the Grade 3 Mr. Prospector. And with a forecast for rain once again in New York this week, Breen chose to take a similar path with his Grade 3-winning 3-year-old prospect Pickin’ Time, who will skip Friday’s Jerome at Aqueduct to face nine rivals, including likely favorite Mutasaabeq, the following afternoon in the $100,000 Mucho Macho Man at Gulfstream Park.

Wed, 12/30/2020 - 16:00

Jackie's Warrior returns to the work tab, targets Southwest Stakes

Barbara D. Livingston
Jackie's Warrior, with Joel Rosario up, wins the Grade 1 Champagne Stakes at Belmont Park by 5 1/2 lengths.

Jackie’s Warrior, who was on track to be 2-year-old champion of 2020 before finishing fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, had his first post-Breeders’ Cup timed workout when he went a half-mile in 52.60 seconds Tuesday at Fair Grounds.

Tue, 12/22/2020 - 14:00

Top juvenile stakes horses may yield to faster prospects at Santa Anita meet

Benoit Photo
Life Is Good impressed with a 90 Beyer in his debut and was the top-rated individual horse in Pool 1 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager.

ARCADIA, Calif. – The trend the past couple of years with California-based preps for the Kentucky Derby has been for lightly raced, late-developing types to emerge, and that could continue this year during the Santa Anita meeting that begins Saturday.

Sun, 12/20/2020 - 15:01

Road to the 2021 Kentucky Derby: Springboard Mile analysis

Dustin Orona Photography/Remington Park
Senor Buscador got a preliminary Beyer Speed Figure of 93 for his victory in the Springboard Mile.

Listed, $200,000 Remington Springboard Mile, one mile, Remington Park, Dec. 18, 2020
(10 Derby qualifying points available for first, 4 for second, 2 for third, 1 for fourth)

Winner: Senor Buscador, by Mineshaft
Trainer: Todd Fincher
Jockey: Luis Quinonez
Owner: Joe Peacock Jr.
Beyer Speed Figure: 93

Sun, 12/20/2020 - 13:18

Road to the 2021 Kentucky Derby: Los Alamitos Futurity analysis

Benoit photo
Spielberg (6) was given an 81 Beyer Speed Figure for his victory in the Los Alamitos Futurity.

Grade 2, $200,500 Los Alamitos Futurity, 1 1/16 miles, Los Alamitos, Dec. 19, 2020
(10 Derby qualifying points for first, 4 for second, 2 for third, 1 for fourth)

Winner: Spielberg, by Union Rags
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Jockey: Flavien Prat
Owners: SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Golconda Stables, Siena Farm LLC, and Robert Masterson
Beyer Speed Figure: 81